Getting back into shape - Day 2

I honestly didn't intend to blog about this every day.. but who knows, maybe I will? It gives me motivation to actually work out. I really hope that I can show other moms that you absolutely can MAKE time to work out, even if it's just 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there. Today went fairly well. I did 20 minutes on the Biggest Loser workout game for the Kinect. If you have a Kinect, BUY THIS! You can even use swagbucks since it is sold on Amazon. :) Check out my swagbucks guide here. Anyway I was weighed on a digital scale and it turns out I weigh 135, not 134. :) I go back to this same scale in 2 months so I think my "goal" is to be 120...

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Cloth Diapering a Newborn

Mikaela in a newborn bumGenius AIO Kainan was almost 20 months old before I started using cloth diapers on him, so I was excited to try cloth on a newborn. Now that Mikaela is a month old I have to say that when I have another baby I probably won't use cloth in the first month or two. Why? Well several reasons. First you are likely to get enough free diapers to last for the first week or two anyway. Between what you can take home from the hospital and gifts from friends/family most parents start out with at least a few disposable diapers. The other reason is that nearly all babies are born with very thin legs making most cloth diapers not...

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Getting back into shape.. Day 1

Well today was day 1 of working out and (hopefully) eating better. It didn't go exactly as planned but I feel like I accomplished a little bit. I bought The Biggest Loser game for the Kinect and did the "fitness test" today. I started working out a little after the test but my sister-in-law showed up to help us put together our swingset. I did 15-20 minutes total, which isn't terrible. However I did spend most of the day outside working on the swingset, so that probably helped a little. As far as eating better, other than using Barilla plus pasta for my lunch I didn't do much. I still had a couple of sodas. There is always tomorrow. Tip of the...

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What is coming up this week..

almost 4 weeks old already! As of tomorrow I will be 4 weeks postpartum. I feel great and have for weeks now so I am going to start exercising tomorrow. I still have 17 pounds to go to my pre-pregnancy weight and 19 for my "ideal" weight. This might not sound like much but considering I dropped all the weight I gained with my son in less than two weeks, it sure seems like it to me! I am going to include as much of my progress as I can in the blog and also include workout and healthy eating tips. I am a certified personal trainer and aerobics instructor but I've never had to workout myself. I think it's time to start! If you have any specific...

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Thrifty and easy floor cleaner

I know that I have been horrible about keeping up with the blog lately. Having a newborn is definitely a lot of work! Fortunately she is a great baby and her big brother is great with her as well. I still find it difficult to keep up with everything that I am used to doing on top of taking care of two kids. Kainan's birthday party is today and I'm still scrambling to get the house clean. I mixed together this floor cleaner last night and it worked so well that I wanted to share it! Fill up a sink or bucket with very hot water, add a few squirts of Method dilutable cleaner. Method has cleaners that are specifically for floors but they are $6.49...

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Happy 3rd Birthday Kainan!

This day 3 years ago, Amy gave birth to her first born, Kainan Alexander! Today, they are taking the time to celebrate his birthday with family and friends. I wish we could be there to celebrate with them but since we can't, I wanted to wish Kainan a very happy birthday! Kainan, I hope you have an awesome day full of fun and excitement! I hope you get everything you wished for and you have a ton of fun! I wish we could be there to celebrate with you, but since we can't, we'll be thinking about you all day today! Have a blast little man! Or should I say big boy! You've turned into such a wonderful big brother and you deserve today to be spoiled! ...

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Tips for Successfully Planning Meals

When I first moved in with Delvin, we were just dating, but we worked really long hours and by the time we got home, I didn't feel like cooking. This resulted in us eating Tuna Helper and carry-out the majority of the week. I knew sooner or later we would have a family, and I would need to learn how to cook more balanced meals. When I was pregnant with Luke we bought our house, and that's when I started meal planning. Here are some tips and tricks to planning meals and making your life a little easier. Build a Recipe Book: The first thing I did when I started my meal planning, was built a recipe book. I started searching the internet for any...

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Last Week's Poll Results

Last week, I asked "How does your family regularly save money?". The poll is closed and the results are in. Here they are... How does your family regularly save money? A) Using coupons. B) Cooking from scratch. C) Shopping at consignment and/or second hand stores. D) Using reusable products. E) Carpooling whenever possible. F) Buying in bulk. It turns out that the majority of our readers C) Shop at consignment and/or second hand stores, and D) Use reusable products. In fact, they were tied for first place. The second runner up was A) Using coupons. For those of you that aren't really interested in cooking from scratch, a slow cooker is a...

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Just a quick update...

I totally agree with Amy. I've also been horrible with posting in the last week. So, here's what I've been up to... Last Thursday (May 19th) was my last day working outside of the home. Friday I took the boys to a play at Toby's Dinner Theatre. It was Winnie the Pooh, and they loved it! Monday was Luke's first day of preschool and the first day I officially started working from home. Needless to say, it has been a busy week around here! Luke is loving preschool and I'm finally getting into the groove with working from home again. As for Amy's ideas... I am all for them! Meal Plans: I love the idea! I'm pretty good about this one as it is,...

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Checking in..

I have been horrible at keeping up with this blog lately. I've been busy with the newborn and I also recently started working from home a few hours here and there. Here are some of the things that have been on my mind and I will probably be blogging about this week! Meal PlansI know a lot of people plan out their meals a week (or more) ahead of time. We don't do this but I think we need to. We always wait too long and then don't have certain ingredients or don't have time to thaw the meat, etc. I am fortunate in that my husband likes to cook (now if only he liked to clean..) so he will have a big part in this one. Getting in shapeI have quite...

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Last Week's Poll Results

Last week, Amy asked "Would you like to see 'Make it Monday' on our blog?". The poll is closed and the results are in. Here they are... Would you like to see "Make it Monday" on our blog? A) Yes B) No We are excited to say that 100% of  our voters chose A) Yes. Due to the results of our poll, we are happy to announce that we will be adding a Make it Monday post to our blog every Monday, starting on May 30, 2011! Keep an eye out for our very first Do-It-Yourself project coming soon...

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Working from Home

Isn't it every mother's dream to be able to work from home and still be able to spend time with her children? Ahh... That would be the life! Well, that dream could be a reality. I'm not going to lie. It takes hard work and dedication to find a work at home (WAH) job that works around your families schedule. But, it can be done. Whether your just looking for something to make some extra spending cash, or your looking for a full time 9-5 position, legitimate WAH jobs are out there. I have been working from home off and on for over 3 years. I know a lot of scams and I know a lot of true, genuine jobs. I know where to look, and how to go...

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One Day Wonder Old Navy Promotion

Summer is on it's way, and with the heat comes flip-flop season! What woman out there doesn't love throwing on a pair of flip-flops and running out the door? And of all of the flip-flop choices out there, everyone knows Old Navy has the most comfortable ones. And what about the color choices? They are never ending! So, this Saturday, May 21st is the One Day Wonder Old Navy Promotion when you can get your favorite Old Navy flip-flops for just $1.00! You can only buy 5 pairs per person. I would get there early since Old Navy has been known to sell out of their flip-flops in the past. You also want to be sure you can get your favorite...

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Shark Steam Pocket Mop Review

I figured this review would go hand in hand with Amy's post on safer cleaning products. I saw the Shark Steam Pocket Mop on sale at Big Lots a few weeks ago for $49. I knew my mom had one, so I gave her a call to see how she liked it. She told me how she hated it. She said it was a pain in the butt to drag it out, fill it with water, plug it in, etc. Anyway, she told me I could have hers if I wanted to, so I said sure. I look at the Shark steam mop as an easier way of cleaning. Before I had it, I used an old mop and bucket. I had to fill the bucket with water and cleaner, dip the mop in the bucket and ring it out. Now, I only have to fill...

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Safer cleaning products

My laundry/cleaning supplies I have been happily chemical cleaner-free for over two years now. For me it isn't about being green as much as it is about having a safe home for my kids. I did some reading on what is in regular cleaners and I switched to natural versions (and eventually went on to make my own) and never looked back. This is one area where going green and being thrifty go hand in hand. Many of the ingredients you will need to make your own cleaners are in your kitchen already. If you don't happen to have them, most are very inexpensive. Money saving tip: Some food items used for cleaning, like lemon juice, can be bought very cheap...

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Our Family's Favorite Shepherd's Pie

I have no memory of my mom ever making shepherd's pie when I was a child. I don't know if she just never liked it, or maybe she did make it and I just didn't like it, so I've forgotten those memories. Either way, after I had Luke, my brother-in-law made some food and brought it over to the house for us so I wouldn't have to cook right away. He brought over a ton of shepherd's pie. Unfortunately, neither my husband or I liked it. I was determined to find or create a recipe we would love. So, here it is! Our Favorite Shepherd's Pie Prep Time: 35 minutes          Cook Time: 25 minutes         ...

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Make it Monday

I have seen this on a few other blogs do something called "Make it Monday." For Make it Monday, one (or maybe both) of us will do a simple DIY project every Monday with step by step instructions. If this is something you'd like to see on our blog please take the poll! ...

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Cloth Diapers - What I use

Make sure you check out part two! Meagan mentioned in her cloth diapering lingo post that we would be reviewing the different types of diapers that we have used. I have been busy with the new baby but I wanted to quickly mention the diapers that I currently use as well as a few that I have previously used. I will be doing full reviews on most of these later. For Kainan: Happy Heiny Pockets (size XL) - I use these almost exclusively. Kainan is a BIG boy, about 37 pounds. Most cloth diaper companies don't seem to realize that some toddlers are big and do not make diapers to fit them. Happy Heiny size XL diapers are one that I have found that...

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Summer 2011 Double Dog Dare Challenge

The best part of my day is reading to my boys every night. They both look forward to it every night, and I think it has definitely brought my kids closer to each other. Everyone knows that reading to your children from a young age is a great thing, and definitely helps impact their future. Do you read to your child everyday? I could easily read 5-6 books a day to my boys, since they love story time so much. But, no matter how many books we read during the day, I always read them a bedtime story. I normally let Luke choose the book he wants me to read, and that helps him to feel more engaged in it. If your child is at the age where they are...

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Last Week's Poll Results

Last week, we asked "How big is your family?". The poll is closed and the results are in. Here they are... How big is your family? A) Just the 2 of us! B) 3 C) 4 D) 5+C) But we're not done yet!D) ...and we're expecting! The majority of our voters chose C) 4. So, the average size of the families who follow our blog have 4 members. But, we also had three people that were either expecting or have decided they aren't done expanding their family yet! Look out for our newest poll...coming soo...

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Wooling Around Wool Dryer Balls Review

My beautiful green and purple dryer balls Amy made for me. I don't know about you, but I was so sick and tired of buying boxes of dryer sheets every month. I would rip them in half to make them last, but I still felt like I was spending too much money on them each month. I've never used liquid fabric softener, and I never wanted to start. I've heard too many horror stories of the liquid fabric softener leaving streaks on the clothes. So, when Amy started Wooling Around, I was really interested in learning more about them. When Amy told me they could last anywhere from 3-6 years, that was all I needed to hear. Anyway, I ordered 4 dryer...

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bumGenius Newborn AIO Review

I bought several of these diapers before Mikaela was born. They were formally known as the bumGenius XS AIO. However, bumGenius has unfortunately stopped making the other sizes but continues to sell this size with a different name. I purchased these primarily for my husband because I intended to use prefolds and covers but the AIOs are so much easier. I have to admit that I don't want to mess with prefolds right now so these are pretty much all that we use. I have 12 and I wish I would have bought more. Fortunately I bought a few in size small and once she fattens up just a little those should fit as well. For those who don't know an AIO (or...

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Kids are expensive - Tips for Saving

Everyone knows that babies and kids are expensive. The statistics telling you how much it costs to raise a baby are shocking, as well as somewhat misleading. You can do a search for how much it costs to raise a baby and the results vary quite a bit. It's important to realize just what these statistics take into consideration and what you can do to save. There are many ways to save money while raising a healthy and happy child. Cost of living is not always taken into consideration with these studies. If you live in a lower COL area (as I do) it won't cost that much more to buy or rent a larger house. Multiple children also do not need their...

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What are your plans for Mother's Day?

As we all know, Mother's Day is right around the corner... this Sunday to be exact! Who are you planning on spending the day with? Your children? Your mom? Both? If I had it my way (which I don't), I would love to spend the day with my children, my mom, and my grandma. That would be a wonderful day for me. Unfortunately, my mom lives states away and I'm not going to see her on Sunday, so I'll spend the day with my two wonderful little boys. Hopefully Daddy has something nice planned to make the day perfect. So, what are your plans this Mother's Day?...

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Mikaela Danae is here!

Meagan already announced Mikaela's arrival but I wanted to type up her birth story while it's still pretty fresh in my head. I will add some pictures to this ASAP. My camera battery died and I had to order a new charger (mine got lost in the move) so it will be here tomorrow and I'll get lots of pictures. I feel like I should mention that this is a birth story and might have references to .. well.. birth. :) You've been warned. I had a lot of problems in my pregnancy with Mikaela. While all of the problems were not life threatening they were certainly annoying, some were scary, and some of them were very painful as well. The pregnancy started...

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Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

I have been a pretty big fan of the Duggar's over the last few years. For those of you that don't know who the Duggar's are, they are a 2 parent family with 20 children, 1 daughter-in-law, and 1 grand-daughter. They have a show on TLC called 19 Kids and Counting. Of course with 20 kids, you need to be able to adapt, and one of those ways is saving money. The Duggar's have some great ideas on how to save money. Many of them are listed in their books and on their website. I have been using the Duggar's laundry detergent recipe for a little over 2 months now, and I love it! They have both a liquid and a powdered version, but I use the powdered version...

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Last Week's Poll Results

Last week, Amy asked "Do you buy organic food for your family?". The poll is closed and the results are in. Here they are... Do you buy organic food for your family? A) As often as possible B) If I find it/If it's on sale C) No, but I want to D) No, organic food is a joke The majority of our voters chose B) If I find it/If it's on sale. I can totally relate to this answer. In fact, I would have chosen this answer, had I voted. The price of food has gone up like crazy in the last few months, and it's getting harder and harder to find good deals on anything, much less organic food. This time last year, my family was eating a lot more organic...

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Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

This recipe is for everyone. Who doesn't like pizza? I mean...honestly! Well now you can get the flavor of pizza and nutrition of a more well balanced meal, all in one. Just try it. I didn't think I'd like it the first time I made it, but it was really good! Pizza Casserole Prep Time: 30 minutes          Cook Time: 30 minutes          Serves: 6 Ingredients: Pizza Casserole 2 cups uncooked egg noodles 1/2 lb ground turkey 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 cup sliced turkey sausage 16 oz pizza sauce 4 tbsp milk 1...

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