I was thrilled with the book to say the least, and here is my review

What’s In This Book And How Can It Help You

30 Days to an Organized Home is the easiest get organized book I have read, and I read a lot of them. There is nothing fancy here, just plain old common sense tasks that will quickly get your house organized in…well, 30 Days…OR LESS!

Here are some of the reasons why this book will be of great help to you, the person who needs to organize her home:

Sections: The cleaning is broken down by rooms, with some rooms taking longer than others. Time depends on your home and how much chaos you have. If you don’t have a garage, you can go shopping for cubbies instead (I added that part). I don’t have a garage, so that is what I would do.

Easy: The tasks for each room are easy. It’s just simple things like dumping out a drawer and throwing away what is junk and keeping the rest. The book then tells you how to organize what you have left.

Fast: Every room’s cleaning schedule is fast. There is only one room that may take more than one day…still, that would be the hardest room of the whole thirty-day schedule.

Bonuses: Tracy not only gives you the super-simple blueprint to get your house cleaned and organized, but she also helps you get your hectic life in order. The bonuses alone are worth more than the price of this book. Financial forms, check book forms, baby sitter lists, emergency lists, budgeting…there is just too much to list here. You will use this stuff, trust me. There is even a bonus gift on about homemade cleaning supplies…I’ve made three recipes out of it already!

30 Days to an Organized Home is an eBook that we all need and can really put to use. It’s suitable for younger moms, older moms…even your grandmother. This could even be a nice, simple gift for a birthday, wedding or Mother’s Day.

I love the book and I am thrilled that I was given the opportunity to review it. I didn’t spill the beans about the information contained in the book, but you can rest assured that it will help you get organized in 30 Days, and the bonuses are worth every penny you will spend and more.

You can go here to 30 Days to an Organized Home  to get the details on what each chapter contains, and about the bonuses.

I give 30 Days to an Organized Home The Busy Moms thumbs up!

I was given this product for free in order to evaluate it. That is the only way I was compensated. The review is my honest opinion.

If you are one of those families being hit hard by the economic downturn, then saving money might seems difficult, but it’s not impossible. Here are some money saving ideas to help you budget during hard times.

Create a budget – The most important thing when it comes to creating a budget is to prioritize your bills. Always pay the most important bills first, like rent, mortgage, and utilities. If you need your car, then add that along with your car insurance. Make sure you pencil in your grocery money as well.

Ask your utility company for a break – Many utility companies have special programs for lower income families. One program is where they estimate your yearly bill and divide it into 12 month payments. This makes it easier on you especially during the winter months.

Lower your energy costs – Setting the heater to 69 degrees, wearing warmer clothes and using extra blankets can help lower your heating bill in the winter. Limit your air conditioner use during the summer months. Switching to CFL light bulbs will also help you save money on the electric bill.

Cook at home – Eating out can really take a chunk out of your monthly income. Fix meals at home and when you grocery shop, use coupons and buy in bulk. Purchase items from the mark down bins, including meats. Perishable items that are marked down can be frozen until you are ready to use them. Eat leftovers for breakfast and lunch to save even more dollars.

Take your lunch – If you take your lunch to work instead of eating out, you could save anywhere from 20 to 30 per week.

Sell some junk – If you have items in your home that are just laying around, have a yard sale to earn some extra money. You get a clutter free home and some money stashed away for a rainy day.

Get free entertainment – Use your local library for books and movies. You can get many of the top movies to check out for 3 to 7 days. Stop paying the gym a small fortune to work out. Find ways that you and your family can get exercise. Walking is a wonderful way to stay in shape and it’s free.

With our money saving ideas, your goal is to make ends meet every month, so you have to save whenever and wherever you can. It will probably not be forever. You may someday get your gym membership back, but for the time being, pinch pennies whenever possible, that way you and your family can get through the hard economic times and look forward to better days.

Find Out How To Cut Your Grocery Budget In Half

Guest post by Krisca Te.

There is a reason why pregnancy takes so long, aside from creating a human being from one divided cell. The reason it takes so long is to help us in getting used to the idea of another person in our lives and maybe slowly change our lifestyle, to accommodate the newcomer. A period that is lovingly called “nesting”.

Just like the birds, preparing the nest before they lay their eggs, we humans want to create a healthy environment for our growing family. Preparing the house for the arrival of the baby, preparing the nursery and thinking ahead will ensure that you can provide the best and healthiest environment for your baby.

A healthy home environment doesn’t mean the baby’s room has to be perfect. Truth be told, babies don’t need much in the first few months of their lives that a crib, a diaper and the mother cannot provide. So baby merchandise, as adorable and tempting as they are, should not be your first priority. Taking care of yourself and creating a healthy home, ready for the baby’s arrival, is.

If you decided to dedicate a room for the baby, have a nursery, do it as early in the pregnancy as you can, usually in the beginning of the second trimester. This will enable you to ventilate the room thoroughly from any unpleasant smell and harmful fumes that will emit from the paint. Please don’t do the painting by yourself even if you’ve done that in the past. Your health and healthy environment are very important in having a healthy baby.

The cleaning materials that you are using (or having the cleaning lady use) should be as natural and non-toxic as possible. Try to use regular white vinegar instead of harsh chemicals like ammonia or bleach. Baking soda and lemon are also a good substitute for harsh cleansers.

The air in the house is important as well. When you dust, do it with wet cloth or a product that traps the dust instead of redistributing it into the air. An air purifier is good to use a few weeks before the baby’s arrival.

Use natural fibers for the baby’s bedding and clothing. They breathe best and allow air to pass. Man-made materials, even though they may feel soft and plush, are not as good.

Purchase toys that are made of natural fibers like wood instead of plastic. Read labels to see where these products come from. Don’t forget that the products of some countries are not closely regulated. In the first year of his/her life the baby will touch everything and put everything inside the mouth. When teething starts, babies tend to bite into toys to sooth their gums. All the toys you use will be tasted. It is very important they do not contain lead content. Look for low or zero VOC in the products.

Use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers which are not bio degradable. Use a gentle washing liquid to wash the diapers. In the old days they would iron the cloth diapers, not only for them to be smooth and wrinkle free, but to kill any virus and bacteria that are contained in the diaper. The combination of washing and ironing ensures a clean and sanitary diaper.

Creating a healthy environment for a growing family does not have to be expensive. Granted, some of the wood toys that are carefully inspected might cost more than plastic toys made in China, but bear in mind that your baby doesn’t need many toys in the first stages of life. The most important elements you need for the growing family is a good crib and a good changing table. Most importantly, the baby will need you to be healthy and nurturing.

Krisca Te works with Open Colleges, Australia’s leading provider of TAFE courses equivalent and nutrition courses. When not working, you can find her actively participating in local dog show events – in support of her husband.

Gifts don’t need to be expensive to be special. Even simple presents can be fabulous as long as you are sincere and the thoughtfulness is there. Before you start shopping, you might want to ask around for clues as to what the recipient might want.

Flowers are always a huge hit. Your area should have at least one delivery service store or make it really easy on yourself and order flowers online. If you want to give a gift that is longer lasting, why not choose a plant. Plants are a wonderful gift idea because they can be placed in the home or at the office for the receiver’s enjoyment.

Do it yourself gift baskets are also thoughtful birthday presents. Gift baskets can be filled with almost anything. There are online stores that specialize in this type of gift. Candy is another gift that is simple but elegant; give sweets alone or with the flowers and gift baskets as well.

Specialty candles are a great gift for the candle lovers in your life. Candles now come in many different styles and scents. Jar candles and small votive candles are both popular right now. I recommend The Candleberry Co. if you want to give candles that smell heavenly and last for what seems like forever. They have a huge selection of scents from Apple Brown Betty to Violet Mimosa.

Team jerseys and sports memorabilia are quick and easy gifts for the sports fan. Ordering items online is easy to do at places like FansEdge.com and FinishLine.com. Sport sites have endless possibilities for birthday gifts for just about anyone.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. The best rule of thumb when purchasing a gift for another person is to ask yourself if you would like getting this gift. You more than likely have something in common with the person who is having the birthday so if you would like to get this gift yourself; odds are the person you are buying it for will love it as well. Don’t waste another minute. Get online and find that gift you can be proud of.

Click Here for More Wine Charms!

Weddings

Wine charms have become popular in recent years, and they are a highly sought after decorations for wedding tables everywhere. These charms are not just for weddings though, and can be found in many different themes. Often times you can find sets of wine charms for around the $10 figure or you can have them hand made and spend thousands. It just all depends on the occasion and your budget.

If you are looking to purchase a simple yet elegant gift, then personalized wine charms might be a good choice. You can get them in themes for golfers or flowers for the gardener. You can even get a tropical beach wear and in a sea shore theme for the beach dwellers in your life. They can be as simple as beads, or as extravagant as gems on sterling silver or gold rings. This is one gift that you can really add a personal touch to.

Make Homemade Charms

If you are artistic in any way shape or form, you can make them yourself. All you need to create wine charms is hoop earring wires and a pair of jewelry pliers. You can get both of these items at any store that sells crafts.

To make the charms, use the jewelry pliers to bend the end that has the small loop so that it is straight. String you beads and charms onto the hoop earring. When you are finished, use pliers to bend the end into a loop again. To use the wind charm, pull the hoop earring apart gently and wrap it around the base of the stem on the glass. Attach the hook to the loop just like you would if you were wearing pierced earrings. That’s it. Simple as can be.

The fun part of designing your own wine charms is picking what goes on them. If you have ever been in a crafting store you will know that there are so many cool things you can buy to put on your charms. Beaded wine charms in wood, glass and metal. Baby shower wine charms in the shape of animals or the alphabet. You can even buy packages of theme based charms. You should be able to find just the right theme without any problems.

Wine charms are a thoughtful gift for a wedding shower or any occasion. They can be beautiful and stylish whether you choose to make them yourself or purchase them. If you want to be an awesome host or hostess, let the guests take their unique wine charm home as gift. It will be a wonderful keepsake memory for them.

The food pyramid guide is not a bad place to start, I believe you can find it at MyPlate.gov. You can’t put every item from the pyramid in your child’s lunch, and not every child will eat the full amount of servings. A good rule of thumb would be to have your child eat at least the minimum amount of servings.

Milk and Dairy—2 to 3 servings
Meat Group—2 to 3 servings
Vegetables—3 to 5 servings
Fruits—2 to 4 servings
Grains—6 to 11 servings
Oils and sweets sparingly

Your child may be willing to eat their brown bag lunch if they can help with choosing and preparing their foods. Let them choose a favorite item like cookies, cake or a cupcake. If you child gets a sweet treat for lunch, then try and make that the only sugar they have for the day. For older kids, budget in a snack from the vending machines or maybe a yummy item from the lunch line at school a few times a month.

It would be ideal to eliminate sweets and processed foods from your child’s diet, but that is not always feasible. If you can get your child to eat most of the suggestions on the food pyramid everyday, then you are well on your way to a healthier child. Just remember that healthy lunch choices for kids are out there, you just need to spend a little time and thought on what those choices should be.

My daughter goes to the Tween Club activity night at our local library. The library is having a food art contest where the kids make things using food. So in honor of that, my daughter’s Tween Club made these cool candies that looked like sushi. I thought I would share the recipe with my readers. The instructions are long, but the kids made these in less than an hour. I only have a picture or the “nigiri”, the rest was eaten by ravenous kids.

Nigiri Candy Sushi

Sushi Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal
20 gummy worms
2 boxes green-colored Fruit Roll-Ups
30 fish-shaped gummy candies

Preparation and Making About An Hour:

1. Prepare a 12×17 baking sheet by lining it with waxed paper and spraying the paper with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until melted, about 45 seconds.

3. Add 3 cups of miniature marshmallows to the bowl, and microwave until the marshmallows are completely melted, about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir the mixture until it is completely smooth.

4. Add 3 cups of rice cereal and stir until completely coated. Immediately pour mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray, and begin to press the candy into the sheet in a thin layer. Begin working from the edge of the shorter side of the sheet. The mixture will only cover approximately half of the baking sheet.

5. With the short side of the baking sheet nearest you, place a pair of gummy worms an inch from the edge. Place another pair directly below, and repeat until you have a line of worms stretching across the baking sheet.

6. Using the waxed paper to help you, roll the cereal mixture around the gummy worms, pressing firmly to make a tight roll. Take a large sharp knife and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture. Place it off to the side, and repeat the worms/rolling/cutting procedure for the remainder of the cereal.

7. Slice the logs into 1-inch rounds. Wrap each round in a strip of green-colored fruit roll-Ups.

8. To make the fish-topped “nigriri”, repeat the steps 1-4 to make the rice candy base, bug do not press the mixture as thinly. It should be about ¾ inch thick once pressed into the baking sheet.

9. Cut the candy into rectangles about ¾ inch by 1.5 inches. Place a candy fish on top of each rectangle, and wrap a ½-inch strip of green Fruit Roll-Up around the entire package.

10. For the finishing touch, decorate your sushi platter to look more authentic. Suggestions include substituting chocolate sauce for the soy sauce, green-tinted whipped cream (or melted white chocolate) for wasabi, and thinly sliced pink fish for pickled ginger.

These candies are best eaten the day they are made, as the fruit wrapping gets sticky if left overnight. Alternately, you can prepare them up until the final step, and wrap them once you are ready to eat them.

This recipe was given to us by the Natrona County Library.

Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer

Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer is an awesome way to juice for energy. In today’s busy world of business and moms having very little time to think about health, having the energy to keep going on a daily basis is essential to being successful in life. People that are overweight and tired are going to be lacking the energy every single day and it is for these people that life can become a drag very quickly.

While no single thing will help you completely overcome those problems, there are certain things that will punch big holes in them and the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer is one of those things. This juicer will allow you to get amazing squeezed juice from different fruits as you please in a very quick time that will ensure that you put healthy things in your body on a daily basis.

Easy to Use – Quick Clean Up

The juicer, in addition to being very quick and very easy to use, at the same time is also very easy to clean up. Parts of it come off so that you do not have to struggle with potentially dangerous cleaning around blades that could go off at any moment. It can become a very easy part of your morning routine to make yourself some juice, clean the juicer, drink the juice and be off to work with a very positive start to your day each and every day.

The juicer is even dishwasher safe so that you can clean it in that way if you do not want to go to the trouble of hand cleaning it by yourself each morning and happen to have a dishwasher in your house.

Technical Stuff If You Care

The juicer itself is also very powerful and boasts a ¼ HP motor that is capable of 250 W of power. This is an absolutely powerful amount for a simple hand machine to have and that is one of the reasons why the juicer is able to perform as well as it does. It generates juice for you through the use of 3600 revolutions per minute and the extra large feed tube allows the juicer to accommodate the extra power and juicing ability that this instrument definitely has.

Centrifugal force is used to the most extreme with this juicer and other accessories such as an automatic pulp ejection system serves to ensure that the juice you get is tasty, delicious and nutritious. Because of all of this extra power in addition to extra extraction ability, the power juicer is able to work faster than other juicers, work cheaper than other juicers in terms of energy costs and provide up to 30% more juice than other juicers; the technological innovation attached to this instrument is one of a kind.

Affordable

The Jack Lalanne Power Juicer really does seem to have it all as far as juicers are concerned. Amazon has the juicer at various prices that are affordable for almost everyone. Not only are you going to be able to save money that you would normally spend on juice boxes and cartons from the grocery store, but the juice that you get is simply going to be so much better with the power juicer. With all of this taken into consideration, that price is an absolute steal for what you get. If you want to juice for energy, then this is the product for you.

1. Baby showers are usually held a month or so before the baby is due, but it is becoming a common practice to have the shower after the baby is here so the guests know exactly who they are buying for. If you can’t decide, then ask the mommy to be what she would like.

2. Showers are usually held for first time moms, but it is not improper to have one for a second or subsequent children. All babies are special and need to be welcomed into the world with a celebration!

3. Baby showers are for giving gifts for the new baby. If you don’t know what the baby’s gender is going to be, then get gifts in neutral colors. You can even spring for gift certificates at a posh baby shop so the mom can pick out what she wants. Diapers, wipes, baby bottles, toys, blankets and bibs can all be purchased in pretty generic form.

4. Baby shower games are the highlight of the party. Food and drinks should also be served. You may want to take a little extra effort and serve a small luncheon or even a brunch. Ask others to help you, because serving full course meals is a hard job. Offer a baby themed cake and ice cream for dessert!

5. It would be a nice memento for the mommy-to-be if you had a guestbook so that everyone can sign it and leave a special message. This is an item that will be cherished for a lifetime.

6. You don’t have to have formal invitations sent out, you can purchase very nice baby shower invitations from any stationery or greeting card store. Tiny Prints has a wonderful selection of cards at great prices. Make sure you have people RSVP. Another nice touch would be to print out copies of the directions using an online map program. This wouldn’t be necessary if everyone is familiar with where the event is being held.

Having a baby shower does not need to be stressful. It can be a simple gathering or a lavish affair. As long as family and friends are there, it will be a time the mommy-to-be will cherish forever.

Jar Baby Food Stages

When it is time to feed your baby solid foods you will notice that the store shelves contain stages of baby foods. The first thing most babies get is cereal. Baby’s first cereal is usually a single grain variety that you add formula or breast milk to. Adding one food at a time reduces the risk of your baby forming allergies.

Once you get your baby used to the cereal phase, you then move on to strained or pureed foods. First fruits and vegetables are pureed down into a substance that does not need to be chewed. Babies who don’t have teeth wouldn’t be able to eat otherwise.

You can next move on to stage two foods which comes pureed but is thicker in consistency. This stage usually adds meats mixed with the vegetable and the fruits can come in mixed varieties as well. Now baby is starting to get a mix of different tastes and textures which will help them enjoy many different table foods in the future.

Stage three is pureed food with soft chunks in it. Vegetables, rice, pasta and a variety of meats will be mixed together to make “dinners”. This stage helps babies learn to chew and swallow foods. Stage three regular jar foods are for babies on the verge of their first birthdays.

Organic vs. Regular Baby Foods

Stages will be the same no matter if it’s organic or regular; it’s what is in the jar and how it got there that will make the difference to some parents. Organic foods are naturally grown on farms that meet the high quality standards set by the USDA. Fruits and vegetables are grown without pesticides and animals are raised on natural diets free of steroids or antibiotics.

Much has been said about the way regular baby foods are processed and where the ingredients actually come from. We can’t be big brother and monitor baby food processing plants, so parents just have to trust that what they are feeding their baby is what is says it is and that it is made with the best quality ingredients (like the labels suggest).

Organic baby foods are processed just like regular baby foods, but we can rest assure that the ingredients come from a higher standard of foods. Organic baby foods can really put a dent in your grocery bill because they are higher priced than the regular baby foods; so this a huge stumbling block for many families.

Homemade Baby Foods

If you really want high quality baby foods at every stage for your baby, then you should make your own with ingredients that you choose. If you look at the label of some jars of baby food, you will see that the main ingredients are usually “filler” foods like starches. When you make your own, your baby gets the real food usually with a little water, juice or milk added to thin it to the right constancy.

When you make your own baby food, you get to choose what foods your baby eats and they are whole foods to boot. Another plus side is your baby will also get the taste of real food, and that could mean healthier eating habits in the future.

If you do want to make your own baby food, the Baby Bullet Complete Baby Care System is one of the most popular machines out there. It’s simple to use and it even comes with the containers to store your fresh made purees.

If you need recipes, you might want to get this book: Top 100 Baby Purees: 100 Quick and Easy Meals for a Healthy and Happy Baby this will help you put together healthy homemade purees for your baby.

Organic foods can now be found everywhere. But chances are that at some point, your baby will eat foods that are not organic, so you have to decide if it is worth the expense or the time it would take to make your own. Babies have thrived for years and years on regular jar baby foods. It must be a personal choice as to whether you want to go organic or to make your own baby food.