Late July to Mid August Giveaways

Giveaways are being structured to run from the end of this month to the latter part of next month.

Getting My Body by Vi On!! Challengers Please Introduce Yourself and Feel Free to Share Your Own Success Stories

I am so excited to share with you all of the amazing things that I learned about Body by Vi last Friday night.  First of all I learned what type of nutrition is offered in the Body by Vi shakes.  There is way more nutrition in these then I had relized prior to this time.

First of all the shakes are just $1.50 each!  Wow!  Where else are you going to get a nutritious meal for $1.50.  I don't think that you can do this anywhere.

There is only 1 gram of fat, 75 mg of sodium, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 7 grams of carbohydrates.

There are 5 grams of fiber, and there is serving of probiotic fiber, only 5% of daily cholesterol intake at 15 mg.  Plus you get a full 12 grams of fiber and all of this for just 90 calories.  So if you are making your shake with 8 oz of skim milk then it is just 170 calories.

I must be honest I had someone else (my dad) pick up milk for me on the way to my house and he accidentally got 1%.  The calorie total of this with the shake is 190 calories so not that many more and they are super creamy and delicious without any add ins.  So I would recommend this to someone who wanted a big more flavorful and creamy shake.

There are many amazing benefits that you can get just from drinking one shake per day.  You can maintain lean muscles which will help you to burn more fat.  You can improve concentration.   You are getting great nutrition and a balanced meal ein your shake.  It will boost your metabolism and you will be less hungry.  Plus you will have heart, digestive, and bone health.

I can ensure you only of the benefits to your digestive system b/c I have had chronic stomach aches and tummy troubles since childhood and never found the cause.  When I drink these shakes my tummy just works better and I feel better.  I don't feel so weighted down and I don't feel sick to my stomach.

The energy that you get from the shakes is so amazing too.  I started my new 90 day challenge today and I was able to keep up with all of the Cub Scouts at camp and able to give history of the circus presentations with spunk the entire day through.  Then I was able to come home and really play with my baby.

Best of all is that it is 7 pm and I am still full.  I made a few choices that I wish that I made differently out of the fact that it was still very hot today and I just wanted to relax and get some writing work done. 

Today's Menu

Breakfast--Body by Vi shake
1 cup cooked brown rice with a bit of fat free butter spray
Snack--scoop of popcorn (we served popcorn to all of the scouts today and this is one of my weeknesses)
Lunch--Body by Vi shake
chicken flavored noodle soup
Snack--another scoop of popcorn
Dinner--homemade cheese sticks prepared with low fat string cheese and baked in the oven (these are surprisingly healthy and they cured my bad craving.  I know that this was not the healthiest choice but for today this was what I was craving.)
Late Night Snack--a few Laffy taffy's and a couple suckers

In comparison to my normal days this was an awesome day.  I stayed within my calorie goals and did pretty good not to go over!  This was a huge accomplishment b/c when I am hot I often times do not want to cook and make the healthier meals that I should.

However you can see there was not a lot of bad for me stuff.

A Look at Vaccinations: Vaxing, Not Vaxing, and Delayed Vaxing Just the Facts

So first of all, I am going to share that I am just giving the facts.  I do not even know if I am going to share with you my decisions (Hint:  They were different for each child.) on vaccinations or why.  I know for a fact that I will not be sharing them now.  I just wanted to list the facts.  The benefits and potential hazards of all and then leave things open for you to discuss.  I'd love to hear some other mom's opinions about things and see what you think.  I'd love to hear what the deciding factors were for you and why you personally chose the route that you chose.

This information was all gathered from a number of medical and professional sources from all sideds of the issue.  I was very interested in this because there are so many conflicting decisions out there and so many different ways to look at things.

The Case For Vaccinations

--In the recent past parents were terrified of losing their children or having their children become paralyzed because of diseases that were common.  Thanks to vaccinations we no longer see these diseases and typically are no longer worried about these.  (Today there is a resurgance of many different diseases that were not an issue for many years because of people not being vaccinated.  This is not an opinion, it is a fact, not to say if you do not vaccinate your child is going to get these diseases but should they be exposed there is a chance that they potentially could be.)

--Diphtheria was a problem for many years and caused devastation when children died.  Today it is rare because of vaccinations.

--Measles was almost completely extinct and only seen in very rare cases.  However prior to the vaccination in the US alone there were more than 500,000 cases each year.

--Smallpox was a devastating disease that could potentially lead to death.  Today there is no longer a smallpox virus to worry about.  It has been wiped from the earth because of vaccinations.  (I am still curious personally on this note as to why children continue to be vaccinated if it has been wiped from the earth completely.  I will be talking to my health care professional about this one now.)

--Polio caused much devastation.  It not only caused death but caused for millions of children to be devastated not that long ago.  I had a boss at one job that was still dealing with a ton of problems from the fact that he had been infected with polio as a child.  From what I have seen this is something that could be very devastating.  It is expected, unless there is a resurgance of the disesase, to be gone completely like smallpox and to only be a memory.

--The way that vaccinations work is that these viruses are introduced to the body in small and controlled doses so that the body builds up immunities.  There is a potential that your body will not produce the needed immunities and that you will end up sick.  This is very rare but could potentially happen.

--After your body has built up the immunity if you were introduced to the diease in it's live and active form (as the illness itself) your body will instantly recognize the disease and start to attack it more aggressively which is how you avoid getting sick.

--The germs that are in the vaccine are supposed to either be dead or weakened so that you do not get sick.

--Delaying vaccinations has been linked to a rise in diseases like whooping cough and can mean that your baby is not protected against it when they would be most vulnerable and when it could cause the most damage.  Today there are thousands of cases of whooping cough and sadly many of the youngest patients (those under the age of six months) end up dying.  The DTaP vaccination does protect against this.

--Many doctors are speculating that the resurgance in diseases that had not been heard of in a long time is because of the delay or choice to not vaccinate children.  I have only seen opinions (most of them from medical professionals and this is one that my doctor did side with as I was speaking to him).  I am only including it because it is a big part of a large majority of these vaccination commentes and something that I felt deserved mention because I saw it so much.

The Ideas Behind Delayed Vaccinations
--The idea is that as a child gets a little older they could more easily handle their vaccinations.  To date there is no evidence to support this.

--The reality is that most of the time a child is not exposed to these diseases or potential diseases until he or she is older.  Many factors could contribute that would not make this the case, like living in a home with someone who works in a hospital.

--There is evidence that babies who have these vaccinations at an older age are more likely to avoid things like developmental delays, autism, and learning disabilities that are often associated with vaccinations.  The recent study was conducted by the University of Louisville and is very enlightening and interesting.  (On a side note there have been no studies to look at the long term side effects and learning disabilities associated with vaccinations.)


The Ideas Behind Not Vaccinating Your Child

--Let's face it the potential problems and the rare cases in which a child has a reaction to a vaccine and dies are scary.  The worst part of this is that you would basically blame yourself because your child was vaccinated when you knew that they would be and they had problems because of that vaccine.

--Pharmaceutical companies have not always been the most ethical.  There are too many different reasons to state this but even those who choose to vaccinate have to be aware and admit to the fact that this is true.

--There are a lot of different chemicals and poisons contained in the vaccines.  This is not theory, this is fact.  Vaccines contain MSG, antifreeze, phenol, formaldahyde, aluminum, glycerin, and acetone just to name a few.

--A lot of parents use the argument that the majority of the children who seem to be "sick" all of the time and are constantly on antibiotics are those who are fully vaccinated.  This is an opinion but a strong one that many believe to be a factor.  I will say here that most of the non-vaccinating families that I know either have full time stay at home moms or their children are watched by family members.  A vast majority of the fully vaccinating families that I know have children who are in daycare.  I believe that for this to be a statement of fact you'd have to put together these two groups of children (those in daycare vs those not in daycare) and then look at the two separate groups within each one (those who are vaccinated vs those who are not vaccinated) in order to figure out if this is a fact.  My guess is that children who are not vaccinated and in traditional childcare are going to be sick the same percentage of time and that this is probably not a factual statement.  However I felt compelled to include this one because it was mentioned in nearly every article that I read on the case for not vaccinating your child.

--Other countries are actually changing how they vaccinate to older ages becasue of the potentially harmful side effects.  Japan (#3) in the world for infant mortality rates has a minimum age of vaccination of 2.  The United States is #33 in the world for infant mortality.  Australia does not allow the flu shot until the age of 5.

--There have been a lot of vaccines that have been linked to serious health risks in just the recent past. 

--Finally if you change your mind you can be vaccinated at any time but you can never undo a vaccination.


I did a lot of research on this topic.  I find it fascinating and sometimes I worry that I might have made the wrong decision in the ones that I have made.  In the end I know that I must take full responsibility for doing what I thought was best and I know in my heart that the decisions I made considered a number of factors.

I will say in my research that I found a MILLION (litterally) different opinion articles and it seems like a hot topic that everyone feels strongly about.  There are so many different sides and of course everyone thinks that what they are doing is best.  I pass no judgement.  I do what I think is best for my children and I am sure that everyone out there, whether they choose the path that I choose or not is doing what they personally think is best for their children.

Getting Organized....Step #1

Let me start off by saying that I have a very hard time geting organized.  I am in the process of building my full organization chart and schedule so that all of the things that need to be done get there before school starts. 

For those of you who would like to get organized with me.  I will be posting daily steps on my journey to do so. 

Today is Step #1--Make a List of Everything That Needs to Be Done!!!

The way that I am doing this is that I am going through each room of my house and listing what needs to be done in each of them.  This is all of the organization stuff that I will do today.  As I start the process I will post pictures, etc. of each step along the journey.  This step really does not have much in the way of pictures.  I will just type of my handwritten lists on here. 

The exact steps that I took were to list each and every room/area of my house.  Then I went through and listed everything that needed to be done in each of these rooms.  Below that is a short list of things that need to be done overall to get myself up and ready to go for school.

Back Entryway
--new high lock on the back door (one kids' can not reach)
--clean out pantry shelves
--clean out shoe box
--hooks for keys (high by the back door)
--pick out paint color and paint the area
--pain pantry

Kitchen
--clean out all cabinets
--Find simple organization system for cabinets
--clean out fridge and freezer
--make family planning/organization center and hang
--pick out paint color for the walls and paint them
--pick out paint color for the stove and refridgerator and paint them
--pick out paint color for the cabinets and paint them

Dining Room
--clean out file cabinet
--clean off/reorganize DVDs
--move buffet in and clean out the drawers/organize the top
--make art wall behind the buffet
--bring up second china cabinet and organize them both
--organize desk and desk shelf areas
--take 2nd tv/entertainment center to the basement
--take rocking chair to the basement
--move in child's table from the garage
--move in horse from the garage
--pick out paint color and paint
--organize toy area

D/S Bathroom
--organize the shelves and on top of the shelves
--put step stool in here so that I can reach on top of the shelves
--organize cabinet
--refurbish plastic drawers (make them pretty)
--reorganize plastic drawers
--organize shower
--organize potty closet (If you want to know our toilet is in a small separated closet like room.)
--organize shelves
--list items for sale or trade including all old diapers
--find new diaper organizing system (we cloth so this is going to be a chore)
--pick out paint color for cabinets and paint them
--pick out paint color for the room and paint it
--pick out paint color for the potty closet and paint it

Living Room
--build toy organization/bookshelf area--paint this the color of choice prior to assembly
--make bench seat
--make signs and pictures to hang in gallery format
--reogranize the entertainment center
--pick out paint and paint cheap tables (repurpose them!)
--rearrange
--organize all of the toys
--get rid of toys that the kids do not play with
--organize all table and shelf areas
--pick out paint color and paint


Entryway
--completely reorganize
--paint

Coat Closet
--clean out game shelves/reorganize games to where they can be used in the bottom of the closet
--clean out smaller sized coats, list online
--clean out stuff from bottom of the closet, reorganize, throw away, and then put back away

My Closet
--reorganize the bottom of my closet, move stuff in and move stuff out, get rid of stuff, sell stuff
--go through shoes, list some for sale or trade

Adeline's Room
--paint
--clean up, put all furniture in there, reorganize

Allie and Hux's Closet
--hand up border
--paint dress up clothes wardrobe
--put dress up clothes away and put away in the closet
--clean out toys
--reorganize
--sell/throw away

Hux's Room
--paint
--reorganize and clean out the toys
--reorganize and clean out dresser
--get stuff figured out to hang up
--apply wall decal

Allie's Room
--paint
--reorganize all of the toys, get rid of toys, sell/list online the ones that are sellable
--paint bookshelf
--clean out bookshelf
--put all furniture away, figure out what needs to be hung up, apply decal

Andrew's Small Closet
--clean out toys, sell or throw away
--hang up sweatshirts, jackets, and button up shirts

Andrew's Large Closet
--clean out toys, sell or throw away
--organize the whole closet

Andrew's Room
--reorganize the dresser
--make bookshelf desk
--clear out the entertainment center/list for sale
--paint
--hang up decals
--organize organize organize

U/S Hallway
--paint

U/S Bathroom
--paint
--hang up decals
--reorganize toys
--reorganize cabinet
--reorganize towel shelf

Basement
--throw away, sell/list online
--reorganize
--set up office area
--set up game/mancave area
--set up spare bedroom area

Stairway
--paint
--pick out paint for the stairs and slanted ceiling (pop of color)

Front Covered Porch
--take stuff out to the curb a little at a time
--clean and organize so that we can sit and enjoy being on the front porch


Daily Chores
--dishes two times
--meals, cooking
--diapers
--laundry/put away clothes
--sweep
--vacuum
--all d/s toys put away
--all u/s toys put away
--toy closets cleaned

Three Times Per Week
--clean d/s bathroom
--spot mop/steam mop

Once Per Week
--dust living room
--dust dining room
--dust my/Adeline's room
--dust Allie/Huxley's room & closet
--dust Andrew's room & closet
--clean u/s bathroom
--mop

Every Other Week
--move out stove and clean
--move out refrigerator and clean behind
--clean behind washer and dryer

Monthly
--clean out refridgerator
--clean out cabinets
--clean out bathroom cabinets/drawers
--clean out closets/check out toys, etc.
--clean out coat closet
--check up on basement progress

So the next step is to put these all on calendars & check lists.  I hope that you enjoy and I am planning on using these for my family planning calendar that I am going to be putting up in my downstairs kitchen.

Today's Thoughts on Society

So lately I have been struggling with some things that are going on in my personal life.  As you can probably tell, I have not been as active on here as I would like.  To be honest I am a bit depressed with some of life's happenings and well maybe some of you have some ideas that will help me to be able to get past these and get on with my life.

I will first of all acknowledge that I am very blessed.  I have a lot of things to be thankful for and many more things than I would have never thought that I would be so lucky to have.  I have a loving and caring boyfriend.  No, we are not married. Do I wish that we were?  Sure, but I had two very bad marriages so when I met Shane I was very clear in stating that I did not think that I would ever want to be married again.

I have since changed my mind after being in a healthy and happy relationship.  Prior to meeting Shane I had never been with anyone who was nice to me or with anyone who did not abuse me in some way.  This is not to say that I was always with men who were physically abusive but I was with men who were controlling, mentally and emotionally abusive most of the time.  There were a few good ones but those were not the ones that I chose to have the long term relationships with.  Instead those were the ones that I chose to let go for the ones that did not treat me as I should be treated.

I guess as I get older I really appreciate the small things in life, especially when I see little bits of humanity and positive things in those around me.  I am blessed to have a healthy family and to have a great group of friends.  This was not always something that would have been easy for me.  The areas in which I have not been blessed revolve mainly about bad decisions that I made the consequences that continue to come from them.

My oldest son's father and I have been in court, pretty much non-stop since we got our divorce over 7 years ago.  We were not even married for one year, although we had been together some time before we got married.  He was emotionally and mentally abusive.  He toyed with my emotions and made me feel like I deserved for him to be mean to me.

I guess my biggest problem is with how my child has been treated by his father & how the local organizations that are in place to protect my child are not doing their job. We even have professionals who are willing to help us, have called these organizations & made the reports, etc. Still nothing.

So my question is that in a society as "advanced" as ours, why do children have to be abused multiple times before they are protected by these agencies?

My exhusband has one founded case of child abuse against him & I was told that he would have to have three before the state's attorney would do anything or remove my son from his home for visitation. This still does not make sense to me.

And there have been multiple incidents that haven't been considered abuse...handprint around his neck (not abuse b/c it's not in the area in which you'd choke a child), whelps & bruises on his butt from spankings (on the butt so not child abuse), handprints on his arms, back, legs (not severe enough to be considered abuse), and even having to take him for MRIs etc from having his head slammed into a brick wall & he was having headaches (since there was not any damage it was not severe enough to be abuse). So I must ask, would you be outraged? What would you do? I didn't send him per the court ordered visitation & I got reprimanded, threatened with jail time & forced to remake up all of the visits that were missed.

Most recently we had an issue with the court appointed GAL refusing to return calls even to other professionals. So we will be back in court with those issues later in the week. I am hoping & praying for supervised visitations. Please say prayers or send positive vibes that what's best for my son will finally be considered. I'd appreciate all of them that we can get & please take the time to weigh in & give me any suggestions that you might have.

It's Official....

My 20s have ended.  I am not sure how to feel about this.  I like being young and I love the fact that I am a young mommy.  I love my kids and live each day through them and with them by my side.  I am wanting to know what you all think about things that go on as you age.  The biggest disappointment for me is that I have been having such a hard time losing weight as I neared thirty.  I can't believe that something could be so hard when it used to be so simple.  It kind of bothers me more than I know that I should.  I have always been bigger and just want to stay the same size that I was when I graduated from high school.  This is not too much to ask, right?  I guess we will have to wait and find out if it can happen.  It should have been on my goal list but I want to hit my goal weight range in the next year of my life.  Let's see if it can happen!!

What Do You Want to See???

So I have several reviews & some giveaways coming up but I'd love to know what you'd like to see more of on here!

Review Gold Canyon Candles

Gold Canyon Candles have been around for a long time.  There are few candle companies that I have loved as much as I have this one and I have been a fan for years.  I must add in that I am very disappointed that their amazing candle that offered patchouli scents is no longer available and this is sad to me.  I was hoping that this one would stick around forever. 

If you'd like to host a book party or order anything please feel free to contact Sandy through her FB page.  You can order through her on the website as well but she is offering a special discount to anyone who chooses to order through her on FB.  Just tell her that I sent you or that you saw the review of her candles.
There are a wide variety of choices in scents though. 
I was given one of the Pomegranate scents that was on special last month.  This was a great product. One of the best things about Gold Canyon Candles is that you will find them to offer a choice that everyone can afford.  These heritage candles are as low as $7.98 for 5 oz and the most expensive option is just $18.98 for 26 oz.  So you can see just how affordable they really are.



There are a ton of items that I would personally like to purchase to keep my home smelling yummy.

The Bella Collection offers beautifully styled jars that would easily fit into any home decor.  As with all of my reviews I will post my favorites, which are all of the items that I would buy if I had an endless bank account to purchase them with.  These candles come in three sizes and prices that are again very affordable you can purchase the 8 oz for $13.95, 16 oz for $17.98, and 26 oz $20.98.

Autum Walk

Ginger Lime

Pool Towel


Clean Sheets


The Boutique candles are beautiful and feature some of the most sophisticated looks.  They come in one size, 8.5 oz for $17.98.  I'm obsessed with demask style prints and I think that this is my fascination with this candle and the way that it looks.

Birthday Cake


The Cafe line also only comes in one size.  This line features a variety of delicious smelling scents that make you want to eat them as much as smell them.  You get 19 oz candles for $17.98.

Brown Sugar Cookie



Caramel Ginger Strudel



Iced Caramel Macchiato




There are far too many scents from the Heritage collection that I would like to own.  This collection comes in four different sizes and is the most economical choice.  There is the 5 oz for $7.98, 8 oz for $11.98, 16 oz for $15.98, and 26 oz for $18.98.

I love that there are a variety of unique scents.  These are the ones that I would love to scatter throughout my house.

Beach



Coast



Moroccan Amber Vanilla *I especially like the design on this jar.  :)


Leather



Natural Cotton



Storm



Smokey Blues



Tuxedo



Tranquil Mist



Vetiver Woods



The Aromatherapy line is directed towards problems that you might have and allows you to explore these problems with the idea that the scent can help you with them.  These candles come in one size, 16 oz for $17.98.

PASSION Sandalwood Jasmine


REJUVENATE Rosemary Thyme


WELL BEING Eucalyptus Menthol



There are also a variety of candle holders, burners, and even some specialty candles.  I am dying to try out the Bottled Beer candle that comes as part of the Date Night 3 pack that retails for $17.98.



So if you would like to be able to use any of these in your own home you should definitely contact Sandy and let her know that I sent you.  If you choose to contact her through FB remember that you will be getting a great discount in the process.

Review AVON and Tiny Tillia

So I know when you think of AVON that this is not always the best thing.  In my mind it conjures up images of my mom and grandma and the skincare that they used.  It in no way would have brought to mind products that could compete with my favorite skin care choices that I fell in love with while working for Sephora.  However I was greatly surprised when the lovely Jessica who I am friends with wanted to offer me some amazing AVON products to try.

She was generous enough to give me samples of several of the great AVON ANEW products that were geared towards women that are my age.  These products are supposed to be able to help me to have better skin.  I saw some results.  I will not lie and say that I had amazing results.  I still have uneven skin tone and need to wear make up to perfect it.  However the texture of my skin has changed for the better and is amazing in comparison to what it was before.  I am so happy with the results that some of the products are going to go on my ultimate beauty must have list.  I plan on ordering some of the cleanser after having tried it and would highly recommend that you try it out for yourself as well.

Here is a list of the products that I tried.

ANEW Rejuvenate Revitalizing 2 in 1 Gel Cleanser $10.00
ANEW Rejuvenate Revitalizing Cream SPF 25 $25.00
ANEW Night Revitalizing Cream $30.00
ANEW 24 hour Eye Moisturizer with SPF 25 $28.00
ANEW Night Sapphire Emulsion $30.00
ANEW FLash Facial Revitalizing Concentrate

ANEW Rejuvenate Revitalizing 2 in 1 Gel Cleanser REVIEW

This cleanser is sure to be a new favorite of mine for a number of reasons.  I love the texture of it and the moisturizing beads really added something.  I also love the price point.  I mean, who wouldn't love spending just $10 on a cleanser that works and is something that they love.  I am happy with the overall differences that I saw in my skin and I love how clean I felt but that I did not feel completely stripped of all moisture from my face after using this cleanser.

If you look closely you can see the additional moisturizing beads that are found in this cleanser.

ANEW Rejuvenate Revitalizing Cream SPF 25

There were things that I liked about this cream and things that were not my favorite.  I think that it would be pefect for someone who had a different texture of skin than what I have.  It felt great after a while but felt a bit heavy and oily when I first applied it.  I love the creamy soft texture and the price point is pretty reasonable too.  With the added SPF I knew that I was in no danger of causing sun damages so I was happy with that option.  I would highly recommend that this be one of the products that anyone would give a try and then determine if they were right for them.

ANEW Revitalizing Night Cream

This is another one of the products that I really love.  The product is creamy and soft and has a nice soft scent to it.  I love that when I use it I wake up in the morning with skin that feels more nourished and softer then it did before.  I think that anyone who tries this product will be pleased with the results and the fact that it really does feel like a cream that you would pay at least $70 for when in  reality it only costs $30 and is often on sale for less.

ANEW Eye Mositurizer with SPF 25 and ANEW Night Sapphire Emulsion

These eye creams are another that I liked but would probably not purchase for myself.  I like a lighter eye cream and while these were thick and luxurious they felt a bit heavy on my skin. 

ANEW Flash Facial Revitalizing Concentrate

I believe that this product is the secret to my new found softer and better texture skin.  I think that this is the one that makes my skin feel great.  I believe that i will be purchasing this sometime in the future to use as a one time per week treatment.  I might even get crazy and try to use it daily but during my trial I used it one to two times per week and was very pleased with the results.


Now not only did Jessica send me items to test out from Avon but also from Avon's new children's line Tiny Tilia.  

I had not really heard of Tiny Tilia before talking to Jessica but I must say that they offer a whole lot of different options for moms.  They feature a variety of different types of clothing and all of it seems to be high quality.  I have not owned the clothing or accessories but have seen them on Jessica's daughters and they seem to be made from top quality cotton by the feel of them. 

What  I did try was two of the bath products that they have, Duncan Dog Citrus Sorbet Shampoo and Body Wash and Indy Sheep Berry Sorbet Shampoo and Body Wash that retail for $6.00 each.  The products both smelled great.  The best part was that one smelled more like it was geared towards a little boy while the other smelled more like it was geared towards a little girl.  My toddler's loved that they had their own bottles of shampoo and body wash.  This just means that in the future as I am organizing my purchases and my home that these two bath and body products are going to top the list of things that my kids have and like.

Jessica is an amazing mommy to three children.  Her oldest is her nine year old son and she has twin daughters that are two and a half.  Jessica is a little bit of an entrepreneur.  She not only sells the AVON, Mark and Tiny Tilia lines.  She also sells It Works! body wraps and products and sells life insurance.  If you are interested in ordering AVON you can contact her here.  If you are interested in any of her other businesses or products please send her a personal email here.

It's My Birthday (July 25th) and I Will Cry if I Want To

Let's just start with the idea that I am turning thirty years old today.  I can remember when I felt like this day was so far off when I had the prospect of a long and full lifetime ahead of me.  I am so happy with the things that I have come to know but have to admit that life is not what I thought it would be and so many of my life goals have not yet happened.  So I am going to write my five year goal plans.  There are many things that I want to experience and get done in the first five years of this decade. 

As I reflect back on my twenties there are many things that I have to think about.  Let's face it, the first half of my twenties had three good things come from them.  While there were lots of good memories this was a hard time in my life when I struggled to find out who I was and where I was headed in my life. I wanted so many things, some of which I now have and some of which I never ewas able to find.  I am hoping that my thirties can help me get the rest of my life going in the continued good direction that the latter half of my twenties gave me.

The good of my early twenties were--
My son, Andrew
My Friend, Holly
My Friend, Ryan
Again there were some good time and great memories including the introduction of my soul to its home in Oregon.  I can't explain my love for Oregon other than I have never felt so complete, so whole, and so comfortable in any place before in my life.

The good of my later twenties were--
So many friends...Erin & Ron (love you guys), Scott, Teedo, Carmelle, Lori, Molly and many more that I just do not talk to as frequently.
My church family
My three beautiful younger children, Althea, Huxley, and Adeline
The love of my life, Shane
A beautiful family life that I could have never expected would be so great and wonderful.

So many lessons have been taught to me but I am sure that I have lessons to learn.

Here are my five year goals and they are in no particular order....

1.  To be published
2.  To be a better mom
3.  To grow closer to God in my own quiet way
4.  To be able to show my children and family Oregon and see if their hearts are as happy there as mine is (I will then know what is right for my family)
5.  Move into a bigger house, location pending number 4
6.  Develop a better relationship with Shane (I want for us to be rock solid and one of those couples that others strive to be like.)
7.  Develop my relationship with each of my kids
8.  To slow down and enjoy the little things with my children
9.  To visit San Francisco and see a show there
10.  To be on Berkeley's campus
11.  To see a show at the Red Rocks
12.  To have a neat and well organized home
13.  To be able to organize myself in a schedule format
14.  To become wife to the love of my life

Not a lot of goals but those that I can accomplish.  I want to be able to meet these goals and when I come back to tell you about them after my 35th birthday I want to be creating a whole new list of five year goals.  I have my plan.

So how do you handle aging.  I want to age gracefully but right now I am a bit depressed and sad and yes I have cried multiple times.

Best Ever Breakfast Cookies

So my friend Amber C posted her recipe for breakfast cookies a while back on FB. I, of course, adapted them to make them my own.

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 packets Stevia
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix all together. Press mixture into the bottom of 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 8-10 mins. Let cool. Enjoy.

Not only are these super healthy but they are crazy delicious & cheap to make!

Too Many Cartoons

To avoid the recent heat wave from Hell I've been staying in with the kids. I am now for certain that we've been watching too many cartoons. We've also colored, played board games, & workbooks, but after my dream last night I'm sure too many cartoons.

You see, last night was the second night in a week that I've dreamed myself into Gabbaland. Now while I have no problems with Gabbaland, I'm certain that there are many places more appropriate.

So anyone else having odd dreams out there? I'd love to hear from you.

Where Have I Been??

So I must quickly apologize that things have been a bit crazy lately.

My four year old, yes I said four (her birthday was on Sunday), has a pretty bad stye on her eye and this is requiring doctor appointments in Peoria which is about an hour away.  It has been a strain to have to go over there for each of them and I will be happy to see her healthy again.  I hate seeing her not feel well and hate it when she is in pain.

It was also her birthday which meant that mommy was busy creating her first layer cake which was a Barbie cake as well.  However there are many additional things to deal with.

I will be posting some new reviews and giveaways soon.  I have some good ones coming up.

Swap Sites: A Great Way to Save Money and DeClutter

So one of my favorite things in the world is trading goodies online.  I love to be able to trade things that I am no longer using for things that I can use or my family can use.  In some cases I have even gotten lucky and gotten brand new items that I could use as gifts.  There are tons of crafy and talented moms and vendors out there that enjoy trading as well.

My personal favorite website to do these trades through is Diaper Swappers.  Of course this is technically a cloth diaper website but it is also a website for those crunchier mommas out there that want to be able to find sustainable good high quality items for trade.  My post man is constantly commenting on the volume of things that come in the mail for me but I always giggle because most of them are free.

Do you have some type of website like this that you use?  I used to be a big fan of Thred Up until they changed their service.  I've been looking for more mom swap websites so please share if you have some ones that I should be checking out.

Children and Technology

So how young is too young? Shane's a techie whore so our little ones are obsessed.

On a side note, Huxley's been teaching grandma how to use an iPad or iPod Touch since before he was two. He even teaches me a thing or two from time to time.

My Little Firecrackers

So the 4th of July has always been a holiday that I enjoy.  I mean, come on, let's admit it we all like watching stuff blow up!  Fireworks are something that I still enjoy and now I have my own firecrackers to enjoy them with.

I thought that you would enjoy seeing how my little ones looked on the 4th of July this year.

This is the 4 of my loves watching the fireworks.  They were not even the big ones and you can see that they all were enjoying them.  Huxley, Althea, Adeline and Andrew.  Notice that they are all sporting their red, white and blue 2nd outfits in this picture.  They were all dressed up earlier for the day while we picniced with grandma and grandpa too.

Here's a few of Miss Adeline on her first 4th of July!  I love her to pieces and been so blessed to be able to be her mommy!

As always these days, she is sucking her thumb.  To be honest, I could not get over how cute these little baby capris were.  It made me wish that I had purchased several other pairs in different colors when I was shopping.

Here she is with her hat on.  I love the face that she is making here, she was ready for hoer nap!

In her second 4th of July outfit that her great grandma sent her.

Here she is with her special onesie sticker on.  I love this picture so much!!  On a side note, I can't believe how much of a big girl my baby is.

Here is my Huxley.  He was insistent upon pretending to take my picture while I took his picture.  This child of mine sure is a little character!!  He is hilarious!!

Here is Althea looking pretty as ever.  She is such a sweet girl and she was doing her "pretty" pose for this one.  This outfit was courtesy of her grant-grandma too!

Here is my big boy, I can not believe that he will be 9 in a few short weeks.  He is sporting a shirt from his great grandma as well.  So cute! 

On a quick side note.  Great grandma sent Huxley a shirt too but it was too big.  When I went to return and exchange it there were no more available so  he just ended up with the one 4th of July shirt that I had purchased him.  We got a really cool Batman shirt with the money from the other shirt and he loves it!

Are You Trying to Get Healthy or Lose Weight??

One thing that you will quickly learn about me is that I am not one to promote things.  I will review products and tell you about people that I love but I typically am pretty impartial and am not one to just say that one brand or one place is better than another.  I share my experience and when I find a shop owner to be particularly delightful to deal with then I decide to share things with you.  It is unlikely that I would say I like one product over another or that I would really push something.

I just wanted to state how out of character it was for me before I started telling you about Body by Visalus.  These shakes are like nothing that I have ever used before.  They are amazing!

I have found that I feel so much better when I drink these shakes.  I have more energy and am more focussed with my children.  I am able to do more and that makes me happy.  I love the taste of these and you can flavor them in any way that you like.  My favorite are ones that taste like peanut butter cups.  YUM!  They are amazingly delicious, low in calories, and really do make me more focussed which is hard since I have severe ADHD.

In fact I do not currently have insurance, long long story that I probably won't be sharing unless someone wants to know, so I have not been able to take my medications.  These shakes have helped with that mental clarity and focus that I really need.

I would highly encourage you to check them out.  It is super easy to cancel the autoship or to move your autoship to another date.  Plus it is affordable.  If you choose the autoship the one shake per day option is just under $60 and offers you the ability to drink one shake per day.  Lots of people are having amazing results with weight loss too.  I have lost some weight but I honestly have bad eating habits at the moment.  We have traveled and ate out way too much which has caused this issue.  So if you have thought about doing this you should check it out.  I will be running a special promotion that is going to be announced in the next blog post.  It is something that you can get excited about if you are interested in losing weight the Body by Vi way.

Organizational Helper: Packing Your Hospital Bag Before Baby

One of the most exciting times in your life will be the birth of your baby. The biggest stress & disappointment can come when you realize that you've forgotten something at home that you need or just want. So I'm going to try & help you by outlining some things that you might need.

For Momma During Labor--
1. Hard candy or gum (you won't be able to eat so something to help you along)
2. iPod/MP3 player & portable speakers or headphones
3. List of things you want/don't want during labor
4. Camera
5. Video camera (check with your midwife/OB & your hospital/birthing center)
6. Chic hospital gown (if you purchased one)
7. Computer
8. Phone
9. Journal
10. Kindle/book/magazines
11. Money for vending (a must if you have other children visiting)
12. List of phone numbers & people to call/text with the news
13. Your own pillow (a great way to make labor more comfortable)
14. Fluffy washcloths (very nice instead of those scratchy hospital ones)
15. Luxurious socks
16. Hair brush
17. Hair ties
18. Headbands
19. Nail polish (controversial for some but some moms just feel better if someone paints their toes...natural choices like my favorite, Mattie Cake's are available)
20. Nail clippers in case you forget to cut your nails

For Birth:
1. Have phones, cameras, & video cameras well charged
2. Baby book
3. Birthing ball (also good during labor)
4. Hot water bottle/rice heating pad (also good during labor)

For Baby:
1. Coming home outfit
2. Blankets (if you don't want to use the hospital's you might want a few)
3. Car seat that hasn't expired
4. Appropriately installed cat seat base in your car (go to the fire department if you're unsure how)
5. Diapers (if you want a specific brand or if your hospital will allow you to use cloth)
6. Other clothes/lap shirts & caps if you do not want to use the ones at the hospital
7. Socks
8. Sleep sacks/swaddle blankets
9. If you have older children photographs & pictures that they colored/drew to put in by crib
10. Small gifts for baby to "give" older siblings
11. Pacifiers if you want a specific kind
12. Nipple shields (if breastfeeding/attempting to breastfeed)
13. Bottles if you want a specific type
14. Formula if you want a specific type

For Momma While in the Hospital:
1. Snacks...it can take the hospital a while to get food to you...plus these come in handy for daddy & older brothers/sisters
2. Fluffy towels & wash clothes (surprisingly there are some cheap ones at Walmart that are high quality, $4 per towel!)
3. Loungewear/dresses/something to go home in
4. Loose shoes/flip flops...your feet could swell
5. Make up
6. Toiletries....toothbrush
7. Lotion that smells good...can double for massages during labor
8. Something for dirty clothes & towels to go home in
9. Mama cloth or post partum pads if you do not want what the hospital has.

Of course you might want some other things but this is a good list to start with!

Savings Code for Amber Regina

So if you love baltic amber or if you are thinking about trying anything out, please check out Amber Regina.  I have a review for them that I posted yesterday located here.  You can read about our personal experience and see some of their great products.

If you are interested in ordering you can use the code facebook04 and save 10% through the end of July. 
Let her know that you read my blog please so that she knows that her review is doing some good.

Freebie Announcement: U by Kotex Sample and Adorable Clutch

So I am not one to really sign up for many freebies.  Technically most of the time the time invested in signing up for a sample just isn't really worth it in my opinion.  However I do check out freebies from time to time and this is one that I just had to blog about.

I hate my period and hate having to carry personal items around.  WalMart is offering a free U By Kotex sample and clutch for it as well.  All you do is create a quick inspiration board (this was actually something that I really enjoyed doing) and then you will get a link when you pin your board.  Follow the link and sign up.  Be quick though because there is a limited supply of that cute clutch and I am hoping that we will all get one. 

Review Amber Regina

Amber Regina is a great shop on Etsy that markets fine pieces of amber jewelry.  There is so much infromation about the healing properties of amber but I honestly was not sure if it really worked or not.  Hopefully after my blog post you will understand why it is something that I believe in and why I am actually hoping to purchase my own to test it out with the arthritis in my back.  I do not want to live on pain killers but the longer that I go in between massages, the longer that I seem to be having bad back spasms and issues where I sometimes feel like there is nothing that I can do to make my back feel better.  In some of these cases I can not even get out of bed and have to roll to get up in the mornings.  This is so hard for me to do.

First off let me state that I love the looks of the adorable necklace that I got from Amber Regina.  It is so cute and it looks great with nearly every outfit.  My dear, Adeline wears hers all of the time and when she does not, I always regret it so it is pretty much on her all of the time.  I did purchase a second amber necklace from somewhere else but she seems more whiny and fussy in that one than she seems in this one so I typically grab this one.



How can you resist a cute little baby wearing a necklace?  I just think that this is the cutest thing ever and here is my story of why I believe that this is one of the greatest things ever.  It is something that I wish I had known about when I had my other three children.

So recently we took a little trip out of town to Kansas City where we were six hours away from home.  I noticed that Adeline was a bit more cranky thank usual when we started our drive.  Six hours into it I was wondering what was going on with my typically happy baby.  She seemed so much grumpier than she was.  I talked to her and tried to comfort her and I had one of my children in the back trying to play with her.  Nothing was working, all she would do is fuss and cry.  When we arrived at our destination I noticed that I had forgotten to put the teething necklace back on.

Could it be that she was really having teething issues and the necklace made that much of a difference? 

Of course, me being the skeptic that I am, I thought that it had to be something else.  We hung out with the family and then went to bed.  It was the longest night that I have ever had with Adeline.  She kept waking up and crying and was just not herself.  This is when I decided that it was the disappearance of the necklace that was the cause of our problems and that she was teething.  The next day I took a trip to Buy Buy Baby to purchase some teething goodies.  I got all homeopathic stuff some wipes and some drops and honestly neither one of them, even when combined with infant's Tylenol worked as well as her baltic amber necklace does.  For this reason and this reason alone there is going to be a spare in our diaper bag when I get it all organized.  It will go in the first aid kit bag.

So if you have a baby then you need a baltic amber teething necklace and Amber Regina is the perfect shop for you to get one.  Amber was wonderful and friendly to deal with and one of the first people that offered me a product for review on my blog.  I know any future amber purchases that I make will all be through her.  I do not plan on ever purchasing amber from anyone else and I honestly plan on purchasing quite a bit of amber in the future for gifts, etc.

There are many items in her shop that I'd like to purchase either for myelf, someone in my family, or as a gift.  This is one of the shops where I could easily spend too much money and one of the shops that I have items on my wish list from.

I really think that this necklace is pretty.

This necklace is one of my favorites and the one that is on my current Christmas wish list.  (Yes, I start this list early too so that I can think of enough things to tell people.)

She has bracelets like this adorable one that I really like too.

Just keep in mind that if you have any amber needs that you should contact Amber at Amber Regina because she has some great goodies and tons of wonderful amber pieces for you to choose from.



Review MADKs Creations

I love handmade goodies and I love hats so when MADKs Creations offered to send me a few hats I was ecstatic.  She was generous enough to offer me two hats for my girls.  One of them was a gorgeous pink bucket style hat with a flower.  We ended up sending this one to my niece because my girls have very small heads and it was just too big for them and didn't look like something that was going to fit them anytime soon.  That being said the brown beret style hat is adorable and looks cute on both of my girls. 

The pink bucket hat was so cute.  I love the purple flower and the color was bright.  It was high quality and seemed to be very well made.  Obviously since it is summer I can not attest to how well it would last but it seemed to be very tightly crocheted and I would assume that it is gonig to last for some time and that it could possibly last through more than one child.

I do have to state that the pink hat is marketed as a sun hat.  My kids do not do well if they get warm and since it is made of wool it was a bit too hot for their heads.  I do know many people who would not be bothered by having a hat on in the summer but it is hard for me to keep even the thinnest cotton sunhats on mine, again a great concept but for us it would be a winter hat had we kept it.

I must show off the brown beret on my daughter.  She looked so cute it in and she seemed really happy to be wearing a hat in the middle of the summer too, don't you think?  (I'm just referring to her great face that she used to make when a flash would go off in her eyes.)

Here is a picture of the beret without it being on one of the girls' heads.

She was so tired.  I was going to take a better picture but I think that the sleepy look with the big smile is just too cute to pass up!  I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Here she is wearing the pink bucket hat.  I am not quite sure why but it was not her favorite so she was throwing a bit of a fit when I put it on her.  We decided that we have gotten quite a few hats and mommy had already bought some so we donated this one to my neice.  I will have to post a pic if my sister in law sends me a picture of her in this one.

Debbie the owner of MadKs Creations is wonderful.  She was a pleasure to work with and someone that I would definitely contact if I had a need for something crocheted in the future.  She is a thirty three year old mom to four, wife, and a student so we have a lot in common.  (For those of you who do not know me I was a full time student as well but had to quit my online school because of problems that occured medically while I was pregnant.)  She is studying to be a paramedic. 

Many people have asked Debbie about how she came up with the name of her shop and she wanted to share that the name came from combining her children's names.  She began crocheting as a way to relieve stress after she lost her mother to cancer thirteen years ago.  Her mom had crocheted and had attempted to teach her but she was not successful at this time.  After she lost her mom she was able to just pick up a hook and some yarn and start working.  She really enjoys special requests and the majority of her hats have been from someone's idea of what they would like to have for themselves or for their chidlren.

Her children are two, eight, twelve, and fourteen and she will be celebrating another birthday next month so if you have the time you should swing by her shop and even if you do not purchase anything, wish her a Happy Birthday.  She started making hats for your youngest and when she was continually told to sell them she opened her shop in November of 2011.  She has recently added some additional items to her shop that are not hats. 

So since there are new items in the shop and a lot of really cute hats,  I thought that I would show you some of the things that I really liked.

I am recently obsessed with LaLaLoopsy dolls.  I love them and I love that they look like broken rag dolls.  Althea has several of the small ones and one of the bigger ones.  She loves them as much as mommy does so I am sure that she will accumulate more in the future.  Being that I love LaLaLoopsy dolls so much I must show you this adorable hat that was inspired by them.

Now I have to show off the Rapunzel hat as well because Althea is obsessed with Rapunzel.  She is constantly having me tie a scarf around her head or hair so that she can have long hair like "tangled."  So I am going to have to order one of these hats when I have the extra money because she would be obsessed and love it so much.  If nothing else maybe this hat will be one of the stocking stuffers for her Christmas this year (yes, I realize it is July but this is when I start thinking about and picking up items for Christmas for my kids so that they can have a nice Christmas and we can remain credit card free).



I personally could see myself wearing this bandana, yes I love it!



And since my mom, dad and Shane refer to me as a bag lady I will throw in this picture of one of the bags that she has made.



Best of all you will notice that her prices are crazy reasonable.  She offers everything at MadK's Creations for $25 or less.  Who can resist super cute things that they can actually afford?  If you can I might need to take note because I sure can not.