Building a House

My husband and I have decided to build a house. We were unable to find a house in the school district where we wanted the kids to attend to school. It all happened so quickly but not without a lot of thought and prayer. The decision to build a house has done several things. It has really tightened our budget. Michael and I are completely debt free for the first time in our marriage but the new mortgage is going to be considerably more than what we were paying for our old house. The girls will be starting school in one of the best schools in the area in the fall. We've also become renters again after 15 years of owning our own home. Building a house has certainly sent us on a spiraling road of change. It is very scary! We are trying to save as much money as possible for the unexpected things that will pop up living 15 minutes from town and we are praying that we have picked an honest builder that will build our dream home within our budget.

Blessed

My family has been so busy the last couple of months. I forget to slow down and really take in the moments with my kids. I am constantly struggling to find a balance in my life as a stay at home mom. Some days I feel like the laundry is piling up around my ears and toys are going to bury me alive.

I had a swift kick in the butt last month. I was feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated than my 12 month old son was suddenly hospitalized for failing to gain weight in the last 4 months. I was so frustrated and scared. How could I not have noticed?

I am so thankful that he is happy and healthy. I suddenly have a new appreciation for the chaos of my household. It feel so good to have screaming kids and piles of laundry to do. I am blessed beyond measure.  

The Drastic Life Changes of a Stay at Home Mom

I realized today just how much my life has changed since having children. It was wasn't really one of those ahhh haa moments. It was more like a "holy smokes" moment. I noticed today that I hadn't shaved my legs in nearly a month. I was lathering on the lotions and was horrified by my hairy legs. I looked at myself in the mirror and realized my eyebrows and upper lip could also use a good waxing.

I wouldn't be caught dead with hairy legs a decade ago.

I quickly get dress. The kids are getting restless. YUCK the smell of my body spray and my husband's body wash don't mix well. I didn't want to waste one of my precious ten minutes in the shower to jump out and get a new bottle of bodywash so I used my husband's. I walk into the living room with my wet hair wrapped up in a tight bun on the top of my head and I'm wearing a pair of comfy sweats.

I glance over to the kitchen table. My girls are wearing cute matching outfits and their hair is neatly combed into braids. My priority have completely changed since they came into my life and I'm okay with that.

I secretly vow to shave my legs before the hubby gets a glimpse. How did I get so lucky to experience being a mom.

Goals for the New Year 2012

It is the 5th day of the new year and I already feel like I am running behind. I am just getting over a really bad stomach bug and the kids have also been sick so we haven't had time to really look forward to this New Year. I am so excited to write about my goals. This is going to be a great year. Our son will be turning one in February. He has been such a tremendous blessing! My online endeavors are finally starting to pay off and our financial situation is looking much better. It is time to sit down and really think about what I want to accomplish in 2013

Business Goals:

1. Complete my bachelors degree in Business Management. I have been working on my four year degree for the past ten years. I only have three classes left so I can finally see the finish line.
2. Earn $1000.00 in a month with Squidoo payout and Amazon Affiliate sales combined. This is a very hefty goal but I am very optimistic. I earned $300.00 in the month of December 2012. It may take me the entire year to reach this goal but I am going to work my butt off to accomplish it.
3. Complete 100 quality lenses on Squidoo. I currently have 69 lenses. A few really need a makeover but I am confident I will reach this goal soon.

Personal Goals:

1. Teach the girls the alphabet. They will be starting preschool in the spring so I really need to be more focused with their education.

2. Organize and declutter the house. I am pretty sure this is my goal every year but I am tired of always being behind on the laundry and feeling like I am always cleaning house. We need a better system so I am really going to work hard on this one.

3. I am currently training for the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. I will be walking it with my mom in March. I would also like to train to run for a half marathon. I used to be a distance runner back in my Army days but I have really gotten out of shape since I had my children.

Homemade Kids Table and Chairs

I am proud to say that the kids and I have really been able to cut back on TV. It amazes me how creative we can be without the television on and how much trouble the girls can get into when they are not actively entertained.

 The weather has been really nice here in west Texas so we decided to spend the afternoon in the backyard.

My husband has been chopping away at an old tree in our back yard and we had some stumps laying around. The girls and I decided to chip the bark off and make a set of table and chairs.

They came out great!! Now we have a cute little homemade table and chairs set for the kids that didn't cost us a penny.  My husband is going to give them a once over with the sander and a quick coat of varnish to keep them in good shape and keep the bugs out.

Homemade Gifts For Grandma

The girls and I have been very busy this week getting ready for Christmas. We are still trying to watch less TV and we have been working on some homemade Christmas gifts for grandma. Our projects this week included. Two Christmas lamps for grandma's nightstand and a coin jar to sit above her sink.

We cleaned up a few Spaghetti jars with dish soap and water. Sometimes they require a little goo gone but these actually cleaned up really nice.

 Now the fun part. These lamps will be for grandma to display during the holidays so we decoupaged them with pink and green tissue paper.

 

 While the girls were busy gluing I snuck outside and spray painted two small pickle jars. I also painted the jar lids for the lamps.

 I added a coat of Modge Podge to the jars when girls were done gluing on the tissue paper.



 

 

   I used a black permanent marker to write a special poem on the coin jar

 

 Here are the finished jars with the Christmas lights inside. The lids were still drying but you want to poke a whole big enough on the top to be able to fit the end of the Christmas lights.

Decorating Options:

1. Fill the jar with potpourri, poke holes in the lid and glue a doily on the top for decoration. The warmth of the Christmas lights will give off the aroma of the potpourri, without getting too hot and causing a fire hazard. 
2. Spray paint the jar with frosted painted, use stencils, lace or doilies to create delicate designs on the jar. 
3. Use different colored Christmas lights or battery operated candle sticks. 

Visit Homemade Gift Ideas For Mom for more Homemade Gift Ideas for Christmas 2012. 

What is the Price of Change

I decided to take this past weekend off from creating webpages on Squidoo.

 I am very pleased at my recent progress. I am now seeing steady sales and I’ve managed to get a few lenses in tier 2. 

I returned to find that Squidoo has a new layout and many of my lenses in shambles. The Soldier in me was saying “suck it up and drive on, adapt and overcome” but as a stay at home I wanted to put my head in my hands and cry. 

I wanted to cry for all of the hours I worked on lenses instead of playing with my children, for the household chores that were neglected and for the conversations I asked my husband to save for another time while I worked on building my profile. 

Many lensmasters are angry, stressed and tired from the change. Some are rejoicing and anticipate an increase in sales and traffic. Many lensmasters have stressed to keep things in perspective.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I sat and stared at the computer screen for what seemed like hours not knowing where to begin. I have invested too much time to simply throw in the towel.

Today is a new day. I will start from the top and work my way through each lens. I am still making sales! I will continue to make progress! I will continue to learn!  

The only thing that does not change is that change is inevitable and sometimes very hard to digest.

Replacing TV with Nipple Cream and Basket Baths

Several weeks ago our pediatrician recommended we watch less TV. My husband and I agree we have really gotten lenient with the girls schedule and my son watches way more TV than the girls did at his age. I stay home with the kids so I decided to cut back a little at a time. They were watching almost 4 hours of TV before nap time and the TV was on from the time they woke up from their naps until bed time. I know it really does sound like a lot.

So..... how are things going. I was really motivated the first day. We woke up got dressed ate breakfast, played games and made art projects. That took up most of the morning. The girls decided to entertain themselves while I was making lunch. They usually watch Sesame Street. Instead, they washed each others hair with a tube of lanolin cream!! and the baby figured out how to squeeze through the baby gate.

 I had to chase my son and put him back in the living room probably 50 times before I figured out a way to barricade the gate so he couldn't get out.

We watched a little TV after nap time than it was time for dinner. Did I risk another another debacle with nipple cream or  turn on the boob tube? I turned the TV off!

I kept poking my head out to see what the girls were up to. They weren't  fighting and that can be dangerous. They were pretending to give each other a bath in the wicker basket I keep in the den. Suddenly Sofia appeared with an ice cream bucket full of water. Where, How, I have no idea but apparently it was not the first bucket full of water.

She had managed to give Abby a bath in the den. I had to mop up water from the bathroom to the den, change their clothes, serve dinner and OH YES take care of the baby. Geez and I wonder why we started watching so much TV.

The Problem With Sterotypes

The problem with stereotypes is that they are always wrong. You can’t assume someone is a certain way because of the color of their skin or the clothes they wear.

 I am pretty sure I’m going to blow a gasket the next time a Walmart cashier assumes that I am on welfare or WIC. 

We braved Walmart yesterday with our three small children. The place was overcrowded with impatient people and frustrated employees. We grabbed a few items, my husband took the baby to the car and I stood in line with the girls. Our cashier was flustered and having some difficulties with the cash register. She scans the line and shouts back “I’m sorry my register won’t accept WIC or Welfare cards right now”. I look around; everyone seems to know she is talking to me. I’m not sure if is my brown skin, three small children or the fact that I was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that made her assume I was on government assistance. I resist the urge to chew her up and spit her out. I guarantee it would a conversation she would never forget but I’m in the holiday spirit. I look at her and smile “oh honey I’m not on welfare, nor have I ever been”. 

You can’t judge a person by looking at them. I don’t have a problem with welfare, some people really need it but I do have a problem with people judging me. You will never know that I have saved a few lives or that I was entrusted with the lives of Soldiers by looking at me. You will never know that I struggled to have my children, that I left a career to raise my babies.You will never know that I am one of the toughest, strongest, and most determined women you will ever meet.

I look at the women scanning my items. She has a tired face, and overworked hands. I want to make a snide remark about her being the one working at Walmart but I don’t know her story. I want to make assumptions about this women that I’m sure wouldn’t be right. Instead, I look her in the eyes and wish her a merry Christmas.

How To Organize Without Spending Money

I was reading a few blogs the other day about organizing and decorating your home. I am obsessed with trying to get the kids stuff organized. They are always outgrowing or destroying something. I have to admit I was a bit envious of all of the pretty bins, baskets and caddies I was seeing all over these blogs. I really don't have the money to spend on those things.

Here is how I curbed my craving for neatness without spending any money.

 We recently moved the girl's plates to the bottom cupboard because they insist on picking out their own plates for meals. They don't stack nice and neat and the whole thing was a mess really!

 I had this metal rack with a draw in the pantry. I was using it for baby food but  I thought hmmmmm I wonder if the kid's plate will fit in there.

 I am so pleased at the results. The plates are neat, organized and the girls can still reach them.

I also put an old Fisher Price baby food jar lazy susan to good use. Most baby food comes in those neat little containers now so I had this in the garage sale pile. The small spices fit perfectly. The larger ones don't fit quite right but it is so much better than the way it looked before.

Easy Nutella Brownie Recipe

I decided to try the 3 ingredient Nutella Brownie Recipe I have been seeing all over Pinterest. Did they change my life? OH YES! are they absolutely delicious? OH YES! Are they as easy as they look? OH YES! The original blogger of the 3 ingredient Nutella Brownies is scoochmaroo over at the blog Instructables. I have to admit I was a little skeptical. The recipe calls for three ingredients.

1 Cup of Nutella
10 Tbs. of flour
2 Eggs

I read a few of the comments before whipping up a batch. Some people were asking about substitutes for the Nutella because it sells for about $5.00 a jar. We absolutely love Nutella. I was so lucky to purchase a dozen jars for $1.50 from a Big Lots that was relocating. They sale a knock off Nutella spread called coca and hazelnut spread. It taste just as good as the real stuff and sells for about half the price. 

The Pralinutta is the hazelnut from Dollar General that also taste fabulous at a fraction of the cost.

I decided to use my silicone cupcake pan to make the Nutella brownie bites. I think I will use a mini cupcake tin next time. My pan looks a little rough but it bakes great!

Simply mix the three ingredients, fill the cupcake pan and bake.
22 minutes in a 350 degree oven for a regular size cupcake tin or 30 minutes for a mini cupcake tin.

The texture of the brownies is amazing. They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They weren't as sweet as our usual brownie recipe but the hazelnut more than makes up for sweetness. Our family gave these Super easy Nutella brownies a 2 thumbs up!!

President Barack Obama 2012

I woke up yesterday to the results of the 2012 presidential election. President Obama will be our president for the next four years.

I was so disappointed in the comments of so many of my friends. I understand the passion behind politics but I wish they had the same passion for this country. It angers me to hear the comments that this nation is failing, that we will not survive, that we are doomed.

America remains one of the greatest nations on earth. Hundreds of troops put their lives on the line because they believe in our great country. Our country can not be destroyed by a thousand men, a hundred men and certainly not by one man.

I want to raise my children to believe in this country despite the flaws and the hardships.

Change cannot happen without hard work and perseverance. Stop complaining and make a difference in the lives of those around you. Make it a better world for the future of your children. Do not expect one man to solve all of your problems.

How Do You Stay Positive During Tough Times

My husband and I have been experiencing some tough times in the last few weeks. It seems like everything in the house has decided to break at the same time and the hospital bills keep rolling in. It is so important to stay positive and proactive during tough times. It is so easy to let yourself feel defeated, especially so close to the holidays.

I  continue to make a little money from home. My Squidoo articles have earned a total of $24.00 in sales last month and I am positive this month will be even better. I have already made $25.00 this month. I cleaned up some of the kids old toys and sold them at a local consignment sale and made an extra $50.00 and my husband has worked 2 overtime shifts this pay period. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. God willing we will pay off the medical bills with our income tax check and start putting some money back in our savings account. Keep your head, stay positive, the tough times shall pass.

How do you stay positive during tough times?

Surviving The Holidays Living Paycheck To Paycheck

My family is going through some rough times. I am sad to admit that we are living paycheck to paycheck after so many years of working, planning and saving. We had to take the computer in to get fixed after it crashed last week. I wasn't able to work on my Squidoo or anything else for nearly a week. The icing on the cake was waking up to a fridge full of spoiled food and receiving a $700.00 medical bill in the mail that our insurance doesn't intend to pay.

We have drained our savings account and my husband had to get on the overtime list. I called my mother in desperation.

She was quick to remind me of my blessings "These are hard times, nothing more. Pick your head up and look around. You have three healthy children, snuggled in warm beds in your dream home". She is right!! Many people will be in much worse situations this holiday season.

Here is what I am doing to help our situation:
I am earning gift cards on Swagbucks to use for Christmas I also joined Jingit. It is a website that pays cash for watching videos and scanning products at the grocery store using your smart phone. I am selling most of my winter blouses to a local consignment store.

Squidoo continue to be my obsession! I am finally starting to see a few sells this month. My Minnie Mouse Children's Chairs website seems to be very popular so I plan to keep building more websites with Minnie Mouse. Who new the little mouse would give me so much hope. 

Minnie Mouse Children's Chairs and Room Decor

You Are Beautiful Momma

I woke up before my children and jumped into the shower this morning. I could feel my eyes close as I washed my hair. My body wanted to go back to bed. It is Saturday, I had a rough night and a rough week. I slowly creep to the kitchen and pour a cup of coffee. I'm in a funk and I really can't bring myself to do anything useful this morning.

The computer has been shutting down and won't start up properly, We purchased the Norton antivirus disk with money we don't have. My phone completely gave out  last night and my husband broke the chainsaw. The worst casualty this week was our blackberry. It wouldn't charge but was still covered under warranty. I was horrified when it was returned from repair to realize we didn't  remove the pictures and the videos before we sent it off. They were all gone. Videos from last Christmas and my son's birth. I just wanted to cry.

I feel terrible this morning. I picked a fight with the hubby yesterday. I was frustrated, not at him, just in general. We have been working so hard. I have been working so hard to get back on track. Why does this kind of crap happen to us.

I sat at my desk waiting for the computer to start up for the 10th time when my daughter Sofia walks up the stairs. She is carrying her babies and has on her Dora PJs. I hug her good morning. She squeezes my leg and says" Momma your beautiful". I don't know what she is thinking behind those big, brown eyes but her simple statement nearly brings me to tears.

I am too blesses to let a few materials bring me down. I can't believe I was so angry this week. I kiss her on the forehead and serve her a bowl of cereal. It is a new day. I have so much to be thankful for.

Spending Money Saving Money

Sometimes I am sure that I am spending more money by trying to save money. I hate paying full price for anything now days and it is even harder to pass up a good deal. I set a $75.00 a week grocery budget for my family several months ago. We were doing great until I started to lose steam. It is tough work following the sales ads, clipping coupons and reading money saving blogs. I have been busting our budget for the past two months now.

We made a trip to our local Big Lots this morning. It is relocating. Everything in the store was thirty percent off and I had a coupon for an additional twenty percent off of that. Can you picture me sprinting to the van this morning, three babies in tow?

I slowly browsed every aisle. I only purchased things we will need in the next few weeks. I resisted the urge to stockpile for the next decade. I also picked up a Christmas gift for mom and for the baby. $37.00 well spent.

I decided that today I would clean out the fridge and reorganize the pantry. I have had enough wasting food and wasting money. The holidays are coming up and money is tight. Time to get back on the wagon.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

I woke up ready to conquer the day. I had piles of laundry to do, papers that needed to be filed and well the bathrooms really could use a good scrubbing. I went to work on the laundry. I could here the girls fighting in the other room. They were bored and at each others throats. The baby was fussing and needed my attention.

I couldn't help but think about my mother. Her house was always spotless. She prided herself on always having a clean house. I have learned so much from her about being a mom and housewife but I couldn't help but wonder.... Is Cleanliness next to Godliness?

I don't have memories of playing with my mom or sitting down on the couch and watching a movie. I have memories of her always in the kitchen and scrubbing floors. She was ALWAYS cleaning. I admire her organization and her discipline to keep a clean house but I don't want my children to feel that my house is my priority.My mom had a tough life and a not so great marriage.Sometimes, I think she used her cleaning as a means to escape.

I dressed the kids and took them outside. The girls were covered in dirt when we came back inside. I still had piles of laundry and the paperwork wasn't going to get filed but we had a great day.

I don't have a dirty house by any means but it isn't no where near spotless either. I think making your family happy and enjoying your children is Godlier than cleaning and I'm pretty sure my children would agree.

The Price of Chaos

I got up early and took out my box of coupons. I can't believe I haven't clipped and sorted coupons in over a month. I was doing so well. I was able to get our grocery budget down to $75.00 from $150.00 but I haven't been able to do that lately. I have coupons coming out of my ears. I have been shoving them into my purple coupon box. I would say that nearly 80 percent of my coupons were expired. I am so glad that I still have a friend stationed overseas. The military can use expired coupons up to six months in commissaries overseas.

I laid out my Albertson's flier and made a list of the sales that I could pair with coupons. It only took a few minutes to get into the swing of things. I was excited about all the money I was going to save. I'm not sure why but I decided to double check the date on the sales flier, only to realize that the sales were good until October 2nd. UMMMM what is today's date? GEEZ you have gotta be kidding me. Oh well! I took a stack of coupons and headed to  the grocery store, surely I could do some quick calculations in my head. NOPE! I blew my budget by $35.00. Time to get more organized and get back on track. This chaos is costing me money.

The Body of a Stay at Home Mom

I took a little time for myself today. My husband agreed to watch the kiddos so I could go out and enjoy some fresh air. I told him I was going shopping! He didn't roll his eyes or immediately hide the credit cards. he knows I'm headed to the nearest thrift store in search of  a bargain.

I browesed the rack of jeans and blouses, piling clothes on my arm. I have no idea what size I wear. I haven't bought any clothes since I had my son.

I enter the dressing room and am immediately faced with a three way mirror. I take my clothes off.  I am shocked at the person staring back at me. I recognize the face. My face still looks like a young, bright eyed mom but it is my body that surprises me.

I can clearly see the light stretch marks racing from my hips down my butt. I have a little pootch that sags just over my underware. My breast are large and not so perky.

I didn't get depressed or quickly put my clothes back on. I felt empowered. I was in really good shape when I was in the Army but now I feel like a woman.

My breast are not just for show. I nouished three babies. I am my son's life line. The stretch marks are my battle wounds from the weight of twins and a nine pound baby growing in my belly. I am even okay with my flat butt and my wide hips. I am strong! I am a momma! I walked out of the dressing room with a black sweater and kaki pants but I had such a huge aahaa moment.

I probably could have walked out naked.

Mommy Tip of the Day

I really thought I was going to get the house more organized this month. I am pretty determined and disciplined when I have set a goal for myself. It is funny how you think you need something, when in fact, you need something totally different. I thought I need to scrub the cabinets, clean the washroom and organize the closets.

I woke up today with a list of things to do. I knew exactly what I could accomplish during nap time and in between episodes of sesame street and Clifford the Big Red Dog.

My son's Face Says it all! This is what I needed to do!

Instead the girls and I lounged around in faded T-shirts and shorts. I didn't do their hair. I rolled around on the floor and played with the baby. I danced and shook my booty to the theme song to Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.

Mommy tip of the day: Stop reading and blogging about trying to be a better mommy and be one!