32 weeks

She weighs as much as a Jicama!

Time is still ticking away until Jospehine's arrival. Little by little I am getting things done. We still don't have a crib, who brings home a baby without a crib? I'm thinking we are. We have no place to put one, and I figure (hope, really) that she can sleep in our bassinet for a while. I'm praying everyday that I don't go early. Besides the obvious reasons, we have little to nothing ready. I can't believe we have waited so long!

Last Sunday was my last day of work. FREEDOM!!! It's bad when you dislike a place the way I did that place. My boss was the worst person I have ever worked for. AND. I'm fat and I was very sick of working and carrying around all this extra weight at the same time. Things will be tight for a while, but I'm okay with that. We can make it work... we have before.

So far this week, I've tried to get into the whole "housewife" thing... it's slowly working. I made the bed today... that's about as far as I got! I WILL get myself back into the routine of housework, running kids all over, and trying to find some "me" time. Right now, I'm reaching the miserable point of pregnancy so trying to reach in my washer to get the clothes out can wait, my belly stops me anyway! Hubby has been a blessing this pregnancy, he's done so much around the house. My house would be in shambles if it wasn't for him. It's close, but he's tried to hard and done a pretty good job.

That's all for this little update!

Happy New Year! I'm back!!

Hi, I'm Sheila and I'm a bad blogger. (Hi, Sheila) It's been almost a year since my last post, and in my defense... I've been a little busy! I started working almost 2 years ago, after staying home for 4 years. It was madness, really. I didn't know how to fit everyday things into my life lol. Eventually I got over that, but still stopped posting here.

Here it is January of 2013, and I have ONE WEEK LEFT, til my 2 week notice at work expires and I will be back to being a SAHM. Not quite sure how I feel about all that. Getting back in my routine will be difficult and I'm sure I will go through another period of not knowing my ass from a hole in the ground for a couple of months! I can do it, I'm ready for the crazy. I work best in crazy conditions. Saying I'm ready is really an understatement. I've hated my job for the last 6 months. My crazy boss, the crazy customers... hell that could be a blog all of it's own!

 I've really missed everything that I took for granted before. Like being able to leave at the drop of a hat. Taking my kids to the water park on a whim. Being able to go to every. single. girl scout event. My daughter has kept track of everything that I have missed lol! I now owe her 9 "Mommy/Daughter days", for the things that I had to miss out on because of work. That's totally okay in my book, I love those days. I've missed my son like crazy. I feel like I worked his whole toddlerhood (is that a word?) He starts preschool next August, and just the thought of my baby being in school makes me want to cry like a baby. He's getting so big so fast.

Speaking of babies...

BABY #3 is on it's way!! I'm 31 weeks pregnant and Due March 15th 2013!! It's a girl! I'm way excited to shop for girl clothes again :)

After many, many, many mind changes we decided to go for it and try for #3. Maybe TMI, but all it takes is once lol! She was conceived before we could change our minds again, she is my meant to be baby. Her name is going to be Josephine Jean, though we are planning to call her Josie.

I can't wait til she gets here. BUT, I have NOTHING ready yet. Not a thing. Well, I have a couple packs of diapers. No clothes, no where for her to sleep, not a thing. I'm still waiting for this nesting thing to kick in. I really need to get motivated and get things ready for her arrival. I go in on March 8th for a C-section (let me tell ya how happy I am about that. NOT AT ALL) so time is ticking away!

Well I suppose I will stop rambling. I'm sure not many people will be reading this here blog of mine, seeing how it's been all but deserted for a long time. BUT... if your reading, thank you! I hope to get back into reviews and giveaways sooner or later (probably a little later) and I will keep posting this time!

Happy New Year!!

Five Mom Inspired Driving Tips

I've been in 5 wrecks in my life, each and every one were before I had my kids. Becoming a mom obviously changes a lot about you, including how you drive. After having my daughter I had this awareness that I didn't have before, not only was I responsible for my safety, but a V.I.P.'s safety too. There are many things that you can do to prevent wrecks, accidents, and being stranded. Here are my top 5 mom inspired driving tips!

1. Fill the tank up! I don't like to let my gas get in low in fear of being stuck somewhere with my babies and having to walk with them to get gas. I always fill it back up when it gets to the half way point so I know we will be fine. It's also a plus that if we have to hop in the car to get somewhere quickly, I won't have to worry about stopping to put gas in the car.

2. Get a baby mirror! Having a mirror that sits right above my rear view mirror has helped me stop fights, helped my know when my son was choking on something, and helped me see that I needed to turn the radio down because the kiddos were about to fall asleep. I don't have to turn around when driving and endanger us and I can see what my two monkeys are up to.

3. Learn about your vehicle. Before my daughter, I couldn't even tell you where to check the oil in my car. I had to learn the hard way once because as pitiful as it sounds I didn't even know how to change a tire. My daughter and I got stuck on the side of the highway once for almost 2 hours because of a blow out. I learned that day how to change a tire, and now we will never be stuck because of that again.

4. Keep up on Maintenance. My dad used to always tell me how important it was to get my oil changed regularly, to get my tires rotated, on and on and on. I always listened but never really did it! Keeping up on maintenance cuts down on costs in the long run, unfortunately that was another lesson learned for me.

5. Buckle UP! Probably the most important one here! If you buckle up in front of your kids it makes them more likely to remember to do it too and it becomes a life long habit, and it could possibly save them one day. It's gotten to the point that if I should happen to forget, my daughter reminds me before we are out of our neighborhood.

Driving with kids has been a game changer for me. I'm much more observant and way less reckless, and I know that some of the things I do are keeping my kids out of danger! These are my top 5 mom inspired driving tips. Feel free to add yours in the comments below!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

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.