Worldwide Day of Play!

Did you know that on September 24, 2011, kids and families are encouraged to participate in the Worldwide Day of Play to turn off the TV and play outside? I didn't know about it until I read it at Social Moms! I think it's a great idea, and one that my kids and I will be taking part in this year and every year from now on. There are way too many times that my kids get caught watching tv too long, and I'm always on them about getting outdoors. Especially since it's beginning to get cold and winter is right around the corner. They need all the fresh air that they can get! The exercise is great for them too, and being outside turns on my kids imagination like the click of a button! Worldwide Day of Play is Nickelodeons centerpiece and this year Clorox 2 is a proud sponsor! They want to know what our favorite outdoor activity is!

My kids and I are outside as much as we can be during the summer, and anytime it's nice outside! One our favorite things to do outside is to camp. Although we can't always make it to the lake (our favorite place to camp) we do have regular sleepovers in the back yard with the tent, campfire, and tons of bug spray! Sleeping outside is awesome during the summer and this year my kids liked to set the tent up on the trampoline so it's more comfortable!

We play outside a lot during the day too. We like to find rocks of all sizes and paint them, my daughter tries her hardest to find arrow heads while we are searching for rocks. When she does it's like she found a treasure! We make a game out of it a lot, with a map to the treasure! When we find enough rocks we bring the paint outside and sit down and make different designs on each rock. The kids love it, and I love not having to clean up a mess inside!

We also hunt for bugs a lot. We try to see how many different kinds of bugs we can find and then we look up what they eat, how they have babies, and their natural habitat. We always let the bugs go, but it's fun to find them. 

There are also a lot of days when we just jump on the trampoline. My kids have all sorts of different games that they have came up with for the trampoline. One is a "video game" in real life. I don't understand that one, but they know what they are talking about! 

I love being outdoors with my kids! I think it's great for them as well as myself and I would much rather be outside with them than watching them play video games or watch tv! Being outside brings out your imagination, and that's something that a lot of kids are missing nowadays. So, will you be outside on September 24th? I know I will!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Squirmy Baby Diaper Changes

My daughter was possibly the squirmiest baby ever and trying to change her diaper in the beginning proved to be a difficult task! The older she got the worse it got, and I was really thankful to get to the potty training stage. I had to get creative, fast, in order to get a diaper on her without her taking off or wiggling away! Here are a few of the solutions I came up with. 
When she was little I tried to change her in her crib where the mobile was there to keep her occupied. Most of the time it was a long enough distraction to get her changed and I would finish just in time for her to start squirming again. If I couldn't change her diaper in her crib, then I would give her a toy to play with or a plastic bottle, (for some reason plastic bottles are the best thing ever for babies!) and get the job done. I also had this little mirror that had plastic around it, and she would love to look at herself while I was changing her, so for a while I gave her that to play with. Eventually I started changing her in front of our long mirror in the hall so she could "talk" to herself while I was busy.
As she got older it wasn't so easy to amuse her anymore! I started every diaper change by counting her "piggies" and we would sing while I was changing her. It kept her occupied long enough. Eventually, we would take the singing to the toilet as she started potty training! Changing during commercials proved to work for us, as commercials always have kept my daughter's interest. Having a brother or sister there to talk to your baby while changing them is a great idea, when I had my son my daughter kept him occupied and I didn't have to worry about anything!
Huggies has recently introduced Little Movers Slip-on Diapers, and I so wish they would have came out when I was changing diapers all the time! They would have been a life saver on nights that I was running on 2 hours sleep. These will certainly come in handy for new moms!
Obviously, every baby is different but I would say that practice makes perfect and that goes for dads too! Always enlist dads help in the diaper changing process. you both could be changing diapers in a matter of seconds instead of making it a 20 minute struggle for one parent. If all else fails, remember that they are only young once and to savor every moment... even the messy ones!


I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Huggies blogging program, for a gift card worth $35. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

10 Healthy Tips for Back-to-school

Back to school is almost here and we are all ready around my house! My kids have been so bored these last few weeks, and my daughter is itching to go back to school. We have started our back to school routine already and are definitely looking forward to school starting. Today though, Social Moms and Transitions Lenses would like to hear 10 healthy tips to get your kids ready for back-to-school. Here are mine:


1. My first tip would be to keep reading to your kids or having them read right after school gets out, it keeps them in the habit of learning and keeps their mind fresh for back to school! My daughter loves reading time, as it's a part of our everyday routine. 


2. Get your check up's done! Kids are constantly changing and may develop eye problems over the summer, be sure to get them checked out in plenty of time for school. I got used to wearing glasses over the summer when I was a kid, and it helped out a ton!


3. Early to bed! Start putting kiddos to bed early like you would for school. During the summer my daughter stays up really late so we have already started putting her to bed at 8 every night so she can get into the routine of waking up early. 


4. Stock up on healthy snacks. I like to make sure we have plenty of carrots, celery, apples and oranges on hand so when the kids want a snack they grab something healthy instead of full of sugar. It keeps them healthy and full!


5. Go over the basics. School can be a very dirty place! Make sure your kids know how to thoroughly wash their hands and when to wash their hands. Flu season is right around the corner and teaching them to wash their hands definitely helps! 


6. Make sure you send their meds to school, before the first day. The first day is often hectic, so it's a great idea to drop of medicene when you meet the teachers. 


7. Stock up on meds! Like I said flu season is right around the corner, make sure you have plenty of meds for the little ones in your medicine cabinet! We are always running out around here, so when I find them on sale I have started stocking up!


8. Buy the right clothes. Fall and winter are coming soon and while it's fun to buy shorts for back to school, look for jeans and sweaters as well. Be prepared with an umbrella or rain boots when the time comes! 


9. Talk to the teachers! Be sure to let your childs' teacher know what health issues your child has. Even if the nurse already knows, it's a good idea to let the teacher know too, so they know what to look out for. 


10. Send healthy lunches to school. A good lunch can make or break a good day at school, make sure they have plenty healthy options to choose from in their lunch box!


Well these are my ten tips, I hope they help someone! I'm hoping my daughter has a great year at school, and I can't wait to start getting those cute things she makes! Thanks for reading!


I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Ten tips for making your life easier while on the go.

I think I've said before than moms are very busy people, and any time saved is amazing to busy moms. Today, Social Moms  and Seattle's Best coffee would like to know your 10 tips for making your life easier and more efficient while on the go. We are always on the go around here, so I'd like to share my ten tips with you!

1. Pre-plan. There have been many times that I have had some place to go and like to no time to get everything together. I like to have certain things packed and ready to go for the times that I have to go somewhere on the fly. I keep an extra diaper bag in the car with all the extras that I can think of that I will need for most occasions. It has come in handy many times.

2. Easy, ready to go meals. Having easy meals stocked up has saved me a bunch also. I like to stock up on things like Stoffers Lasagna so that I don't have to worry about cooking a meal when I have too many things to do. I can just throw it in the oven and I'm good!

3. Get a head start. Generally I am early no matter where I go or what I have to do. I always allow myself at the very least an hour of what I call 'grace time" and again, it's saved me on many occasions. You never know what crazy stunt the kids will pull that can put you behind!

4. Snacks! I like to keep snacks in the car so that I don't have to stop for unhealthy fast food when the kids get hungry while we are out. Things like trial mix will be perfectly fine staying in the car. In fast during the summer we keep a cooler in the car so that we don't have to stop to get bottled water.

5. Incorporate help! I'm kinda bossy about it but I have certain things that the kids have to help with... and the hubby too. I have realized that I cannot do it all... all the time. So having help, helps me a lot.

6. Shop online. Shopping online not only saves valuable time, but gas too, and with gas prices as high as they are here, it's a double win. Not to mention all the great deals you can find online that are not in stores. Amazon is my favorite place to shop!

7. Only do what you can handle. When my daughter first started school, I signed her up for everything and I tried to help out with everything too. Once I realized that just wasn't working out for us, she is only in one thing now. You can't be everywhere at once, and it definitely saves time to only do what you can handle.

8. Use a calendar. The calendar on my cell has helped me so many times. I forget things a lot, so when I set a date for something I always add a second date 2 days before the thing I need to do so that I have a little head start.

9. Relax! A happy mom makes a happy family, therefore I try to find 10 minutes or so during the day of after the kids are in bed just for myself. I'm much more relaxed after that and I'm ready for the challanges that the next day will bring!

10. Once a month cooking! Though I haven't been doing this so well lately, it really helps. Take one day and cook all the meals you will need for the month. That way you can throw a pre-made casserole in the oven and not have to worry about dinner!

So, there are my ten tips. I hope they help someone! Do you have anything that you do to make life easy for you? If so, I would love to hear it! Go HERE for a $1.50 coupon off of Seattle's Best Coffee!

About Seattle’s Best Coffee
As coffee blenders and roasters since 1970, we’ve seen a lot come and go. We went from a tiny shop on the Seattle waterfront to being declared Seattle’s Best Coffee in a local competition. In 2003, we joined the Starbucks family which has allowed us to place more resources into further honing our special way of crafting delicious, impossibly smooth coffee. Every step of the process, from coffee cherry to your cup, is managed to fit our exacting standards and our premium approach to coffee. Now, we’re making it easier to find your perfect coffee with our new Level System.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seattle’s Best Coffee blogging program for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here. 

Ten reasons why you would want to visit Virgina Beach

Back again today with another blogging opportunity from Social Moms! Today they would love to know 10 Reasons Why You Would Want To Visit Virgina Beach! With it being summertime right now, we have been looking and planning on places we would love to go, and Virgina Beach is definitely on our list. Below are some of the reasons why.

1. Memories. I've been to Virgina Beach before and I absolutely loved it. I only got to stay for one day though, and I would love to go back and re-visit the hotel we stayed in and just reminisce on my teen years for a little bit. My trip to Virgina Beach was the first trip that I took without my parents, and it was a very fun trip!

2. Events. There are so many cool things in Virgina Beach! I would love to go check out the Symphony by the Sea concert series, Family Great Adventures Series, and the Funk Fest. All of them look like something my whole family would enjoy. I would love making new memories with my family!

3. The food! I remember the food being amazing there! I cannot remember where we ate at, but I would LOVE to try the food at the Aberdeen Barn Restaurant or the seafood at Captain George's Seafood! I love trying new food in different places.

4. I would love to take my kids to the Grommet Island Park at Virgina Beach. I think they would have a blast playing at the park after a long day at the beach! This park is awesome because it is a park for everyone since it's handicap accessible and even better, it's on the oceanfront!

5. The Surf, Sun, and Sand! The idea of going to any beach sounds amazing right about now, it's so hot outside. Why not make it a beautiful beach?! I would love to watch my kids building sandcastles while working on my tan!

6. The museums look amazing at Virgina Beach. I would love to take my kids there so they could learn a bit about Virgina's history. My daughter would love to visit the Francis Land House, and my son would like going to the US Navy's Master Jet Base, NAS Oceana. I would really like to see the King Neptune Statue. There are over 10 museums around Virgina Beach, a lot to choose from!

7. The getaway! Aside from being a beautiful place to visit, it would be SO nice to get away from day to day life around here. We are all itching for a vacation right about now. Going to Virgina Beach for me would be like walking into another life for a bit, and after spending the whole summer (so far) at home, a vacation would be more than welcome!

8. The accommodations. The getaway packages look amazing! The hotels all seem reasonable and the package deals are even better! You could even go camping, or get the whole family together and rent a vacation home. Personally, I would like to stay in Angie's Guest Cottage.

9. The weather! Being in Missouri, I really really want to get out of this humidity! Virgina Beach is known for it's amazing weather, and even if your going in May the highs are in the 70's! The high in June is around 82 degrees, I would love a break from this incessant heat!

10. The family experience! I know going to Virgina Beach would be a great vacation for my family. I would love to be able to take them there. We would make so many memories and have so much fun with all the attractions. It would be something my family would always remember!

So those are my top ten reasons that I would love to visit Virgina Beach! There are so many more reasons! Check it out and request your Vacation Guide today! Thanks for reading, and if you've been there leave me a comment and let me know your favorite part!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Virginia Beach Tourism blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Amazon Gift Card Giveaway! CLOSED!

Thank you to all that entered, the winner is Felicia K. Who said...I voted for your story #2.
feliciamarie.king@gmail.com



IT'S SUMMER!!! Yay! Pools, sun, and vacations! Summer is my all time favorite season, I can't get enough of the sun and my sister in law's pool :)  So far this summer we have been to Girl Scout camp, hung out at the lake, been to the water park many times, and lived at my SIL's pool. At the end of the month we have Girl Scout Day Camp, and we are looking forward to that a lot! But for now, things are starting to calm down a little bit, and I'm totally fine with that.

Camp Prairie Schooner! 

Since I have all but abandoned this lovely blog of mine, I couldn't think of a better way to get back in the groove of blogging than a $15 Amazon Gift Card giveaway!

To enter leave me a comment below letting me know how you stay entertained during the dog days of summer. Things are starting to get a little boring here and my kiddos are fighting out of boredom!

You can get 2 extra entries by voting for me HERE, just leave a comment on her post letting her know you are voting for my story, #3. Come back here and leave me 2 comments letting me know you voted. You can only vote once!

Tweet daily for an extra entry every day! Leave the tweet link in a comment. Feel free to use this tweet: "#win a $15 Amazon Gift Card! http://mom2anutball.blogspot.com/2011/07/amazon-gift-card-giveaway.html Ends 7/15"

Please leave your email in your comment if it's not visible on your profile. Contest ends July 15th at 9:00 pm CST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed as well as listed in this post. They will have 48 hours to reply to the winning email before I choose another winner. Amazon is in no way affiliated with this giveaway, the gift card is being sponsored by me! Thanks for entering!

Time Saving Tips

Moms are very busy people. From softball practice to cheer practice, from school plays to making dinner, moms are almost always the go to gal in charge of getting everyone where they need to be! There have been many times that I have wished for an extra hour in during the day! There is good news though... there are a ton of things you can do to save that valuable time! Here is my top ten time saving tips.

1. Combine trips. I find it easier to head to the grocery store while my daughter is at cheer practice, that way it's all done by the time she is, and I save on gas. Double bonus.

2. Make a list. It may seem like that would take more time, but 5 minutes to make a list of everything that needs done that day will help save time later when you forget something important that needed to be done. I'm horrible about remembering everything I need to do, without a list I would (many times) have to go back and do something I could have done earlier.

3. Plan ahead. During the school year I like to lay my daughter's clothes out for the next day while she is taking a shower that night. Makes getting her ready for school the next day a ton easier and faster. I also like to makes sure I have dinner set out and ready to cook the morning of. I'm constantly forgetting this one though, and normally I have to run back to the store to get something for dinner that night.

4. Remember that it's okay to not be perfect! Not everything has to be in order for your day to continue. Sometimes it's okay for your hair not to be perfect or make up on. Sometimes I skip on them, and life is fine without my hair and make up done!

5. Make a schedule, and try to stick to it. If you know what comes next everyday, it will be faster when the evening comes. Dinner, then baths, then nighttime story. If it's the same every night, it gets easier and faster.

6. Pay ahead. Often times I have a prepaid debit card in my car just in case I forget my wallet or leave my purse at home. It's saved me many trips back home.

7. Bank online. It saves so many wasted trips to the bank! It also makes bill paying a cinch and you don't have to waste time, or gas going to pay bills. I love online banking.

8. Do chores daily. I like to do a load of laundry every single day first thing in the morning. That way it don't pile up and I have to spend a whole day doing it. I do that will all my household chores. It makes life easy :)

9. Enlist the help of others. I do this often, hubby helps out and so do my kids. I realized that I'm only one person and sometimes I need help getting things done.

10. Shop in the "off" hours. I find the stores are way less busy at night and that is my favorite time to shop for groceries. No long check out lanes, and not very many people in the store in general makes for a super fast shopping trip!


Well, those are my ten tips! Hope I helped you out! Remember things don't have to be perfect all the time, take the time to smell the roses!!



I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Just sayin'

Sometimes the evil comes out in my children... proof is in the pics :)

I know it's blurry, but she looks freakin evil!

His eyes freak my out!

Joplin Tornado... hits close to home.

"Home" not really being psychical, more emotional, though Joplin is a mere 160 miles away. The horrible tragedy in Joplin makes you realize how precious life really is and how everything you know and love could be gone in an instant. It makes me want to hug my babies a little more and not let go. It's been so hard reading, watching, and listening to all the videos and news reports from Joplin. I literally had to make myself walk away from my computer after hours of surfing different news sites reporting from Joplin. It seems like each picture I see is worst than the last. It is - in one word - horrible.

Picture taken from CNN.

It's heart wrenching to think about. A group of us are going to go donate blood today. Other than prayers that is just about all we can do right now. Next week we are going down to help with clean up, and I can see us doing that every week for a very long time to come. They are going to need help for a long time. I hope that once the "newness" of this passes that people will still remember that they need help.

Just a reminder that when bad things happen dirtbags come out of the woodwork trying to scam people for money. Please make sure that if you donate money to do it through a well known site. Make sure your hard earned money is going to Joplin and not some dirtbag looking to gain a few bucks off of other peoples tragedy. It's all over facebook. It's really sad.

To give now and ensure 100% of the proceeds go to Joplin:
- Go to http://www.uwheartmo.org/ and click to donate
- Text JOPLIN to 864833 ($10 donation)
- Call the Heart of Missouri United Way at 573-443-4523 

 Please pray for everyone involved, those directly affected as well as indirectly. The volunteers and even the reporters could use some prayers. There is another bad round of weather due to hit Missouri today and tonight. Thanks for reading. 

Summer Getaways for kids!!

Here is another great blogging prompt from Social Moms! Today Alamo Insiders would love to know what your top 5 getaways for children are! I remember when I was in school and the last few weeks of school would be filled with conversations of what trips we were planning on taking and adventures we planned on having during the summer. I loved summer time, my mom always made it super fun, and I plan on doing it for my kids too. I have a few different things in mind that they will love this summer and I can't wait to get started on our adventures.

The very first thing I think all kiddos should experience is camping! I absolutely loved camping as a kid, so much so that I went camping every single weekend during the summer when I was a teen. Last year was the first year that I got brave enough to take my kids, but I am so glad I did. Both of them loved going and can't wait to go again this year. There's just something about sitting around the campfire making Smores and telling stories that is so relaxing!

The next thing is Disneyland or Disney World. We are planning on taking our kids next summer so while it's still a long way away, I am super excited. I think it should be like, a right, for every kid to go while they are elementary aged. I didn't have a chance to go, and it's defiantly something that I want my kids to experience.

Another thing that all kids should get to do during the summer is going to Yosemite National Park. We are working on doing that this summer. My family took me when I was little and it is something that I will remember forever. It was so beautiful and it almost makes you feel SO small in comparison. I loved it there.

If your kiddos are in or around Kansas or Missouri then a trip to Great Wolf Lodge would be awesome too. Their rooms are phenomenal. The prices are reasonable, and the best part is the swimming! They have indoor and outdoor pools and it's so fun! We had the chance to go last summer and I know my kiddos loved it and can't wait to go back!

The last place would be a fun trip to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City. They have cabins for overnights. They have the best roller coasters and tons of fun for the little ones. Snoopy Land is awesome. Their prices are also pretty reasonable. Yet another place that my kiddos love!

Those are my top five places for kiddos to getaway to! I hope you have a chance to visit some of them. Being a kid in the summer time is one of the best feelings in the world, they all should get a chance to do something fun!

Thanks for reading!
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

AGH!

So, this whole trying to get pregnant thing just sucks! I'm so over being disappointed every month. It's only been 3 months. This month is the worst, no Aunt Flo and no positive. GAHHHHHH!!!

That's all I got really. Just bitching! I've meant to update more often but things have been crazy busy around here. Girl Scouts, Field Trips, and playing at the park are taking up a ton of my "blogging" time. Oh, I also found a neat site that I'm more than a little hooked on. It's called Worthy of Publishing. Check it out if ya got some time and you like to read.

Hopefully soon I will be bitching about morning sickness instead of negative pregnancy tests! Wish me luck!

"Justice Has Been Done"

Although it's scary to think about what will come next, it's hard not to be thrilled that Bin Laden has finally been stopped. Hopefully the families of the 9-11 victims can have some closure and our country can start to rebuild our economy. 9 years later... "justice has been done".

Meal Time Memory Lane!

I have very few memories of my grandmother from when I was little, however there are a few that seem to stick out and most of them involve dinner time. She always seemed to make dinner the best time of the day, it helped that just about every meal was amazing! She tried to teach me how to cook when I was 13 or so, but I would never learn. I wish now that I would have! Here are some of the most amazing meals she made, well that I remember anyway.

I loved her beef stew. I don't remember what she made it with, I just remember the very first time I ever tried it I was 6 years old and vowed to eat nothing but her stew every single day! Obviously, I didn't follow through with that, though I don't think it would be all that hard! I remember my mom agreeing with me and grandma laughing at me. She added stew meat and tomato sauce and a bunch of other ingredients that I can't recall. I so wish I would have gotten that recipe!

Another thing that she made that the whole family loved was her Million Dollar Fudge. She only made it around Christmas time or Thanksgiving, and it was the best fudge ever made... well in my opinion. I actually have that recipe around here somewhere, and I tried to make it with my daughter a few years ago. It tasted good, just not like grandma's!

I also loved her Chicken and Noodles. Those were my all time favorite thing that she made. Melt in your mouth delicious. I don't have that recipe either, it I did though I would love to share all of them with you!

One thing that ties all these great recipes (and many, many more) together is Coke! I was a lucky girl and my grandma lived with us. Evey night at dinner time she would make the meal since my mom worked evenings. She always let me have a Coke with dinner. I always thought I was getting away with something by drinking a Coke with dinner, and grandma would just laugh at me! I remember telling her that it made my ears tingle and I liked it. It seems silly to say that Coke made our dinner time complete, but in all honesty - it did!

Now today I let my kids have a Coke with their dinner. My daughter makes it obvious that she feels the same way I did - like she's getting away with something! They don't normally get soda, so when they do with dinner, it's something special to them. My family's favorite meal is Goulash, and Coke makes pasta taste even better than it normally does. I hope to perfect my own recipes so that my daughter can make them for her family when she's older and the tradition of having a Coke with dinner and sharing the days events!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here.

Daisy Lock In!

So, one of the best parts about being a girl scout leader is getting to go to everything with my daughter. Except for when I don't get to go! Noodle went to her first Daisy Lock In last night, I'm gonna go pick her up in about an hour. I couldn't stay because I had no one to watch my son. From some of the pictures on facebook from other moms, I could tell she had a great time! I can't wait to hear what all they did. They are supposed to be making pancakes this morning, she will love that!

Here she is all ready to go! She has only stayed somewhere overnight just a few times, and it's always been to my best friends house. I was worried about her all night, though I knew I had minimal reason to worry lol! She was surrounded by at least 40 other girl scouts, DAISY girl scouts. All kindergarten and first graders. Maybe it's a good thing I had to stay home! I hope she had fun, I can't wait to see the pictures that the other troop leader took and I really can't wait til I get to hear her telling us how much fun it was!
One hour and counting... I miss my baby!

Switching It UP!

Hello lovely readers! Here I am again with a new Social Moms opportunity, I love working with them! This writing prompt comes from Cottonelle, they would like to know what little "switches" we have made to make a difference in our lives! I always say it's the little things that count, so here are a few switches that I have recently made.

The first one is taking time for me. That sounds like it would be a big switch, but it's really not. I take 5 minutes for myself to read an extra chapter in my book or to play around on facebook. Sometimes I take that 5 minutes to just hide in the bathroom. 5 minutes here and there for "mom" time really helps me. Sometimes I need that 5 minutes to stay sane!

Another thing I have recently switched up is having more time with my husband. I've started getting up earlier in the mornings so that I can see him for a little bit before he goes to work - kid free. Those kid free moments are something him and I hardly ever get, so they are cherished. We talk about his job, and what all he has to do that day or what I'm planning on doing with the kids. We check the weather together every morning too, and normally complain about how cold it's going to be! I love our morning time together - even if I do look like a walking zombie!

Another switch I've made is dropping the soda. I can't really say  this one is little though. It's been about a week now since I've stopped drinking soda and I feel so much better. I have way more energy and I'm not dehydrated anymore. I started drinking water instead. I use flavoring from Walmart and I love it. It don't have the same "texture" and soda, but it tastes great!

I also switched up how I pay my bills. I should have done this long ago. I started using... online bill pay! My cousin and friends made fun of me until I tried it, and I found out that it makes life so much easier. I have more time to hang out with the kiddos or to make crafts or what ever for girl scouts. I have always hated going to the pay stations to pay bills, online is so much more simple! I'm hooked now.

One of the best switches I have made is starting to freeze meals. I started doing it for my friend that is having surgery, and then realized that I could do it for my house too. Every meal I have made for the last 2 weeks has been doubled and part of it going in my freezer. I thought that it would be really hard, but since I'm already making dinner it's so easy to make a second batch at the same time! It will save me time and energy later. There are so many great websites that help with it. I think I may try once a month cooking next month!

Well there are a few of the things that I have switched up recently, and for the better. My favorite is probably waking up early to hang out with my husband! I'd love to hear about the little things you have switched that make your life easier. Thanks for reading!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Bittersweet Weekend

My weekends are normally kinda dull. Well maybe dull isn't the right word, they are pretty busy - but nothing over the top exciting.
This weekend will be bittersweet for me.
I'm going out with my best friend. To a bar (which almost never happens), and I will probably get really drunk (which also almost never happens), and I will make a complete fool of myself (which happens a lot).

It sounds like fun -BUT we are going out together JUST IN CASE it's the last time we can.

My best friend of 20 years is having brain surgery on April 12th. The list of things that can happen to her are really freakin scary. The top 2 - Death and getting paralyzed.  It's scary to think that the one person that you can tell anything to could be gone in the blink of an eye. I love her like she's my sister, and my kids call her their aunt. I'm so scared that something bad will happen and that her kids will be left without the most wonderful thing in their lives. I'm scared that her great husband will be a widower at 25. I'm scared that I will be left without the person that I can be a total dork with, the person that I have grown up with, and the person that is my rock.

All these fears have been boiling up inside of me for the last week. Every time I think about her surgery I have to hold back the tears. They still seem to find a way to overflow. When I think of the future, I always think of her and I in the "beauty shop, gossip going not stop, sipping on pink lemonade". I picture us being the crazy old ladies at our children's weddings that STILL get up to sing karaoke without even thinking twice. I hope that we get the chance.

It's so hard to put on a brave face for her when I am so not brave. It's not easy to think positive, but I really am trying to. If you have been there and done that with brain surgery, please share. If you have any kind of advice, I would love to hear it.

Thanks for reading.

If I Should Have A Daughter

I love this spoken poem by Sarah Kay.  "If I Should Have A Daughter" is the name of it. It stops at 3:40, but the whole video is worth the watch.

One Happy Family

First thing in the morning and my whole family is cranky, so being the mom I always find a way to make them happy. A lot of times I go for a great breakfast to help make start their day off right. However there are a ton of other ways I like to make and keep my family happy. So, I'll share them here!

The first thing I do to keep my kids and husband happy is cook! They all love home cooked meals and even though it's not something I am great at, they love it. Breakfast is probably the one they like the most, and we all eat breakfast together when possible. Pancakes and french toast are their favorites, and I've come up with a few different ways to make them creative and yummy all at the same time. The smile on their faces during and after breakfast makes getting up early worth it!

Another thing I like to do to keep my family happy is to make sure we all get to spend time together as a family. We went from one movie night and one game night a week to about 4 out of 7 nights we are together. Routines can get the best of us, so we like those nights where we can switch things up. We recently got the Xbox Kinect and game nights have become a favorite around here. We all love spending time together and it's super fun!

I also like to put little notes in my daughter's lunch box and husband's coat pockets. They get to read them when I'm not around and they both love them. I like to come up with short day trips for my family and I to go one, and they enjoy the break too. They love going on day trips and doing all the fun stuff I find! I love to take my daughter for a mother/daughter day and go get our nails done. The time we get together keeps both of us happy. My son and I go to the park a lot while sissy is at school. That keeps him happy. My husband and I like to go play poker when we can get a sitter, and adult interaction definitely keeps my husband and myself super happy!

This one may sound like a housewife cliché but keeping my house clean also keeps my kids and husband happy. He likes coming home to a clean house and the kids like seeing how dirty they can get the house! I had some issues with this when I first became a stay at home mom, but I've gotten in a groove and my family appreciates it a lot.


Those are a few things I do to keep my family happy. I know they appreciate it, and I love doing things to keep them happy. What are some things that you do for your family? I would love to hear them! Thanks for reading!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Farm Rich blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Easter Fun!

Spring is finally here, and even though it's still not warm here in Missouri, I can see the warmth just around the corner. Spring is my favorite time of year... the flowers, the baby animals, the birds chirping, I love it all! With Spring comes Easter, which happens to be one of my favorite holidays! The main reason why Easter is one of my favorite holidays... chocolate!

Really, I love Easter because of it's meaning. However, there are so many other reasons to love Easter! I love the Easter Egg Hunt. It's a family tradition around here. We all go down to my sister in laws house where we hide over 500 eggs filled with candy and money and other goodies. All of our kids search through the back yard and house and sometimes even the neighbors house to find the eggs. The child with the most eggs wins the Giant Chocolate Bunny named Sam. We buy one every year and the kids get super competitive over it, Sam is very delicious! I always take a ton of pictures of them searching for the eggs and love going back later to look at them. We let the kids out in order of age, the little ones get a 2 minute head start, then the big kids get to go out.

Another reason I love Easter is because I love to see my kids dye the Easter eggs. We have a really fun time trying to be creative and come up with a ton of different ideas for eggs. We take almost the whole day the day before Easter to dye the eggs, and my kids love it! I also love seeing their faces first thing in the morning when the Easter bunny has come and left them baskets and hidden the eggs. Watching them find the eggs that the Easter Bunny hid is always fun, he finds some crazy spots for those eggs!

I also love going to church on the Sunday morning of Easter. Our church makes a huge deal about it and we have a huge BBQ after our service. My kids get to play with the other kids and they all look so cute in their Easter dresses and suits. I love coming up with the perfect dish to take to church and having my daughter help me fix it.

Last but not least, I REALLY love the chocolate :)

Those are the things that I love about Easter! What are some of your favorite things? I would love to hear if you have any cool traditions with your family! Thanks for reading!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

8 Years!

We made it to 8 years! There are days that I'm not exactly sure how but we made it!
He puts up with so much from me, like the days that I'm absolutely insane for no reason. Or the days where OCD takes over and it takes me 20 minutes to put gas in the car because it keep landing on an odd number. He even deals with the fact that I would rather smell his hat when he comes home from work, than kiss him first. (Yes, I AM weird, but it smells amazing)
Sometimes I've thought about doing horrible things to him in his sleep, and other times (most times) he is the greatest man ever! Either way I love him, and I'm so happy to be able to share my life with him. He is my perfect fit, and I love him so much. Happy Anniversary Baby, I love you!!

I'm so bored.

Yep. I'm bored. I need some excitement. I love being a SAHM, but I'm losing it... slowly... everyday... I get a little more bored than the day before.

I love my babies though, they keep me entertained.

I think I need drama. Wow, that's redonk. Who really needs drama? My life has been drama free now for years, and I love it that way.

Anyone around that's full of drama? Maybe I can live vicariously through you. I need a hobby. Blah. :)

Feelin Lucky?

St. Patty's day is coming! For some that means green beer, and for others that means a day full of luck! For me that means more than likely getting pinched by my hubby because I forgot to wear green! Lucky for you, redbox is giving everyone the chance to score free movie credits now through St. Patrick’s Day during the redbox Lucky to Have Friends Like You promotion! Everytime someone rents from your link, you get a free redbox movie! Check it out! I know we rent a ton of redbox movies, so I'm gonna be taking advantage of it! So, since St. Pattys means luck, so here are a few things that make me feel lucky.

My family makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world! Even nights when my son decides he would rather kick me in the face all night than sleep in his own bed. Yes, I actually like that! I'm lucky that he would rather watch a movie with his Mama than play with his toys. I'm lucky that he had the bluest eyes I've ever seen, and in them I see a ton of love that he has for me. I'm lucky to have my Mama's Boy.

I'm lucky to have my daughter because she makes me smile every other minute, and in between she gives me glimpses of her teen years. She can brighten up a room in an instant and whenever I'm feeling down, she is always the first person to cheer me up! I'm lucky to have her because when I look at her I see a world of opportunity waiting for her. She will take the world by storm, and love every minute of it.

I'm lucky to have my husband because he can make any situation better. He takes away my worries and replaces them with faith. I'm even lucky that he has a play station obsession, otherwise, I would never have time for blogging! I'm lucky to have him because he works so very hard everyday, just to make sure I can stay home and raise my babies. I'm lucky because I never thought I would find him, and I'm lucky I don't have to look any farther to find my soul mate.

I'm lucky to have my mother and father because they too are always there for me. They always have been and they always will be. They have always make me feel like a lucky girl! I'm lucky for my cousin and her kids, because they always keep me occupied. We are always hanging out together and I would be lonely with no one to talk to about play station woes! I'm lucky to have them in my life because they are a big part of what keeps me sane.

Besides my family, I'm lucky to have faith, a roof over my head, and things to believe in. All these things make me feel lucky, and I don't know where I would be with out them! What is it that makes you feel lucky? I'd love to hear!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and redbox blogging program, for a $25 Walmart gift card from redbox. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Tips for Great Family Travel!

Vacationing with the family is supposed to be fun and not stressful. All you really want to do is be able to spend time with your family and not have to worry about money. The expenses of traveling can be crazy! Here are a few ways to make sure your family vacation is the best it can be, without breaking your budget!

1. SAVE SAVE SAVE! I'm huge on saving money for vacations. I have a separate account especially for vacation. I put about 25-50 dollars every two weeks in that account, and I never let it run dry even while on vacation. When it comes time for our vacation, I use only that money and when we get home, we don't have to worry about bills.

2. Plan ahead. I like to be prepared. I like to know exactly what all there is to do and where when were vacationing. I look up local zoos, attractions, museums, and whatever else I can think of. I make a "schedule" and try to stick to it. That way we all know what comes next, and I know how much money I will spend!

3. Gather supplies. I'm a clearance shopper, so when I see something that I will need on sale I will grab it. We have travel sizes of shampoo, toothpaste, deoderant and other supplies on stock. I also put them in a different area in my closet so when it comes time to pack, I know exactly where they are and I don't have to go searching.

4. Think outside of the box. If you get bored on vacation, there are things that you can do that do that you would normally at home. My kids and I love to go to pet stores to look at animals. We ended up doing that on one of our first vacations while we were waiting for something else. My kids loved it. It may not be all that adventurous, but it's free and fun for the kiddos!

5. Search for free stuff. There are a bunch of free hiking trails, bike trails, and nature walks with guides all over the place. You learn a lot, and it's fun! Don't forget to visit parks too!

6. Stay with family or friends. If your heading to visit family, stay with them if they offer. The costs of motels during the summer skyrocket, and staying with a relative is free! Plus, they might even cook for you!

7. Bring some meals. I know you can really pack a freezer to take with you but you can take some sandwiches or healthy snacks for the kiddos. I always make sure to bring popcorn for an after dinner snack. My kiddos get bored and hungry and hotel room vending machines are super expensive!

8. Give up some perks! I love staying in a really nice hotel, BUT if giving up room service will save me $30, I will do it in a heart beat. I'm not saying to stay in a roach motel, but there are a few things that can be given up to save some money.

9. Sign up for rewards card. I learned this while we were in Indiana. In order to get deals in a certain store I needed to sign up for a rewards card with them. While I may never use it again after I leave, I still save money while I'm there!

10. Check out travel blogs. I love reading travel blogs, and seeing what all is available in different locations. Some blogs have every money saving activity already researched for you!

So, I hope my tips help you! Remember, vacation is fun! Try not to worry about over spending too much, it's a once in a lifetime thing so enjoy yourself! If you plan well, and do your research you will be just fine! Have fun!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Great Giveaway!

Head over to Take Time to Smell the Rose and enter to win a Fisher-Price 2 in 1 cradle baby swing from Hayneedle! I would love this for my new niece! It ends tomorrow, so hurry! 

Alien Abduction!

The new movie Mars Needs Mom looks super cute, however it kind of leaves you wondering "What would kids do without moms?" There are so many thing that I do for my kids that even I take for granted. I wonder what my kids would miss most about me if I were abducted by aliens? Here's what I think my kids would miss most about me. If you ask them though, it may be different!

1. Story time. I read to my kiddos every night before bed, we all hang out in my room and pick a book to read. I may exaggerate it a little, and I may even act out the story line, and sometimes I may even read in an English accent! My kids love story time, and so do I! They would definitely miss it.

2. Edible food! My husband tries to cook, but it just don't work out all that well for him! They might like pizza every night for a while, but I'm sure my daughter would miss my homemade chicken N' Dumplings. My son would definitely miss my goulash. While I'm not the best cook, I can make their favorites really well!

3. Clean clothes. My son, he wouldn't care since he's only two. However my daughter has to have her clothes perfect for school. She would flip out the first time her "skinny jeans" were not clean. Or if they got ruined in the wash, she would have a meltdown! Without me, there would be no clean laundry and crunchy towels are no bueno!

4. Mommy and me time. I do a ton of stuff with my children but I always make sure they have their special alone time with me. My daughter and I get our nails done at least once a month and my son and I find some cool train tracks to hang out at. I love that "bonding" time with them. They love having their own special day!

5. Extracurricular activities. I'm a troop leader for my daughters girl scout troop. I couldn't see hubby taking that job over either. My daughter has a special patch saying that her mom is a troop leader, and it's her favorite patch. We do SO many things together for girl scouts, we both love that time together.

6. Zombies. Yes, zombies! We all act like we are zombies and pretend to eat each others brains. It's super silly, but my kids love it. They started it because of my husband's video game, and it's turned into this giant game that we play almost daily.

7. Craft night. Once a week we try to do a craft. Sometimes it's as simple as painting a picture. Other times it's more involved like making jewelry or window clings. Both kiddos love that night. I don't love cleaning after it, but someone's gotta do it!

8. Play dates. I take my kiddos on play dates a few times a week. I love that they get to interact with other kids their age AND that I get some adult interaction at the same time. I really can't see my husband hanging out with a bunch of other moms talking about dirty diapers!

9. Little notes. My daughter would miss the funny little notes I put in her lunch box everyday. She gets so excited to see what I will come up with to put in there. My son can't read but I put paper with happy faces in his coat pocket sometimes, and he enjoys that too!

10. ME! I think they would just miss me being here to keep things in order and love on them. I'm constantly hugging or kissing or holding one of them. I think they would miss my presence the most. Besides, who would break up the fights if I wasn't here?

Those are the 10 things I think my kids would miss the most about me. Moms are very important people, lets home there are no aliens coming for us! My kids would go a little crazy! What would your kids miss most about you?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

It's really happening!!

 I've gone back and forth between wanting another baby and not wanting another since I had my son. I figured that if I was changing my mind so many times that I really did want another and hubby and I decided to try for baby number 3.
So, I've officially started my journey to TTC! Well, almost. I got my IUD removed on the 3rd of February and I'm waiting to have my first visit from the infamous aunt before we start trying. It took 2 years to get pregnant and stay pregnant with my son. I'm hoping it doesn't take that long this time. I'm 28, and it may not seem too old but I want to have my last before I'm 30.
My family thinks I'm crazy, my friends think I'm crazy, but I don't care. My husband and I feel that one more will complete us. I can't wait to really get started!
So, please send some baby dust my way and wish me luck! 

Grocery Store Money Saving Tips!

If there is one thing that I'm known for it's being frugal. Other may say cheap, but I like to save all the money I can without giving up quality. The number one thing we spend the most money on (besides rent) is food. My two kiddos could literally eat us out of house and home! I've developed a few secrets to help curb the cost of food in our house, and I'd like to share them with you!


The first thing I do is clip coupons. I'm not anything like the people on that new Extreme Couponing show but I do alright. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but my stockpile is looking pretty good! There are some really good coupons in the Sunday paper and there are a ton of great couponing blogs too. All you have to do is search for coupons and there are a ton of options right at your fingertips. Start combining those coupons with great sales, and you can save a ton of money. 

 I also make sure I never go to the store while I'm hungry! That may not sound like a big thing but if I go to the store on an empty stomach, I can easily walk out of there with an extra $15-25 worth of stuff that I don't need. It looks good while I'm hungry, but later on after I've eaten, I realize a bunch of the stuff I bought will be wasted. 


I also go around the outside of the store first. I only go into the aisles to get a the few things that I need. If I go wondering up and down the aisles I (again) end up with stuff I don't need, simply because it looks good. When I make my list I do it according to the aisles in the grocery store. It makes life easier too, I can get in and out quicker that way.


Another thing I do is take advantage of promotions that certain stores run. I make sure to shop great sales like the one Kroger is running right now.  Kroger is running their CartBuster savings event right now, and you can save a ton of money on things that you use everyday! They have some amazing things on sale right now, from P&G stuff to General Mills and more. You can find out more about that on their facebook page! 


Another thing I try to do is shop while the kids are at school or already in bed. That don't happen a lot though! When I take the kids with me to the store I end up spending a lot more than normal. I don't get lucky often!


Well, those are my money saving tips! I'd love to hear yours. I'm always switching things up and would love to learn even more great tips to save a buck! Thanks for reading!


I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms Kroger CartBuster blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here

 

You can win a Red Checkers Zooper To-Go High Chair over at Posh Little if you enter before 2/28! This high chair looks really neat, and I'd love it for my niece! Go here to enter, or here to check out Zooper!

Good luck! 

Guidecraft Giveaway!

 

Head over to Take Time To Smell the Rose and enter to win a super cool Train Toy Box from Guidecraft! My son would go bananas for this, as he loves his Chu Chu Trains! Guidecraft has so many amazing products, check them out here. Or go here to enter this great giveaway! Ends 2/28

Travel System Giveaway!!

3 Kids and Us has partnered with Target Baby to offer one lucky mom or dad the chance to give their baby gear a Spring upgrade. New and exclusive to Target, the Chicco Vega Collection  features 3 popular products including the Chicco Cortina KeyFit Travel System, Lullaby Playard and Polly High Chair. Each piece covered in a woven jacquard fabric in gray with pops of bright orange, perfect for boys and girls.

 



Grand Prize
Chicco Cortina KeyFit Travel System in Vega, valued at $299.99
How to Enter
Visit 3 Kids and Us Mommy Review Blog before February 25, 2011 11:59am CST and leave a comment sharing your favorite feature of the travel system.

Safety 1st Giveaway!

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If you head on over to 3 Princes and a Princess 2 you can enter to win a Safety 1st OnBoard 35 Carseat!! This would be great for my niece that will be here soon! It ends 3/17 and you can tweet daily! Go HERE to enter or HERE to visit Safety 1st! Good luck!

Share the Happiness!

There are times when a simple smile would brighten my mood tremendously. That's why I always make it my mission to share the happiness with people around me. It can be strangers, family, friends, or that check out lady at the supermarket! Every once in a while, you may just make someone's day by being friendly. Here are a few ways that I "share the happiness".

I always smile. Sometimes it can be taken as being overly friendly, but I believe that smiles really are contagious. It can brighten someones day even just a little bit. It may sound corny but when I was 15 I set a goal to smile at everyone I came across, and it really improved my outlook on life. There are off days when I'm not a smiley person but I still try to smile at the lady in the drive through at McDonald's freezing their behind off.

I leave little notes. About a year ago I came across the Operation Beautiful website. It's where people leave little notes in public bathrooms or where ever just to remind the person that comes across it that they are beautiful and worth it. Since then I have left a "reminder" note in every public bathroom I've used. I had the pleasure of getting an Operation Beautiful note one time, and I was happy that entire day!
I also leave little notes for my husband on the bathroom mirror telling him to have a good day at work, or how much I love him. He says they are silly, but I've seen him smile when he gets them! He also saves all of them, so my "sillyness" pays off!
When my daughter takes her lunch to school I always pack a note in there. Sometimes it's a joke, or funny picture, or just an "I love you". She tells me her teachers think it's fun, and I know she loves it! I love to brighten her day even when I'm not around!

Another way I share the happiness is to let distant family and friends know I'm thinking of them. I call family at least once a week to catch up. Most weeks it's quite a few times. It's nice to hear someones voice, even if they are just checking in. Talking about "nothing" makes me happy!

I also leave little Hershey's kisses candies for my kiddos. A little hug or a kiss when I'm not there. My daughter loves them, my son - well he just devours them!

There are so many ways to spread the happiness! A simple smile to me is the best way, a smile goes a long way! I hope you have enjoyed reading the ways I like to spread happiness. I would love to hear your fun ways!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hershey's blogging program, for a gift card worth $25 and some product. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to http://sharedrops.socialmoms.com/about)

First one down!

My Noodle lost her first tooth last Saturday! She was at a birthday party and lost it in a bounce house! Trying to find it was like looking for a needle in a haystack! She got $5 for her first tooth!
She's getting so big!

Dinner time "rules"

Dinner time is supposed to be a time to unwind and share how your day went with you loved ones. It can be a relaxing time after a long days work or long day of school. Sometimes things can get hectic. So, it's normal that there are dinner time "dos" and "don'ts". Here are a few of mine.

First of all, I'm embarrassed to admit that we didn't have a dinner table until about a year ago. We all ate together in the living room. I'm still not sure why, we just didn't get a table! Now that we have one though, we have some "dinner rules".

Our first dinner table "Do" is to always say grace. When we first started it my daughter thought I was crazy, but it's become a nightly tradition and I like to switch it up and have different people say it each night. My daughter now understands that we do appreciate what is given to us, and she knows who to thank for that!

Another thing we do is ask each other about our days. Mine are normally about the same, but I love to hear about my daughter's day at school and my husbands day at work. I think it helps keep us all "in touch" because life can get so busy sometimes we don't otherwise have a chance to ask.

One more thing that we do it to tell the cook honestly what we think of the meal they cooked. Most of the time I am the one cooking and I like to know if my family likes what I'm fixing so I can change it up if I need to. My daughter "grades" us. It's A++++ if she really likes it and other things are D- or F!  I love it when my husband cooks so that I can "grade" him!

A few of our "don'ts": We don't put our elbows on the table. It drives me crazy! My mom used to get after me a ton because I did this, and I never really understood it until I was grown. To me it looks rude.

Another thing we don't do is get up without being asked to be excused. My mom didn't have this rule, but with my kiddos I need it! I think it's rude to get up in the middle of a meal that someone else fixed. Maybe just me, but I don't like it! Also, my kiddos have the attention span of a fruit fly, so they know not to get up!

Another BIG thing not to do at dinner is argue. We automatically change the subject if it starts. I believe that meal time should be peaceful, so any fights get nixed as soon as they start!

Meal time around here is a work in progress still, as we are still kind of getting used to eating at the table as a family. I'm sure our do's and don'ts will change as my kids get older. Hopefully though, mealtime will remain peaceful! What are some of your do's and don'ts at meal time?

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to http://krafthomestyle.socialmoms.com/about)

Whoo!! End of the month weigh in!

www.my-calorie-counter.com     The webs free Exercise Journal

See that bad boy up there? I lost 15 pounds the first month. Though, I'm not entirely sure how it was possible, I did it! I started this month at 225 and I'm at 210. It seems like the only thing I really stuck to was cutting back on soda. I didn't exercise this month though I'm dreading starting next month, tomorrow! I didn't eat all that well either, I did at the start but man it's so expensive to eat right. I'm still eating better than I was. No goulash here, and I gotta say I don't miss it like I thought I would. I did drink a whole lot of water though, and I have to stick with that.

If I can cut out soda entirely I can see the weight melting off. I'm just so damn hooked on Dr. Pepper. Grr. I am pretty proud of myself though, I went from a two liter and a couple 32 ounces a day to one 32 ounce Dr. Pepper every day. Major difference.

My goal is to be at 160 by the middle of summer. I know that's a lot but I really think I can do it, especially with my results this month. I'm hoping to get the Mirena out soon and hopefully that will aid in the weight loss. I wish I never would have gotten that damn thing. Mood swings, weight gain, zits like I was a teenager again, and bloating! OMG, the bloating is horrible. My advice to anyone thinking of getting it: Do your research! There are tons of forums, blogs, sites where a ton of women have problems with it. Most doctors say that it wont cause side effects, but the web shows otherwise. Sometimes it's best not to listen to your dr. (Sorry, mini vent there)

I hope everyone that made a New Years resolution to lose weight is doing good, don't give up!

Thanks for reading!

Simple Changes To Make My Life Better

If you read my last post, you would know that I have had issues with depression or bipolar, or mood swings, or whatever it may be. When I saw this opportunity on social moms, I knew I had to participate in it. I'td like to share some simple changes that would make my life beter in the new year.

The number one thing I think I need to change is going to a doctor. I think that even just talking to a doctor would help me. If I need some kind of medicine, I would be open to that too. I need to admit that it is very possible that I have a mood disorder, and stop hiding from it. It runs in our family and I'm showing signs. I need to get that done asap!

Another thing that I think would be good for me is to get organized. It can be as simple as making sure everything gets put away as soon as I bring it in the house.I'm horrible about sitting things down and never getting around to putting them away. I also need to start going through my kids clothes sooner. They end up having things in their drawers for a long time after it stops fitting.

 I also need to stop sweating the small stuff. I've noticed that a lot of times I let myself get worked up over really little things. In the big scheme of things, a spilled glass of red juice on my carpet really doesn't matter. It can be cleaned. I have to remember that.

I would also like to spend more time with my husband, even something little like watching a movie together alone would be amazing. We get to spend time together as a family, but my husband and I have very little time together. It would be great to find a sitter and have a date night once or twice a month. I can let go of my paranoia for 2 nights a month and believe that someone else is capable of taking care of my kids. That's simple enough, I have great friends that would be great with my kids.

One last simple thing I could do is to talk. I need to just let everything out once and a while to get things off my chest. Keeping things in leads to mommy meltdowns, and trust me, mommy meltdowns are not good! Like I said, I have some great friends, I'm sure that they would be fine with me venting to them. Talking to someone helps a ton, so that's part of my plan also.

I'm hoping to start these simple tasks asap, and I hope to start seeing the benefits soon! Thanks for reading, and if you have any simple things that make life a little more enjoyable I would love to hear them!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Simply Orange® blogging program. If I am one of the first 65 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 Target gift card and a gift pack that includes a Simply Orange® cooler bag and logoed fleece

Is this really me?

 I don't know what's happened to me. I feel like I'm losing control of myself and I don't know what to do to get back to... well, me. I don't remember yelling like I do or cussing like I do or even being in a bad mood all the freakin time before I got pregnant with my son. Pregnancy made me crazy, but I thought it would all end after I got back to normal from having him. It hasn't.

I thought maybe it was because I have the Mirena. One of the side effects is mood swings. BUT I'm not having mood swings, I'm just a bitch all the time. I can't control it. I know I sound absolutely ridiculous sometimes, and I just can't stop. I'm losing me, and if I don't do something soon everything about the person I was will be gone.

Today was the day that I realized that something has to be done. I have to see a doctor. I lost it this morning because I couldn't find any hats or gloves. It's not like we don't have 542 pairs of gloves, we do. My daughter loses them constantly. I should understand that, it's what kids do. After all, they are kids.
I didn't understand this morning. I yelled and cussed. I was HORRIBLE. Over some freaking gloves. My daughter went to school sad because of me. I feel absolutely horrible about it. To the point of tears. I hate seeing her sad, and to know that I'm the one that did it... it makes me feel like a piece of scum.

I can't stop crying today. I miss the person I was, and I don't want her to just be a memory. I want her back.

I'd love some words of wisdom, or advice, anything ya got really.

Total Gym Giveaway!

So, if you go back and look at this post, or this one, or even this one from like 2 years ago you'd see that I really need to lose weight. AND if you do happen to see those posts, you would also see that I've started recently as a New Years resolution. I'm finally gonna get these totally unwated pounds of FAT off of me!

www.my-calorie-counter.com     The webs free Diet Tracker

You can see that I have a long way to go! It's a slow process and I would definitely use the Total Gym that A Happy Hippy Mom is giving away on her blog! About 6 weeks ago she participated in the Total Mom Challenge and she won! She lost 9 pounds and 10 inches! 10 inches! Wow! She rocks!
And...
She gets to give away a TOTAL GYM XLS! $1948!!! ARV Hurry over and enter because it ends tomorrow! (Sorry I didn't see this one early)
Good luck!

Just because

www.my-calorie-counter.com     The webs free Calorie Counter

So, I didn't exactly start dieting on New Years Day. Actually I didn't really start until this past Monday (oops), but I've lost 4 lbs already. Sweet! Still have a long way to go, but I'm in the right "mind set" and I'm pretty damn determined!
I started doing the Herbalife diet again, it worked last time with a few minor tweaks and changes. I simply cannot afford what it costs. I bought the protein shake mix from Walmart instead of buying their drink mix. So I got ALMOST the same thing for half the price.
I did buy their Total Control pills. They give me a ton of energy and curb my appetite. At $40 for a months supply though, I might have to find something else that does that same thing.
I've also started the diet plan they laid out for me too. High protein, high fiber, low carb, low sugar. It sounds simple enough, but finding food that tastes good is hard.
Just gonna have to deal with it though until I get in the right groove of things!

Well, that's all, thanks for listening to me ramble!
Wish me luck!

Even more Prilosec giveaways!

Check out these great blogs below to enter to win Prilosec OTC Prize Pack, which includes a $100 AMEX gift card! Good luck!

Tatum's Family Reviews
Review Avenues
My Thoughts, Ideas & Ramblings
Southern Bella's Ways to Save
My Silly Monkeys
Babes and Kids Reviews
Acting Balanced
Just Married with Coupons
Guide to Smart Shopping
Fun Saving Money
Simplified Savings
ace & friends co
Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports
Moody Mama Says
Empowering Mommy
Laughing Lindsay
Kiddies Corner Deals
Momma Findings
The Not-So-Blog
A Mom's Impression
Mommy Katie
She Scribes
A Mom's Balancing Act
Ladybug Soup
At The Fence

Prilosec Giveaways!

 

I get heartburn like crazy when I over indulge on some of my favorite goodies :) So, I'm glad to see that there are a ton of great blogs giving away some Prilosec Prize packs complete with a $100 American Express gift card! 

Also, Prilosec OTC is currently offering a Buy One Get One Free offer! 

Check  out the blogs below to enter! Good luck!

The Post It Place

Blessings Abound Mommy

Being Alison  

Plastic Jungle

If you head over to One 2 Try you can enter to win a $50 GC from Plastic Jungle! I love plastic Jungle and have used them in the past! You can buy gift cards and get mega savings, or you can sell them your gift cards!
Go HERE to enter! Good luck!

Nook Giveaway!

Over at Susan Heim on Parenting you have a chance to win a NookColor!! Yay!
Head on over and enter, you can tweet 3 times daily and there are a bunch of extra entry opportunites!
Good luck!