RIP Marky

Ive been busy getting my husbands business up and running, and hadnt had time to write. I had a whole bunch of things that I wanted to write about even.

Then I found out some news that hit me like a mack truck. My cousins 4 year old son passed away.

He got caught in an escalator at the mall, and was thrown from the 2nd floor to the 1st. He suffered severe head trauma, and within 24 hours, died from his injuries. The stories reported on the web do not state all of the facts. The comments left on some of these stories have literally made me sick. People placing blame on his mother, my cousin. Saying she should have been watching him. She was RIGHT THERE. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Any of us with children know this especially.

Turns out, 2 inspectors have been suspended without pay, because they did not properly inspect the escalator. There was a gap on the top (the one he was pulled through) that measured 6 1/4", as opposed to the maximum allowed 5". There should have been a barrier there to protect something like this from happening. But there wasnt. And now my family has lost a child.

I have been having a very difficult time with this. I havent been able to sleep much. If the nightmares dont keep waking me, its the constant need to check on the kids. This is every parents worst nightmare. Im brought to tears multiple times a day. Marky was only 6mos older then Spidey, and if you look at his picture, you will see how unbelievable the resemblance between them was.

My cousin donated Markys organs. In her worst time made the most unselfish act any mother can & donated her babys organs to those in need. While she received the worst call a mother can... dozens received the call they were waiting for.

Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandmas and grandpas, uncles aunts and friends - Hug your babies. You never know when it may be the last time. Dont hold grudges. Life is too short. Petty things arent worth fighting or not speaking to a loved one.

RIP Marky, you have lots of people to protect you up there, and keep an eye on us down here.

UPDATE FROM HIS MOTHER: "That was just beautiful Kristin. Thank you so much! I found out today that Mark's heart went to an 8 year old boy and they found recipients for his kidneys and liver. While I am sitting here grieving, 3 mothers are holding their babies with a brighter future. Marky lives on...

Day 5, 6 & 7 of the Photo Challenge

Day 05 - A picture of somewhere you've been to.



Dominican Republic. So much fun!

Day 06 - A picture that shows your true self.



Mother and wife, among many other titles. :) Diva was cooking in the belly here.


Day 07 - A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.




Jesus and God our Father. They have shown us such great things, and without them, none of these would be possible. Thank you Lord!

Day 2, 3, 4 of the Photo Challenge!

For some reason, I never published these! They were sitting with my drafts haha!

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.



My bestie Dianna :) Weve been best friends for I think almost 21 years now? Everytime we talk, its like it was yesterday. I love her honestly like a sister :) She is Diva's Godmother and she spoils the heck out of her!


Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.




Vampire Diaries FTW! Love love LOVE this show! I am addicted to it. Im so upset there is no new episodes until the end of April! Anyone else a fan?? Im totally Team Damon :) Much hotter then Stefan!


Day 04 - A habit that you wish you didn't have.




SODA! I dont drink coffee, I love tea but more as a relaxing agent, not a caffeine burst. I loooove diet cherry pepsi, but I wish I could cut soda totally out, and drink more water! Bet it would helo with my (at-a-standstill) weightloss journey!

Motivational Monday!

Today, my aunt goes in for surgery to remove cancer from her breasts. Please say a quick prayer for an easy and successful surgery, and for quick healing! Love you!!

Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. ~Author Unknown

Menu Planning Monday!

Its that time again! After last weeks $300 grocery shopping (which I think almost gave both me AND Jay a heart attack haha) I have plenty to work with. So heres this weeks plan:

Mon: Dry-rubbed Flank Steak with fresh sauteed spinach and maybe baked potatoes? Not sure on the starch yet haha
Tue: Chicken Enchilladas with rice
Wed: Meatball Parm Hero's (is that supposed to be heroes? lol)
Thur: Bubba Burgers with tater tots (that ones for hubs, theyre so bad for you but sooo good :) )
Fri: Creamy Chicken Florentine with pasta


Weekends are always up in the air :)

Lazy Sundays..

We dont get very many of these at this house. We almost always have a party, company or family function to go to. But not today folks! I kind of needed it. This has been a long week, Im getting over some kind of bug that was overtaking me all week. I had a horrible sore throat and just aches. Of course the doc said its "viral". You know, the "Ihavenoidea" sickness. Haha.

Anyway, we had a visit from our Brooklyn cousins yesterday. Shannon is pregnant (yay!) with little Vinman, and shes adoreable! I looked like her at about 4 months and she only has 8 weeks to go. Anyway, Johnny is Diva's Godfather, and we always have a great time with them. I cant wait to meet little Vinny! Spidey had a birthday party, so while we were there, I get a text from Jay:




I laughed so hard I cried. Poor Diva, she has no hair. Not even enough for a small clip! In fact, she came out with more then she has now. So Im always saying about how her hair is growing a little bit, even though its not. Im just hopeful I guess :)

So today, we are going back to CHURCH! Its been waaaay too long and I really want to start getting back and thanking God for our blessings :) We have also been starting to teach AJ about God and Jesus and I think its a good thing for him to start. So back we go!

I started the photo challenge on here, check it out :)

I know this post was all over the place, but I promise, back to normal again!

Off I go, until next time!

Day 1 of the Photo Challenge!

I started this in the beginning of the year on FB and FAILED! I dunno why, I just got busy with other things I suppose. So Im going to give it another shot! Heeerrree we go!



Not the best pic but it will do :)


Day 01 - A recent photo of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.

1-Im really loving blogging, even though I dont post as much as Id like to!
2-I dont think there is anything I hate more then wet socks
3-I could be an alcoholic merely on blackberry sangria..yum!
4-I wouldnt trade being a mom to my two little loves for ANYTHING
5-I slowly am becoming a coupon addict, and I love it!
6-Id rather have a quiet night in with the hubs, then a night out.
7-Sometimes I still miss my nights out :)
8-Im planning on dying my hair blonde this summer (if I have the guts! lol)
9-I love being a redhead in the meantime!
10-When I was pregnant with Jalyn I felt like a horrible person, cause I told Jay Id cry if they told me she was a boy lol
11-I used to want 5 kids. Thats since changed :)
12-Im overly organized in some aspects of my life. Others however, i need some major help.
13-I want to eventually go to Culinary School
14-My newfound hobby (other then couponing) is cooking
15-I truly believe everything happens for a reason!

This is a fun challenge! The rest of the days go something like this:

Day 01 - A recent photo of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.
Day 04 - A habit that you wish you didn't have.
Day 05 - A picture of somewhere you've been to.
Day 06 - A picture that shows your true self.
Day 07 - A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh.
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.
Day 11 - A picture of your celebrity crush.
Day 12 - A picture of something you love.
Day 13 - A picture of something you hate.
Day 14 - Picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.
Day 16 - Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why.
Day 17 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.
Day 18 - A picture of someone that has made a huge impact on your life recently.
Day 19 - A picture of someone you miss.
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.
Day 21 - A picture of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 - A picture of you when you were little.
Day 23 - A picture of something you wish you could change.
Day 24- A picture of yourself and a family member.
Day 25 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.
Day 27 - A picture of something you're afraid of.
Day 28 - A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.
Day 30 - A picture of your favorite book.
Day 31- A picture of someone you miss.
Day 32- A picture from your favorite movie.
Day 33 - A picture of your room.
Day 34 - A picture of your day.
Day 35- A picture of your night.
Day 36- A picture that makes you angry.
Day 37- A picture that makes you sad.
Day 38- A picture of your favorite pastime

Menu Planning Monday!

Monday: Chicken cutlets, brocolli rabe and yellow rice
Tuesday: Beef stew
Wednesday: Spinach with pasta, tomatoes and hearts of palm
Thursday: Roasted chicken, fresh spinach and some kind of potatoes
Friday: Undecided
Saturday: Beef enchiladas


What are your meal plans for the week? Link them in the comment section!

I need to start bringing in some MONEY!

Kids arent cheap. Well at least mine arent. They always want to eat, or have diapers or even worse, clothes! How dare they? Pfft. I guess since I HAVE TOOOOO...

Ah, I kid, I kid. But kids ARE expensive, and even with my extreme couponing and saving money wherever possble, there is just never enough. Since the job markey ::ahem:: sucks, Im trying to think of things I can do to make money at home. Im pretty crafty so thats an option. My friend Amy suggested maybe a menu planning service. Everything from the menu for the week with a shopping list and possible coupons, to picking the items up for people, right down to cooking it/freezing it for them. What do you guys think?

What are some other money making ideas? I know some of you have to have some?!

What is love?

"Baby dont hurt me, dont hurt me, no more!"

Sorry, as I typed that out, all I saw in my head was Chris Kattan doing the neck bob and hearing that song! (now its stuck in your head too isnt it?! haha!)

In celebration of Valentines Day (were celebrating today!) I figured Id write a little post on love. How do you define love? Do you believe there is one person for everyone?



I asked Spidey what love was. The response was as follows: "love is something that youre heart is". So true my prince, so true!

Everyone's definition of love can be different. 2 1/2 years ago when I said "I do" I promised to stand by my husband, through thick and thin. Through sickness and health. Til death do us part. Did you see that last part? Til death do us part.

Now, Im not going to sit here and say that the last 2 1/2 years married, or even 5 1/2 years together have been all rainbows and sunshine. Hell, weve had quite a bit more storms then sunny days. But we have stood by each other through Id say almost every possible thing. And I can honestly say I am so happy that we are side by side today. We may not always get along (my in-laws can attest to that!) and we may both be (very) stubborn, but we get each other. I mean really get each other, and thats what REALLY matters. Its not about fancy things like trips or jewelry, its about real, true love. The kind you find in fairytales. And while ours might not be a fairytale all the time, when he looks in my eyes, and tells me how we'll someday be on our wrap-around porch sipping lemonade watching our grandchildren run around, I know he means it. I know he loves me, and he knows I love him. And thats all that matters. <3

Happy Valentines Day to my one and only, the only one I want to grow old with! Love you baby!


PS-Here is our wedding song, I found this guy on youtube, and he was sweet enough to record a studio version of the song for us. He is AMAZING! Check out his other stuff on youtube as well!

Last chance for giveaway!

Head on over!

http://whitepicketfencesandabottleofwine.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-giveaway.html#comments

Linkwithin?

Anyone use it? How come I only get text showing on most posts instead of pictures?

Oh, fat lady, I will miss our good times!

Ive done it. I have entered into hell. Ok well, not really hell, but this is what I imagine hell would be like. Jillian Michaels likes to call hell her "30 Day Shred". Its a booty kicking in a dvd. A wonderful friend bought it for me after I mentioned that I wanted it.




I have many friends who have either been doing it, or planning on starting it soon. I started it Wed night. All I can say is WOW. Its an intense (at least for lazy people like me lol) 20 minute workout consisting of abs, strength and cardio. No breaks, no rest. Wed night I started it (as did spidey haha). I am proud to say I made it throught the whole thing! Afterwards, though, I barely made it up the stairs :-X. Thursday morning brought an unusually less amount of soreness then I expected, but that didnt last. By Thursday night I wanted to DIE. Like, cut my head off, it will hurt less then this die. I am SO out of shape. Sigh.

What Im about to write is scary for me, and I am not even kidding. I am admitting to the world my measurements. My hope in this is that it will motivate me even more to get going and get back to bikini ready! (well Ill probably never wear a bikini again but you get what I mean!) So here goes....

Starting weight: 155.6
Waist: 39 1/4"
Thighs: 24 5/8"
Arms: 11 1/2"
Hips: 40"

Maybe tomo if Im feeling really bold I will take some before pics. Dont hold your breath though lol.

I have no hips, and no butt. Jay will attest to that.

I didnt do too much "healthy shopping this week, so most of my dinners werent the greatest diet wise. Next week watch out! I HAVE to do something about this. I never lost the weight from AJ. I lost alot when I was sick in the hospital that week. And then I put it all on. So I need all of YOUR help. Some healthy, tasty dinners. Fish recipes are ok for everyone else, but ::cough:: Im not a fish eater. Snack too please. Get my butt in gear! I would like to lose 20-25lbs. Is that realistic of me? With diet and excercise? How do you stay motivated?

I leave you with this delish (and pretty healthy) recipe I made tonight. It was the yum! And super easy. Had my name written all over it!

1 lb. pasta (I used whole wheat shells)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs.), diced
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a large pot of water to boil. Once it comes to a rolling boil, salt it and cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, set a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, heat the olive oil then add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and simmer with the chicken until it’s fragrant and begins to turn golden – about 3 minutes.

Add the salt. spinach and white wine to the skillet and cook for an additional 3 – 5 minutes, or until the spinach begins to wilt. Toss the contents of the skillet with the pasta and place in a casserole dish. Cover with cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Makes about 8 servings.

It was soo good. I didnt have the whole wheat pasta, which would have made it better, but I did use lofat mozz. So I made up for it a bit right? Right. Ok all, off to bed! Wish me luck! Anyone wanna hop on the train with me??

Review & Giveaway!

Recently, Glee Gum sent me their "Make Your Own Chocolate" kit. I pulled it out when Spidey had a playdate with his best friend (not to be confused with his best best friend!) What a CUTE and FUN thing to do!

Here's a brief description of thier Candy Kits:
Available in Make Your Own Chocolate, Make Your Own Chewing Gum, and Make Your Own Gummies, these activity kits are all-natural, educational, and eco-friendly. With pre-packaged ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, everyone aged 8 and up gets a real kick out of making candy from scratch. Focusing on the history behind and the origin of these candies, each kit is designed to captivate your interest, connect you to the global community, and create something yummy to eat in the process!

And here's a link to our latest newsletter, which includes a Glee Gum coupon for you:
http://www.gleegum.com/newsletters/7/


Check out some pics :)


Mixing the ingredients!



All ready to pour and cool!



The "after" haha



Here is the link to their store locater: http://www.gleegum.com/retail-stores-locator.htm

And the facebook and twitter accounts, respectively:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glee-Gum/109473447496?v=wall
http://twitter.com/gleeguy

This was a GREAT project for the kids, and I had a ball as well. They are HIGHLY reccomended!

Onto the giveaway! One lucky reader will win one make your own candy kit of your choice. You can have more then one entry!

1 entry: Mandatory- Follow my blog either through google or feedburner
1 entry per referral, up to 5: refer people to my blog. they must comment that you sent them
4 entries: Re-post this on your own blog!
2 entries: Share this on your facebook page

Please post a seperate comment for each entry!

I will pick a winner at random next Tues, Feb 15th. Please note, these can only be shipped to the continental US. (sorry!)


On your mark, get set... GO!

Motivational Monday!

So I never made it to the store today. My day started something like this:

11pm last night: Finally got everyone settled in. Spides got a fever. Diva has a cold. Time for bed. Whats that? Daddy told Spidey he could sleep in our bed? Well, Id prefer not, but since you already told him, off to Spideys bed I go!
12am: Diva finally falls asleep.
1am: Diva wakes up for the first of 92381207401284 times. Coughing quite a bit.
630am: Perfect time to get up for the day you say? Sure, I guess theres not much choice there. No bottle, toy, tv show etc can keep Ms Princess from fussing til mommy wakes up.
7am: While going in to wake daddy up for work I catch the unmistakable odor of pee. Please let that me a dirty diaper I forgot to take out of my bedroom last night. NOPE! Thats definately (at least one) bedwetting. ::sigh::

I started my day off calling the wahmbulance. Not fair that its not even 9am after no sleep and all this has already happened! Well, I might as well just suck it up. I run a bath and go to wake Spidey up. When I get into my bedroom, hes up playing with his little sister (who I put in bed next to him while I started the bath). I hear him say "no, you dont want a baba? how about a tickle rib?! yes, yes you do want a tickle rib!" I giggle and pop in. He asks me if Im mad he wet the bed. I tell him no. He says "good, cause I really really love you sooo much!". Such a smooth talker. In comes Funny. Who is Funny you ask? Funny is our kitten. Spideys Elf on a Shelf brought him Christmas Eve. Spidey named him, cause, well he is funny looking. (DUH!) Hes walking a bit weird. Upon further inspection, seems like funny wanted to see what all the commotion in the bathtub was and fell in. (this is after falling in the toilet yesterday haha). Something tells me he wont be so curious anymore! Once I explained to Spidey why Funny looked funny, we both started cracking up, which in turn created a chain reaction with Diva. Now its 9am and Im laughing!

God has a funny way of telling us not to sweat the small stuff. Today, He did that by making Funny fall into the bathtub (teehee). So I took Monday by the kahunas and ran with them! Both kids bathed: check! Fed: check! Happy: check check! Mommy bathed, fed and happy: check, check and 3/4 check! Okkkkkk check check check! (I couldnt quite shake the giggles after the bathtub incident)

Turns out both kids just have a virus (I really dont like that word, I think its the go-to for ihavenoideawhatswrongwithyourkid). McDonalds for lunch and came home to a gift from a wonderful friend: Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. Starting tonight! (good thing I got my last Mcd's in!) If Im feeling super ambitious Maybe Ill post my before pics (hahaha yea, who am I kidding??). My goal is to lose 30lbs by summer. Lets see if I can do it!

Hope everyone enjoys their Monday! And remember, dont sweat the small stuff, its all small stuff!

Are you ready for some FOOOTTTBBBAAALLLLL?!?!

I am! SuperBowl Sunday is upon us wooohhooo! A day filled with yummy food, great family and good times.

Sorry Ive been slacking. Lots going on in my world, some good some bad, but I got a swift kick in the rear (thanks Uncle Paul!) and here I am! Back at it again. Im going to make myself a goal for writing in here, start small and work my way up. I was so excited to get it going, and now Im slacking already!

Anyway, this last week, as I said, has been insanity. Not one, not two but THREE people I care about were diagnosed with breast cancer. Scary scary. All you prayers out there, please keep them in your thoughts. A good friend of mine that I used to work with passed away in his sleep. He was young, hadnt even started a family yet, and hes gone. It hits home when something like that happens. People are wayyy too quick to throw away years of friendship or even worse family. I know Ive been guilty of it myself. Ive neglected friends for boyfriends that are no longer around. Argued with family for them. And where did it get me? Nowhere.

People seem to quickly forget how important family and friends are. After all, where would you be today without them all? Nowhere. Lifes too short. Stop holding onto grudges. Stop the gossip, stop the hate. Stop the bitterness, and stop the snootiness. Youre no better then the person standing next to you. I have to remind myself that sometimes. I think we all need a reminder sometimes.

If you died tomo, how would you want to be remembered? I know Id like to go with people thinking I was a good person. Genuine and caring. I felt the need to write an extra little note to my friends parents. I told them how kind and generous their son was. How hed give anyone the shirt off his back. Time and time again he did things for me and others that worked with us. I hadnt been in touch with him recently, but I know, if I had, hed be the same Marty I knew and loved. THATS how I want to be remembered. I want people to come to my funeral, and laugh and reminisce about good times we had. About funny things I said and did. And then I want them all to go out and have an ass kicking party.

Love the ones you should. Lifes too short.


In loving memory of Marty Mackin, and the others Ive known and loved who were gone too soon!

Guest Post: Cloth Diapering!

Here is a Guest post from a friend Lindsay.. Id always wanted to try cloth, but never got around to it for one reason or another. Great job Linds! :)


When I discovered that I was pregnant back in February of 2009, I couldn't wait to start planning how things were going to be once the baby arrived. My husband and I had been not trying/not preventing/always hoping to conceive for a couple of years, but the timing was apparently never right (and I didn't know anything about charting my ovulatory cycles or anything like that at the time). As it turns out (and as I've said for years), everything happens for a reason, and we both agreed that when we finally did get pregnant, it was simply when it was supposed to happen!

I knew from the get-go that I wanted to cloth diaper our baby... when he/she turned 6 months old. I didn't want to have to deal with the messy gooey poop that comes with newborns, especially (from what I'd read) exclusively breast-fed newborns! The thought of having to heft a diaper full of seedy, mustardy poop and dunk/swish it in the toilet seemed too gross to me, and I figured that at six months our little one would be eating baby food and depositing solid little nuggets that could easily be discarded.. no muss, no fuss!

Boy, I wish I would have done my research earlier. We used disposable diapers for the first three months. During that time we had a number of blow-outs (poop-splosions) that were so bad that it took two gagging people to clean up. I also started researching facts about disposables vs. cloth diapers, because I was steadily losing patience with the poor fit, gross smell, and cost of disposables. We were spending somewhere around $40 - $60 a month for store-brand diapers and wipes. If you add that up over the course of 3 years (average time you'll use diapers until your little one learns to use the potty), that's between $1,440 and $2,160 (note: those numbers will be higher for parents who buy brand-name diapers).

Here are some things that I learned which ultimately pushed my desire to cloth diaper over to my steadfast devotion to cloth diaper:

1) It has been reported that roughly 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown away and end up in landfills each year. There is some speculation as to how long it takes those disposable diapers to decompose in said landfills, but estimates vary from 450 years to NEVER. Yes, you will be using more water with cloth diapers, which is more energy usage, but in the long run I'd rather use more water to keep my reusable diapers clean than to keep adding more and more poopy plastic to already overcrowded landfills.

2) There are chemicals found in disposable diapers that are a great health concern, and should be seriously taken into consideration when choosing how to diaper your little one(s). Many disposables are a mixture of plastic and bleached paper. The bleaching process that makes disposables nice and white creates Dioxin, which is extremely toxic and is actually the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals according to the EPA. You know how a disposable diaper feels gel-like when it's saturated? That's because of a chemical called sodium polyacrylate. This is the absorbent material in disposable diapers. *A similar substance had been used in super-absorbency tampons until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome by increasing absorbency and improving the environment for the growth of toxin-producing bacteria (Reference: "Whitewash: Exposing the Health and Environmental Dangers of Women's Sanitary Products and Disposable Diapers: What You Can Do About It). Yet another chemical found in disposable diapers is Tributyltin, another highly toxic compound which has caused irreversible damage to marine life, and has negative effects on humans and the environment in general. Tributyltin is commonly used for wood preservation, and in the creation of antifouling (removing plantlife, algae, microorganisms, etc from wetted structures) pesticides. Um.. what???
3) Research has shown that plastic-lined disposable diapers raise the scrotal temperature well above normal body temperature in baby boys, which can completely disable testicular cooling functions. This can lead to infertility, and is thought to be why we are seeing such a spike in male infertility over the past 25 years or so. Cloth diapers are much cooler and allow the skin to breathe. This is one reason why rashes are much less prevalent in cloth diapered babies than disposable diapered babies.

There are many websites and references you can look at that confirms these findings, but here is one regarding the raise in temperature that I found very interesting - and alarming: http://www.nickisdiapers.com/pages/HealthConcerns.php.
Now for the less scary facts:

1) Most cloth diapers - when cared for properly - can last you for years, and even through multiple babies/toddlers. This will save you a TON of money, especially if you plan to have more children, or you can donate them to a friend or family member (or needy community) who is expecting.
2) You don't have to touch poop! Breast-fed poop is water soluble and doesn't have to be removed from a cloth diaper before washing (it's true - I did it all the time before my daughter started solids). For formula-fed babies, and/or for those who can't stand the thought of putting poop in their washing machine, there are diaper sprayers that attach to your toilet to make poo-removal easy and dunk/swish-free!
3) Cloth diapers come in so many different colors, prints, sizes, and squishy-soft fabrics that it's actually fun (and oftentimes addicting) looking for - and buying, of course - new diapers to add to your stash.
All-in-all, cloth diapers are economical, earth-friendly, and so much nicer against your baby's parts than plastics. These are the biggest reasons why we decided to go with cloth, but ultimately the decision has to be one that you are comfortable with. If you're not sure, but would like to try it out, look at websites like www.jilliansdrawers.com or www.kellyscloset.com for trial packages that let you experience a few different types of the most popular cloth diapers on the market. You might be surprised at how much you like it!

Riceball Recipe (thanks Big Craig!)

Ok here (finally!) is the recipe for riceballs. I make these once a week-once every two weeks. They are alot of work, but sooo worth it! Ive actually cut the recipe in half, because the first time I made them it was too many, and you really cant eat more then 1 or 2. The things Ive bolded are my little tweaks on the recipe.

Riceballs
Makes about 20-24 balls (they should be about baseball-ish size)
3 Qts white rice (we’ve found that a great shortcut is to get it from the Chinese restaurant) This part is HUGE! The chinese restuarant rice is sticky already, and super easy to work with.
18 oz. Mozzarella cheese (cut into very small cubes)(another short cut is to use shredded)
about 15 eggs (separate whites from yolks)
1¼ C grated cheese (romano or parm. –romano has more of a bite!)
1½ lb chopmeat
1 8 oz can of peas, drained
1 15oz can sauce (you might need a little less, might need a little more so get an extra small can.)
Seasoned breadcrumbs
Enough vegetable oil to deep-fry
½ t Onion powder (about)
½ t Garlic powder (about) or more to taste


In a pan, brown chopmeat. Drain. Add peas and tomato sauce. This mixture should be wet but not soupy. Cook on low for about 15 minutes stirring gently. Let cool a little…in the mean time…

Put rice in a large bowl. Add the egg yolks, mozzarella, grated cheese, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix well. Use your hands…get them in there and really mush it all around.

This step requires a lot of patience…the rice sticks to everything and sometimes it seems like it will never form a ball…keep at it…you should get it eventually.
Cup a small handful smushed against the inside curve of one hand to make a little bowl. Add about 1 T of the meat mixture (make it as meaty as possible-trust me!) Cover the top with rice completely and gently work it into a ball like you were packing a snowball. Try to keep the filling totally on the inside. Roll the ball in the egg whites and then roll it in breadcrumbs.
Deep fry until golden brown.

Put a little salt on them when they get out of the fryer.

I actually just make them in a frying pan of OO, and just turn them when brown.

Serve with sauce and enjoy!

*NOTE* The first time I made these from start to finish took about 2 hours. Worth it, but time consuming. Im now down to about an hour start to finish. :)

Like my header and buttons?

Special thanks to Raphael over at Just Married With Graphics!

FOr a great price he made my header and buttons for me! Any questions I had, or things I wanted changed (all of them) he did with no problem. They come highly reccomended by me! Check them out today!

http://www.justmarriedwithcoupons.com/2010/10/need-help-with-buttons-posters-and.html

(I love that whole site, so while youre there, check it all out!)

Dinner = FAIL! (and some good recipes too :) )

So I found a recepe that sounded delish. I decided last night to make it. Well, in my own little beginner cooking world, I forgot that there is in fact rice thats NOT minute rice. The recipe went something like this (the baby is sleeping where the cookbook is):

Brown 3/4 lb ground beef in a pan with a half of an onion, minced. ( I used a whole small onion). In an 8x8 casserole dish, put 3c water with 1c rice (duh, NOT minute rice haha), 1 can of diced tomatoes with juices, 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp each of dried italian seasoning and garlic, salt, pepper and the meat and onion mix. Cover with aluminum foil and put in oven for 1 hour at 350. Take out, sprinkle with chedder cheese and return for about 10 minutes (or until melted).

Sounds good right? I figured, what could be bad about that? Well while making it, it seemed like a bit much liquid, because whenever I make rice (minute rice that is, who has time for regular rice?) its always equal parts water and rice. It came out GROSS! Mushy and BLAND. I called my mom (AKA Betty Crocker) and explained to her. She then pointed out there WAS in fact something other then Minute Rice and thats where I went wrong. Who knew??

The best part of the meal was the fresh spinach. I just take some OO and sautee minced garlic in it. Then I throw the fresh spinach in the pan and sautee. Word to the wise, also something I learned along the way: fresh spinach shrinks down ALOT. I bought a bag one time thinking it would be plenty. I think we all ended up with like 2 forkfuls. (oops!) But hey, Im still learning!

I do have some tried and true recipes to post today. Ive been so crazy busy the last week or so with doctor appts, bringing Jay back and forth to work and Spidey going to school. We have been getting SLAMMED with snow this winter already and were getting ANOTHER 3-5 inches tonight. Cant wait til summer! Anyway, keep an eye out later today and dont forget to pass my blog along!

PS- The cookbook I got that recipe from was "The 5 dollar dinner mom cookbook" HIGHLY reccomended. In fact, I plan on posting a review of it in the near future. But when I looked on her site for the actual recipe, it was COMPLETELY different then the book! Here is that version: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2009/03/rice-meat-casserole.html

Review: Sally Hansen Insta Dry

I love having my nails done. I dont however, love how often I have to get them fixed because of chips. So I bought a bunch of nailpolish. My kidlets, however, dont like when mommy doesnt pay attention to them. All of this was resolved by Sally Hansen!

From the website:
Insta-Dri
Fast Dry Nail Color

One Stroke! One Coat! Done!

One-stroke application.
One-coat coverage.
Dries in 60 seconds!
Perfectionist BrushTM delivers a fast, flawless application that dries to a shiny finish in 60 seconds.
Available in 32 irresistible shades!
Toluene, DBP, and Formaldehyde free.
Special Ingredients:
Exclusive formula with FlexiglassTM Complex for Strength and Brilliant Shine.

Comes in THIRTY TWO colors! And I can say it DOES dry SUPER fast. HIGHLY reccomended :) Get me to 25 followers, and I will give away a Sally Hansen Insta Dry color of my choice and Insta Dry topcoat!



~I was not paid or given any incentive to post this review, its my own personal opinion!~

Just Married With Coupons Guest post!

Here is the "5 Minutes for Me" post I told you about! Go check it out :)


www.justmarriedwithcoupons.com/2011/01/five-minutes-for-me-simple-ideas-to-de.html



<a border="0" href="http://www.justmarriedwithcoupons.com/2011/01/five-minutes-for-me-event.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5430/guestbutton125x125hotpi.png" /></a>

Guest Post: Prematurity Awareness!

Rachel over at Rachel's Giveaways http://rachelsgiveaways.blogspot.com wrote this guest post. Prematurity is near and dear to my heart, as both of my babies were born early and with complications! Thanks Rachel, for all you do to save babies like mine!

Most people can only imagine what it's like to care for a 1 pound baby whose eyes are still fused shut and requires life support, but that's part of my day to day job as a neonatal nurse.  I work in a busy Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and we mainly care for premature babies or babies with congenital defects.  We will attempt to resuscitate and care for babies who arrive as early as 23 weeks gestational age - so they are born about 4 months early!

Imagine being an expectant mother and thinking you still have months to plan and prepare, and all of the sudden you are having an emergency C-section to deliver a very critical baby! November was Prematurity Awareness Month, and I have been posting various ways that people can help this cause.  Why should we care? One in eight babies in the U.S. is born premature, and despite having access to excellent technology and medical staff, the U.S. has received a "D" grade for premature births! A premature birth is risky for the infant and can place great emotional and financial strain on families. 

There are many ways to help this cause, but today I'm focusing on a quick and easy way you can help babies who are already patients in a NICU.  If you have some old baby clothes or items laying around, please consider donating them to your local NICU! 

Some of these babies have families who rarely visit them or they are going into foster care once they are healthy enough for discharge.  That means they don't have their own clothes or developmental toys or swings.  Luckily we have people who donate so we can give the baby personal clothing and they can have mobiles, soothing noise machines, etc.  We also  have volunteers who knit lovely blankets and hats for our babies, so it's a great way to put your creative talents to use for a worthy cause.

Any type of clothing, hats, or toys are great, but here is what is especially helpful:

- clothing that snaps completely open (so we can take clothing on/off without disconnecting IV lines)

- mobiles

- swings

- vibrating/bouncy chairs

- blankets so we can personalize their bedspace







The swings and chairs are a godsend for our babies who are withdrawing from prenatal drug exposure.  These babies are understandably very irritable and uncomfortable and the rhythmic motion of the swing is calming to them.  If these babies aren't happy, then no one on the unit is happy since it's just one big open room and once awake, they will cry continuously until someone can pacify them!

If you would like to donate some items, all you need to do is call your local NICU and I'm sure they'd be happy to receive your gently used donations.

To learn more about ways you can help, you can check out the other posts in my Prematurity Awareness Series.

Im guest posting...

Over at www.justmarriedwithcoupons.com :) Ill be doing a guest post on her "5 minutes for me" event, where I will post how I take 5 minutes for me :)

The event reads:

Welcome to our "Five Minutes For Me" focusing on taking time for YOU in 2011. After the hectic Holiday Season, its time for all all to re-focus. Maybe you have set some New Year's resolutions for yourself or just want to unwind from the hustle and bustle. We will be featuring product reviews, giveaways and guest posts on Health, Wellness and Beauty. We will be keeping this post up to date with links to all of the activities for you!

Check out the event and her blog!



This past week was a little busy, Diva had some shots and is still a bit off. Cant wait til shes back to normal! Ok off to write my guest post, Ill link you all when I am done!

Days 9 & 10

Day 9: Enjoy the people around you. Take a moment to appreciate their unique talents, abilities and personalities.

Day 10: Pick one of your five senses to focus on each day. Take note of how many gifts come to you via that single port of entry. Write about this experience.

Today I am going to focus on my hearing. I love hearing Diva's laugh when Spidey acts goofy. Or when Spidey tells me he loves me. Hearing them talk, or laugh is what makes my heart whole. Days when I feel like I cant handle something, or days that I struggle to get through the day, I just think of my beautiful babies. and they make it all ok <3

Day 8

Send thank you notes to five people who deserve a little recognition.

Im not going to post who I am sending these to, because some of them read my blog :) But even if you DONT get one from me, know that I am grateful for each and every person in my life. You all made/make me who I am today!

Day 7

Take a picture of one thing, person, place or specific moment that makes you feel grateful. Share it with your social network.

I did this, but I will have to come back to post.. my computer has been acting up thanks to Spidey! But, the picture I took is of my family. Hubs, Spidey and Diva. I couldnt be more grateful for them in my life. I get love, support, and a little bit of craziness haha.

Days 5 & 6

Day 5:Take five minutes to write about how grateful you are for all of the wonderful things that you currently have in your life. Don’t long for what you don’t possess—instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy.

I kind of did this yesterday (well 2 days ago, but it was for day 4 haha). I am grateful for my wonderful family and friends, and all of the blessings in my life.


Day 6: Take a few minutes to call someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Tell them how much you appreciate them.

Its a little late for this, but I plan on doing it tomo (its 1130pm). Ill call or go visit GG. Timing is perfect cause its what would have been her and my Grandfathers wedding anniversary. I love hearing stories about my Grandfather. Although I do remember him, I was only 5ish when he passed. So hearing stories about him is always nice. Hopefully we dont get TOO much snow tomo, but if we do, it is what it is! Night guys :)

Catching up...

Gratitude Challenge days 3 & 4...

Didnt get on much yesterday so I have to catch up! :)

Day 3: Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.

Today I am grateful for my friends and family. They stand by me through thick and thin and regardless of the choices I make, they never judge me. Today I got to hang out with one of my bffs Nicole. Love that girl! Shes like my other sister, I swear. No matter how often we get together, we always have such a great time. My family, I can call anytime day or night, and they will do anything they can for me. Im very lucky to have them all! (even the crazy ones! haha)

Day 4: Write a short message of thanks for some of the “negative” things in your life.

Im going to kind of cheat on this one, cause my answer is very similar to the last time.

I am grateful for the arguments Jay and I have. It has made us so much stronger as a couple over the years. I know no matter what, we love each other and that our fights are just tests of that. We always get through it and we always stick by each other, through all of our faults, because we love each other. You cant ask for any more then that! I am also grateful for spideys yammering. The kid does NOT SHUT UP! lol. He talks from the second he gets up til the second he goes to sleep and then even in his sleep sometimes! haha. It drives me crazy, but I am lucky. I will tell you why in just a second. Also, he loves his sister TOO much sometimes. Always in her face, always talking to her, always getting on her nerves. Which leads me to the Diva. Her sleeping patterns of a newborn still. STILL getting up 3+ times a night. STILL not napping. This mama is TIRED!

But I realize that I am lucky. I am lucky that my children talk. That they cry, that they BREATHE. So many mothers and fathers long for those simple things from their children. And I am lucky enough to have them. I tend to forget that when I am trying to talk to Jay or watch something and Spidey is making lots of noise (usually trying to make his sister laugh!). I yell at him, and then, almost immediately, remember that I should be grateful for his craziness. So I need to be. I need to appreciate the crying, the yelling and all the inbetweens. Cause at the end of the day, when that little boy tells me he loves me, or that little princess gives me a big gummy smile, this life is REALLY worth it. And how can I not be grateful for that?

Resolutions

So every year we all make up our "resolutions" for the year. Whether its to eat better and get fit, quit smoking, be more organized or save money most of us start the year off with at least one (or if youre like me, multiple!). But how many of us actually follow through with those resolutions? I know I usually dont. This year I thought (like many past years haha) "Ill really do it this year, Im gonna kick ass!"

The problem is is we get wrapped up in work, school, familytime, etc etc an either forget or give up on those resolutions. Well this year, to try and motivate me to keep them, I thought Id set small goals, and then reward myself at the completion of each. Whether it be a manicure, pedicure, night out with the hubby or friends, something to make me want to accomplish my goal moreso then before. What are everyones resolutions? Here are some of mine..

1-Lose 30 lbs by Jalyns birthday (6-14)
2-Get to church at least once a week
3-Say at least one nice thing to Jay a day. Its not always easy, but trust me when I say that even just one nice thing said to someone, can change their entire way of thinking that day.
4-Save money, pay off debts.
5-Find a job
6-Get more organized
7-Spend more time with family


I have more written on a list, but Im pooped out from playing "Just Dance 2" on the wii all night. Id love if you linked me to YOUR resolutions this year!

Gratitude Challenge day 2

Use the alphabet as a fun and quick format for making a list of things for which you feel grateful. Share this list with your social network through email, a blog post or a Facebook or MySpace page.

I remember doing this one last time, and it was a bit difficult. Hopefully I have better luck this time :)

A- Aaron, Autumn. Amazon.com (haha)
B- Being a mommy, blogging, bedtime, baking, Blackberry Sangria! mmmm
C- Chapstick, cooking, clean laundry and house, Christmas time!
D- Days with family, dad
E- Energy to play with/chase after the kidlets
F- Faith, Family, Facebook, Friends, Food
G- God (without him we'd be nowhere) Groups, cause Ive met some of my very best friends there :),giggling
H- Home. Whether its my parents or mine.
I- The Internet (lol) Im a dork I know! Ice Cream
J- Jay, Jaylyn
K- Kristin- thats me!
L- Laughter (esp the kidlets), Love, Life, the Library (I love to read!)
M- Movie nights, Motherhood, Marriage
N- New friends, Neighbors (love them, even naked santa! haha)
O- Old friends
P- Parents, both mine and Jays, Photography, Photos of family no longer around
Q- Quiet time. Thought few and far between lol
R- Reading, rice balls (Im fat I know haha)
S- Sleep. Oh how I miss thee!
T- True Friends, TWILIGHT! Taco Bell
U- Undisturbed time, understanding from the people who love me
V- Vacation - when we get them!
W- Wine! White Zinfendel!
X- Xmas (a bit of a cheat but X is hard!)
Y- You, for reading my blog :)
Z- Zebra's, specifically Marty from Madagasgar, ziploc bags (totally serious on that one too, they are a great invention!

Whats YOUR list of things youre grateful for?

The Gratitude Challenge!

Ever hear of The Gratitude Challenge? I did it on my old blog, but I figured with the new year, why not give it another shot?! read about it here:

With a hopeful outlook, I, Kristin, promise to fulfill the terms
of The Gratitude Challenge. Over the next 21 days, I pledge to complete the
activities on my gratitude calendar, including writing journal entries, taking
photos and connecting with friends. I promise to take note of life’s little blessings
and to give thanks for the relationships, experiences and opportunities that make
my life unique. From this day forward, I commit to living on the brighter side of life.

Signed, Kristin! :)

Day One: Today you start The Gratitude Challenge. Sign the contract and make a commitment to take note and give thanks for the next 21 days. Express why you accepted this challenge and what you hope to achieve from it.

I accepted this challenge because as I said in my earlier post, life is too short to live with regrets. One of this years resolutions is to be more grateful for the people and things in my life. And more importantly, start showing it!

2011!

Well first off, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Im sad to see 2010 go, but more excited then ever for a New Year! And as a great friend of mine said, 1/1/11 is like a reset button, total fresh start! Our year ended with a bang with a lot happening this last week. I got a call about a job in the city that would be a GREAT oppurtunity for us. I went for an interview on Thursday and I am really hoping to hear back from them this week. It would really help us get back on our feet and start saving! So any good thoughts/prayers are MUCH appreciated :)

2010 brought us alot of heartache, we lost some dear friends and family and it was the year of health issues for both our immediate and extended family. It went from hubs gallbladder in Feb, then back in the hospital for pancreatitis, bedrest for me, to Diva coming almost a month early with a NICU stay, to my gallbladder and subsequent hospitalization for pancreatitis, back to Diva in the hospital for a week and then me being laid off! And thats just with the four of us! However, 2010 was also filled with lots of blessings. Diva WAS born, and healthy at that. My little nephew was born, all 8lbs 11oz of him! I got to spend lots of time with Spidey and Diva because of that bedrest and job loss, and although it made for some tough times financially, I wouldnt trade it for the world. And we had the greatest Christmas weve ever had since Jay and I met. Weve grown tremendously as a couple, especially over the last month, and for that I say we are TRULY blessed!

Today marks 7 years since my Grammy died. She was such a wonderful woman, and I wish that both Jay and the kidlets were able to meet her. I wish that I wasnt so "busy" all those years she was around, and that I spent more time with her. I know that her, Titi, Grandpa, Vinnie, Uncle Mike and all of our other lost loved ones are walking beside us in our journey. Happy Anniversary in Heaven Grammy!

Last night we were able to spend some time with my other (and between Jay and I our only living) Gram. The kids had a great time and so did we. Good food and great company.

Its funny, growing up, I used to hate that my dad would always make us stay home New Years. I thought it was so dumb. Yet, now that I have my own kidlets, I see his reasoning behind it. You dont know how many more "New Years" youll have with the ones you love. How many times have you told yourself, "Ill call so-and-so tommorow, or Ill visit whats-her-name next week"? Dozens? Hundreds? Well let me tell you, life doesnt always give us tommorow, or next week. How would you feel if tommorow or next week when you called or visited it was too late? Yes, sopmeone might be young and healthy, does that mean their life is infinite? Nope. Ive know way too many that have died too young. So start living like your dying! I know thats my top resolution this year!

Happy New year! May it bring you health, happiness, and if theres still room some wealth :)