Real Moms

My friend Jenn posted on Facebook last night that she would like to see the blog posts from moms who put their kids in front of the TV so the mom could make Hamburger Helper for dinner.  In other words, real stories from real moms, not just the perfect image many bloggers hide behind.

I laughed that I could resurrect this blog and share tons of stories since I have two non typical kids and another child on the way. I'm told all the time I'm super mom for keeping up with those kids but in reality, I'm barely making it.  The thought of sharing some of those honest stories hasn't left my mind so I'm going to be open and share a few stories over the next few days.  Not sure if this will become a long term thing or not but I'm willing to be open and share what it is really like to be a mom.

I will start with my mom moment from this morning.  E, my three year old, is in preschool.  Today was picture day.  I completely forgot this when I picked out his clothes.  Just as I was about to put his old, worn out shirt on I remembered.  I quickly ran to the closet and picked out another outfit.

Then, we are in car line and I realized I never combed his hair.  My boys like to keep their hair short so 95% of the time there is no need to comb it but today he woke up with a few random spikes in his hair. I looked down and saw that I had my cup of water with me in the car (I almost always have a drink with me when running errands).  I opened it up, dipped my fingers in and fixed my child's hair in car line. Just keeping it real folks, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Feel free to submit your "mom moment" and I will post some of them as guest posts to this blog. 

Homemade Bathroom Cleaner

Most of you know that I'm on a journey to eliminate the toxins in our house.  I'm constantly searching for new ideas for homemade cleaners due to this.

Our basement bathtub is jetted and our hard water always leaves stains in and around the jets.  I've tried all kinds of things to remove this and just leave frustrated.  While searching around Pinterest one day (don't you just love Pinterest?!) I discovered the solution to my problems.

The original recipe calls for 1 part warm vinegar to 1 part Dawn.  I found this to be too sudsy so I suggest maybe 2 parts warm vinegar to 1 part Dawn.  

My plan is to eventually try it with an all natural soap but I was able to obtain an insane amount of Dawn for free a few years ago and I'm too cheap to get rid of it (I did donate a ton though) so I will continue to use my stash until it is gone.

I also suggest being careful how hot your vinegar is.  I got mine a bit too warm and parts of my water bottle melted.  The heat really helps with breaking up the hard water stains and soap scum though so it is needed.

What Makes You Happy?

Life Well Lived has another great question up this week asking how you put yourself first and how that makes you happier.


Some of you already know this, but I pay to put my youngest in childcare one day a week.  It gives me time to get my errands run, work on my business, etc.  It also gives him time to socialize with others his age.


When I first started doing this, I ran myself ragged trying to get everything done during that one day.  I quickly realized that wasn't going to work because I'm more stressed by the end of the day.  Now, I take at least an hour during that day and do whatever I want.  It might be going to Einstein Bros for a delicious cup of coffee, vegging in front of the TV, working in my garden (this isn't work to me, it is relaxing), etc.  About once every other month, I take the full day just for me.  


I always find myself way more relaxed and I can tackle the chores of life much quicker because I'm not near as stressed out.


How do you take time for yourself?  Feel free to reply on this post or head over to Life Well Lived and comment there.  While you are there, don't forget to enter their sweepstakes to win a Kindle Fire.

Yoplait Trix Yogurt Giveaway

My kids love yogurt but they are picky and only want certain kinds.  I'm not too keen on all of their choices because I'm trying to eliminate the extra additives and junk in our diet. 

There is good news though.  Yoplait has reformulated their Trix yogurt so that it now contains no artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors, or high fructose corn syrup. Those changes make this momma very happy.

Yoplait and MyBlogSpark have generously given me a prize pack to give away to one lucky reader.  This prize pack includes a coupon for a free 4-pack of Trix yogurt, insulated lunch tote, folder, ice pack, backpack, zippered pencil pouch, pencils, eraser, and pencil sharpener.

Giveaway will be open until Friday, March 9 at 9 pm CST.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond.

To enter, tell me when your children like to eat yogurt - Breakfast? Snack? School lunch? etc 

For an extra entry subscribe to this blog via RSS or email.


Disclaimer: Yoplait, through MyBlogSpark, provided me a similar prize pack.  No other compensation occurred.

Local Readers: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

I rarely post press releases that I receive but I thought many of my local readers would love this one:

The Mall is excited to announce that Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a popular burger eatery, will open at the mall this summer.  The 2,400 square foot space will be the newest addition to the lifestyle section of the mall on the east side of the property, next to Ann Taylor.

Stress Free Party Planning

This week on Life Well Lived, they are discussing tips for how to host a gathering, get together, or party that is enjoyable and stress free for both the guests and host.


Pre-kids, I used to host a lot of gatherings at my house.  Since having kids, I don't do this near as much simply because it takes too much work to clean my house and my kids tend to show their true colors when we have guests over.


However, in the past few weeks I've hosted two gatherings and we have a birthday party coming up next week so this topic has been on my mind a lot lately.


My first rule of hosting is to keep it simple.  While I would love to lavish my guests with tons of great food, over the top favors, and a spic and span house, that just isn't going to happen in this phase of my life.  I've learned to make one or two things from scratch and either buy the rest or make it a potluck gathering.


I also keep a great stock of disposable plates, cups, napkins, and utensils on hand.  These can be found on clearance after every holiday or at the dollar store.  By having these things on hand I have one less thing on my to do list and no dishes to wash after the party.


Finally, I've learned a great party can still happen even if your house isn't spotless.  I try to clear the most noticeable places, wipe down the guest bathroom counter and restock with toilet paper, and light a candle so that the whole house smells great.


If I'm stressed from trying to do it all my guests will catch on and it won't be as fun of a gathering but if I keep it simple then we all can relax and have a good time.

Head on over to Life Well Lived and enter their sweepstakes or leave a comment sharing your favorite stress free tips for party planning.

Weight Watchers Muffin Review

Weight Watchers recently added a few new muffins to their Weight Watchers Sweet Baked Goods line.  I had the opportunity to try the Blueberry and Double Chocolate muffins.

While we are trying to get rid of processed food in our diet, I do keep a few items around for quick snacks.  I found these to be a pretty tasty breakfast or snack and would probably buy them every now and then.

My five year old, who in no way whatsoever needs to be on a diet (we need him to gain weight actually), got excited when he found out we had blueberry muffins in the house.  I usually have to beg him to eat breakfast but instead he was begging me to have one of these muffins for breakfast.  He loved them and keeps asking for more.

I found the Double Chocolate to be my favorite.  Last week I had a craving for chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  I was telling my friends on Facebook about my craving and how it had been going on for days.  While talking to them, I remembered I had these muffins.  The chocolate one satisfied my craving and had a lot fewer calories than if I had indulged in the cake.

The only downside to these muffins is that they are pretty sticky.  I  wouldn't advise eating these on the go unless you have a wet wipe available but otherwise they are pretty tasty for a boxed muffin.

For those following the Weight Watchers plan, these muffins have a PointsPlus value of 4.

Disclaimer: I received muffins as part of a promotional program with Weight Watchers Sweet Baked Goods and MomSelect.  Opinions are all my own.

Another Coffee Tip

A few months ago I mentioned a great coffee tip where you put Splenda or Stevia on your grounds to cut the acidity.

Today I have another tip brought to you by my father in law.  I've always noticed that his coffee tastes smooth and wondered his secret.  He is not a coffee snob, can't stand flavored coffee, and buys only basic Folgers or Maxwell House coffee so I knew it wasn't some fancy brand that gave it this taste.

Turns out, he uses one or two shakes from the salt shaker on his grounds.  The salt cuts the acidity and you would never know it is on your grounds.  For those who do not like sweet coffee, this is a great way to make your coffee less acidic without making it sweet.

Epsom Salt

 

In the process of changing our eating habits this past year, one theme kept coming up in all of my searches and in my daily life.  When something pops up several times in life, my radar goes up and tells me I should research it a bit more.

The theme I'm talking about is detoxing our body.  I'm no expert in this area but I wanted to let my readers know a little about what I've learned in the past year.

Our body is filled with many, many toxins that we come in contact with on a daily basis.  These come from cleaning supplies, food, etc.  We can reduce our contact with these toxins through natural cleaning products and food but unless you never leave your house, you will still come in contact with toxins through every day living.

I first heard of this concept through a direct marketing company.  Then, it came up in an internet search.  The third time I heard it was actually on a cruise my husband and I took this summer.  Their fitness center put on a lecture about losing weight the natural way.  The trainer said when he was working in a fitness center he had many, many clients who would get within 10-15 pounds of their goal and no matter what they did, they could not lose more weight.

His mom is a doctor so the two of them started talking about this and doing some research, which led them to detoxing.  When he started working with his clients on this area, they easily lost those last few pounds.  He said one area we hold a lot of toxins is wherever we have cellulite.

Of course, they tried to sell us a very expensive detoxing supplement, but I'm too frugal to buy anything like that without a ton of research.

I came home and started researching cheaper alternatives.  It turns out Epsom Salt is one of the best ways to detox and it is cheap.  Use about 2-3 handfuls in a tub of hot water, and soak for 20-30 minutes.  To speed up the process, get a brush and brush your body before soaking.  Start at the feet and work your way towards your middle, then do your arms and work back down towards your middle.  This gets the circulation going in your body.  Soaking 2-3 times a week is all it takes.

I started doing this immediately and noticed a little difference after a few weeks.  Then, I went to see a massage therapist/natural healer for help with my foot.  He immediately asked if I was using epsom salts for my foot because it is such a great way to reduce swelling and get rid of the "junk" in our body.  He was pretty impressed that I was already doing it but suggested I up the amount of salt in the water simply because my body wasn't responding enough.

He also said when soaking, drink water to keep from getting dehydrated.  Then, once out of the tub continue drinking a lot of water to rid the body of the toxins.  Yes, you will go to the bathroom a lot, but this and sweat, are your body's way of getting rid of the toxins. 

I realized some of you might not be in to detoxing, but at the very least, getting to soak in a warm tub 2-3 times a week is a great way to relax.  I thanked my massage therapist for telling me I had to take a time out from life several times a week and spend time relaxing in a hot bath.

Disclaimer:  Affilate links are used in this posting, see my disclaimer tab for more details. 

New Approach to Goals for 2012

I've talked several times in the past how I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions but I'm a huge fan of goals.  This year I've decided to change up how I'm going to reach some of those goals.

In the past, I've set a few long term goals for the year and then tried to work on them all at the same time.  This year, I've been inspired by Money Saving Mom's 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life series.  In this series she encouraged everyone to work on changing one or two things at a time, not reinvent the wheel on life.

So, for 2012, I'm going to work on just one or two areas at a time.  My first focus is going to be my health.  Due to sitting on the couch most of December while I was healing from foot surgery and then eating way too much during the holidays, I'm feeling a little large right now.

I've mentioned in the past how I changed our eating habits this year to a more whole foods diet.  If you would look in my cabinets right now you would wonder if this was really true.  I could barely walk through a grocery store in December so a lot of junk food and quick, easy meals entered my house again.  I'm ok with that for a season, but it is time to clean up again.  This week I'm going to work on restocking my house with good foods.

I'm also going to work this week on a two week meal plan.  Next week, my focus will be on restocking my freezer with several quick and easy breakfast and snack options.  I made several of these items before surgery but they ran out very quickly.

While I would like to get back to the gym to work on the exercise part, I'm still very limited on what I can do.  However, my focus for that area this week is to get my hand held weights out and do some upper body work at home.  I figure a little bit is better than not doing anything at all. 

I have plenty of other goals for this year, such as decluttering my house (I'm pretty sure I tell you guys this every year!), revamping my garden, and spending more quality time with my kids but I feel my whole family needs to get back on track with our health before I can begin working on other areas.

Feel free to post your goals in the comments section.  I know I always stick with them better if I make them public.  Nothing like exposing yourself to whole world to keep you on track!

BlogHer has a section on their site called Life Well Lived.  One of my favorite sections is the one on getting organized.  You've all heard me lament that organization is not my strong point.  The problem they are tackling this week is:

The holidays make me so anxious!  How can I stay organized this year?

My answer is on their blog post.  I encourage you to head over there, find my answer, and join the conversation too.  I've found some of the best solutions to my problems have come from blog comments.

Once you have checked out the post, I encourage to head over to their sweepstakes page and enter to win a $250 Visa gift card. 

Still Alive

Wonder where I've been?  Losing.my.mind!  A few months ago, God blessed us with finally receiving the therapy we've been working towards for our oldest.  While a huge blessing, it is absolutely exhausting.  Three days a week I have to find a babysitter for my youngest and pick my oldest up from school early.  We drive to a town 20 minutes away for therapy, drive back, and then it is magically dinner time. 

A fourth day, every other week, I get to car line early so I'm in the front of the line to pick up my child.  We then race across town to therapy.  I meet my husband in the parking lot of the clinic (he gets off work just after car line starts) so he can take the youngest home while I take the oldest to therapy. 

I should also mention, my two year old has decided the only place he will take naps is in the van.  For the past few months, we've been leaving the house around one to get him to sleep.  This means I don't see my house again until dinnertime.

Since this didn't seem busy enough, we added therapy one day every other week for the little one too.  His issue has to do with running and balance and won't be a long term problem but it still makes for a busy schedule.  Luckily, they were able to schedule him at the same time as one of his brother's appointments so one less trip to the clinic.

On top of that, I had foot surgery at the end of November and have been stuck on the couch.  I thought it would be wonderful to get a break, catch up on reading, blogging, etc.  I didn't take in to account pain meds apparently mess with my mind.  Twenty minutes after I took them I was sound asleep.  Once I woke up I couldn't focus on anything.  I sat and stared at Facebook half the day because I couldn't read a book or type more than a sentence or two at a time.  Thank goodness I'm off those meds now because although the break from life was great, the fog I was in wasn't so great.

All this to say, I'm still alive and doing the best I can to keep up right now.  I have some recipes and crafts I would love to share and hope to do that off and on over the next month.  Considering the therapy is a long term schedule, unless someone gifts me with an ipad that I can take to appointments, I don't think consistent blogging will be coming back any time soon.  You guys have been great to hang in there and check in every now and then though so please keep coming back as you get a chance.

In the meantime, I pray you have a relaxing, enjoyable Christmas.  Remember that He is the reason for the season.

Proud to Support Pink: Freschetta Giveaway

Freschetta is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month through their Proud to Support Pink campaign. From now until Monday, Oct. 31, you can enter codes from Freschetta pizzas and crusts at www.proudtosupportpink.com.  Each code entered will donate $1 to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, with a goal of a $50,000 donation.

I personally know several people who have survived breast cancer, some even my age.  One simple way I can support them is by funding research. Freschetta is making it easy and even giving you a free code to enter to support research.  Simply go to www.proudtosupportpink.com and enter FRESCH11.

Freschetta has also generously offered to give one lucky reader a coupon for a free Freschetta product and two pairs of Freschetta Proud to Support Pink earphones so you can share a pair with a friend.

This is a short giveaway and will only be open until Sunday, Oct. 30 at 9 pm CST.  

To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite kind of pizza.  Mine would be ham & pineapple.

For extra entries:

Subscribe to this blog via RSS or email

Tweet about the giveaway and leave a link with the tweet

Disclaimer: I was given an identical prize pack as a thank you for my post. 

Coffee Tip

I've shared before that adding a sprinkle of Splenda to your coffee grounds cuts back on the acidity.  I've been experimenting lately and discovered the perfect fall cup of coffee has a sprinkle of Stevia in the Raw, cinnamon, and nutmeg.   

Sprinkle these items on the grounds before brewing and you will have a wonderful cup of coffee seasoned to your taste.

Yoplait Giveaway

Did you know that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime?  I know several women, some even my age, who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Yoplait wants to do something about this.  The Save Lids Save Lives program, ten cents will be donated for every pink lid redeemed.  They can be mailed in by December 31 or redeemed online.  Yoplait is even tracking lids by zip code so the funding can go back to local breast cancer programs.

Yoplait has generously offered my readers a .30/1 coupon.

They have also provided a giveaway to one lucky reader.  This prize package includes two coupons for a free cup of Yoplait yogurt, a Yoplait pink lid collection kit, tote bag, heart shaped key holder, hope journal, and pen.

This giveaway will be open until Wed, Oct. 12 at 9 pm CST.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond. 

To enter, simply leave a comment telling me your favorite flavor of yogurt.  Mine varies by day but I currently love any of the dessert flavors.

For extra entries: 

Subscribe via email or RSS

Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link 


Disclaimer:  Yoplait and MyBlogSpark generously gave me a similar prize pack, opinions however are my own.
 

Giveaway from Doozy Cards

Do you like to send ecards to friends and family?  This week I am giving away a premiere membership to DoozyCards.com so you can send unique, creative ecards to others.

DoozyCards.com is a family owned and run company that designs and
produces all their cards in-house.  Each card is full of original
music, cute characters and warm sentiments and is a great way to let a
friend or family member know you are thinking about them throughout
the year. Featuring Mariachi Pugs, Anniversary Swans, piano playing
lizards, and dancing cakes, Doozy is sure you'll find just the right
card for the right moment.

The Premiere membership you can win includes:

    •       Unlimited Access to ALL of their 1,600+ cards

    •       A Birthday and Holliday Reminder System

    •       An Online Address Book

    •       Original Artwork and Music

    •       Brand New Cards Created Throughout The Year

Doozy also recently launched a totally free ecard option with over
400+ Free E-cards that you can start using right away.

What You Can Win!

Two lucky readers are going to win a one year PREMIUM membership to
Doozycards.com!! A value of $19.95!

How To Enter!

To enter this giveaway please visit DoozyCards.com and choose two of your favorite cards, then come back and leave a comment on this post telling me which cards you like best.

Extra Entries!

"Like” Doozy Cards on Facebook and leave a comment that you came from
our site (3 extra entries)

Follow @doozycards on Twitter and tweet "Just entered the @doozycards
free year membership giveaway" (3 extra entries)

Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter…Make sure you leave the URL to
your Tweet in your comments!  (2 tweets per day = 2 extra entries per
day)

Giveaway is open until Oct. 3 at 9 pm CST.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond.

Homemade Granola Bars

In an effort to eat better, I've been making more and more of our food from scratch.  Snack food has been tough for me as my boys prefer all of the icky processed snack foods.  I'm working hard to eliminate the processed foods though so I'm always on the lookout for new recipes.

This summer I posted on Facebook asking if anyone had a great granola recipe.  My friend Jenn posted one and I've found it to be incredibly easy and versatile.  One child will sometimes eat it but the other loves them and thinks he is eating cookies.  I like them too because they are packed with protein and give me a sweet snack during the day.

Homemade Granola Bars
By Jenn

2 cups oatmeal (quick or old fashioned)                               
1/2 cup flour (can use whole wheat)                                      
1/2 cup sugar (or honey, or agave, or splenda)                     
1 tsp. baking soda                                                                
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup applesauce (heaping)
1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup chocolate chips

  1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Add applesauce and peanut butter mixing well.
3. Stir in craisins and chocolate chips.
4. Press firmly (can use a rolling pin) into a greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
6. Cut into bars after slightly cool.

Tips (from Jenn):
You can substitute the last two ingredients for lots of different things.  I have used nuts, white chocolate, infused craisins, golden raisins, & dried pineapple.  If you measure the applesauce first, then the peanut butter will just slide out of the cup when you use the same one.    I like to roll them onto greased parchment paper so I can transfer them easily to my cutting board before cutting to save my non-stick pan.

Tommee Tippee Digital Photobook & Giveaway

Tommee Tippee has come out with a fun new digital baby photobook.  Here is how they describe this new photobook:

"...a simple way to capture moments of pregnancy and the birth day through the gathering of Facebook posts, a selection of birthday news and facts and the collection of precious memories through a pregnancy journal."

The best part - it is free!

Many times in the past, when I've had big news to share, I've wanted to save comments from Facebook.  This new photobook does that for you.  It also acts as a great way to document your pregnancy and those first few months of your newborn.

I have reviewed Tommee Tippee products in the past and have always been impressed with their product line.  This new item just adds to the excitement of that line.  In the US, Tommee Tippee products can be purchased at Toys R Us.

In celebration of the new photobook, Tommee Tippee is graciously offering one winner a newborn starter pack.  To enter, tell me your favorite baby product - the one you couldn't live without or you always give as baby shower gifts.

For extra entries, like Tommee Tippee on Facebook and/or follow me via email or RSS.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

This giveaway is open until Friday, September 16 at 9 pm CST.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

Disclaimer:  Tommee Tippee provided this prize, no other compensation has occurred for my opinion.

Our Journey

When I started this blog over three years ago, we were struggling to survive on a part time income.  In order to keep our head above water, I learned all kinds of new ways to be frugal.  I began making my own laundry detergent, wasting less, and meal planning around sales. As our income increased this past November, I still kept doing those things as they had simply become a way of life.

Something else had changed though.  We were in the midst of discovering our oldest child was more than just an over active child, he was actually a special needs child. Since we began this journey about a year and a half ago to figure out his diagnosis, my reasons for making homemade items completely changed. 

I started realizing just how many toxins and junk we come into contact with every single day.  I kept up making the laundry detergent and other cleaners simply to remove the toxins from our house.  I kept making food from scratch so I could avoid the processed additives we did not need in our diet.

As we keep going down this journey, I'm now working on reducing the amount of sugar in our diet.  I'm spending more time in the kitchen (my favorite place to be by the way) in order to improve our diet.  I'm also discovering that being frugal and being healthy go hand in hand.

Yes, many healthy items are not cheap but when you take the time to garden or make food from scratch healthy items can be affordable.

Going forward from here, I plan to share some of the information I have discovered over the past year or so and how I'm combining frugal with green, healthy living.

While I am certainly no expert in this area, I have learned a ton lately and I want to share it with my faithful readers.  If there is any topic you would like me to cover, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email.

Vacation Tips & Giveaway: Meal Planning

One thing I did not think about before going on vacation was what we would eat once we got home.   I worked hard the week before we left to clean out the food in the fridge.  When we arrived home I realized I needed to go to the grocery store if we were to eat more than frozen meals.  I was too exhausted to come up with a meal plan though.  

I've vowed that on our next vacation I will have a meal plan in place before we leave on vacation.  I will do my best to have a grocery list to go with it too so I can ease back into life after vacation instead of being thrown back into it.

One thing that did help me get back on track after vacation was that Kroger started their annual Cart Buster event just days after I got home.  This allowed me stock up on great name brand products at a reduced price. 

The Cart Buster event continues through August 17 so you still have a few days to get in on the savings.  Be sure to visit the Cart Buster website every day between now and August 16 to download the "Deal of the Day" exclusive offers.

Kroger and MyBlogSpark kindly provided me a gift card to share this annual event with you and they also provided a gift card for me to give to one of my readers.

To enter the giveaway for a $25 Kroger gift card, share one of your favorite vacation tips.  It can be geared towards planning, places to go, how to survive with children, basically whatever you want to share.

For extra entries, subscribe to Living Life With Less via RSS or email.

Mention this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter.

This contest will be open until 9 pm CST on Monday, August 15.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark