My Life as Mom and Wife

In the Belly! Week 40 & He's Here!

2012-05-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

We have a new arrival!

This week we hit 40 weeks and welcomed Baby Brother!

At 6:30pm on May 16th my water broke suddenly. My husband was at the store and after weeks of waiting I was a little in shock. I called the husband, he dropped his items and left the store. We grabbed everything, packed up Big Sister and headed for the hospital.

Contractions started immediately after my water broke. After 9 hour, 45 minutes of labor, at 4:12am, May 17th, Baby Brother Grayson entered the world. I had the perfect, peaceful and natural labor and delivery that I wanted.

Baby Brother measured in at 7 pounds 3 ounces and 20 inches long. He is perfect, beautiful and such a happy baby. He took instantly to breastfeeding and has been nursing around the clock.

We are all living in a daze right now. A combination of sleep deprivation and bliss with the arrival of our new baby.

Big Sister is especially excited. She says, "we baby so toot!"

And cute he is...

We are so happy to have Baby Brother here! He is a quiet, calm baby and we all cannot stop staring at him. We are in love!

My Shopping Cart: A Week in Review

2012-05-23T00:37:00.001-06:00

Albertsons...Retail: $41.75 Paid: $10.47, 75% savings

This weeks shopping consisted of restocking my peanut butter supply.

Having a 3 year old peanut butter lover means PB & J is always on the menu not to mention all the other yummy things that can be paired with and made with peanut butter (peanut butter chicken nuggets anyone?).

BBQ Bacon Meatballs

2012-05-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a twist on meatballs to please any BBQ sauce lover!

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground Beef
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup milk
1 Egg
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
1/2 Cup Crumbled Bacon

Sauce Ingredients:
BBQ sauce
water
Worcestershire Sauce
Butter

Step 1:
Mix all the ingredients together.

Step 2:
Roll mix into balls and place on a baking sheet. Bonus if you can get a toddler to help!

Step 3:
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.
Heat half a bottle of BBQ sauce in a sauce pan with a very small amount of water to thin sauce. Add a couple of drops of Worcestershire sauce and a dollop of butter. Stir constantly while sauce bubbles.

Step 4:
Place meatballs over rice and cover in BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

This recipe can be found at A Cook's Quest. I have altered it to fit my family and pantry.

Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joe

2012-05-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

I like simple on days that are not so simple. Here is a simple sloppy joe recipe that is sure to please your taste buds and your tummy.

Ingredients:
Ground Beef
BBQ sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Canned corn
Canned tomatoes
Shredded Cheese

Step 1:
Cook ground beef.

Step 2:
Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce, corn, tomatoes, and BBQ sauce. Simmer until sauce is thickened.

Step 3:
Serve on garlic toast (or plain bun), cover in cheese and serve. Enjoy!

My Shopping Cart: A Week in Review

2012-05-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Basket of Produce with 8lbs of Strawberries Paid: $27.50

Following my couponing, you might wonder if we eat any fresh produce in our house?

We absolutely do! Only I do not buy it from the store unless it is a good sale. What I like to do is order from a produce co-op called Bountiful Basket.

Boutiful Basket is completely ran by volunteers. Each week, starting Monday at Noon and ending Tuesday at 10pm, you make a contribution of $16.50 for a basket of produce. The items that will be in the basket are unknown until pickup time on Saturday morning. There are also options of additional items, like cases of fruit/vegetables, breads, and sometimes grains.

The baskets are usually a 50/50 split of fruits and vegetables.

This basket had...
2 artichokes
5 tomatoes
1 head of romaine lettuce
1 lb of green beans
1 jicama
10 red potatoes
1 pineapple
1 lb of strawberries
4 mangoes
5 green apples
2.5 lbs of bananas

This is the best way that I have found to keep my family in fresh fruits and vegetables. We are also exposed to things that we would never try and I get to be creative with dinner.

Bountiful Basket is available in many locations. If you are interested, visit bountifulbaskets.org and check to see if you have a location near you. Once you try it you will never want to go back again!

Winco...Retail: $40.99 Paid: $22.11, 46% Savings

This little shopping trip was done at Winco Foods, a great place with consistently low prices. The percentage of savings may not be high and flashy but the savings of out of pocket cash was amazing.

Twenty dollars and some tax got several side dishes and stocked us up for the wonderful BBQ season ahead!

Time Magazine & Extended Breastfeeding: My Reaction

2012-05-11T16:17:00.000-06:00

Image Source

By now the controverisal cover of Time magazine has made its way through the Internet and many people have seen it and voiced thier opinions on the topic of extended breastfeeding. Some opinions are neutral, others supportive but most are completely and utterally against extended breastfeeding.

As an extended breastfeeding mother, I am in support of any mother who makes the special commitment to nurse her child beyond the socially acceptable 12 months.

When my daughter turned 18 months old and we still had a strong breastfeeding relationship, I celebrated and announced it to everyone that I could that I was still nursing my baby. As she approached two years old, I started to feel the pressure to keep our extended nursing on the down low but that pressure was not going to make me stop doing what my child still needed. Stopping was not on my agenda, in fact, my daughter nursed until 2 days before her third birthday.

You read that correctly. I was still nursing my toddler, while pregnant, up until her third birthday.

When I saw the cover of Time, I did not react because to me there is nothing shocking about a toddler nursing. It is normal and natural to me. What I did react to were the comments on the cover and the comments about the topic in general.

I was appalled by what some people think of breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding. But the most appalling and down right disgusting were comments calling the published breastfeeding pictures "child porn."

In fact, I am sick to my stomach that there people in this world who would call feeding a child, in the way nature intended, something as disgusting, repulsive, and nauseating as child pornography. For a mother to be compared to the predatory animals that take advantage of children in the worst, most inhumanly way possible is horrible. I am outraged at the people who have the gaul to place a nursing mother on the same level as a child predator and it sends me over the edge to know that opinion is expressed and widely supported.

I don't even know what to say to those negative people. I am open to opinions that differ from my own but I cannot understand how someone can feel comfortable openly expressing their opinion when it is not based on any sort of educated information.

Attachment parenting is about "forming and nurturing strong connections between parents and their children" not damaging them. If even one of those negative, judgmental, misinformed people took the time to look at what attachment parenting was really about they would not call a mother a pedophile and say that she is damaging her child by caring for them.

The eight principles of attachment parenting include...

To the people who believe that extended breastfeeding is damaging to child self esteem, psychological development, and future are severely misinformed, I would like to pull a few points from Attachment Parenting International.

"The newborn's rooting, sucking, and crying reflexes evolved to ensure the close proximity of a mother or other caregiver that the baby can depend on to meet her intense needs. The more parents learn to identify and meet their baby's needs, the more securely attached the parent-child bond becomes."

One thing I have taken from all the classes on child development that I have studied as a psychology major is the importance of a secure parental relationship for a child's future development and relationships. The first relationship a child develops is with the parents and it only makes sense that the first relationship shapes how future relationship are formed and maintained. Pressuring a child to wean or be away from the parent before they are truly ready can possibly be damaging to the secure attachment between a child and parent.

That is why "feeding a child involves more than providing nutrients; it is an act of love." Extended breastfeeding mothers are not pedophiles and it is not child abuse to nurse a child beyond what society deems appropriate.

Last time I checked, our society had a pretty skewed view of what was socially acceptable. The most extreme, but most accurate, example of what our society deems acceptable can be seen in media advertising. Children and women are portrayed as sex objects. Girls, at increasingly younger ages, are pressured to have the same level of sex appeal as grown women. I guess it is no surprise, with an oversexualized society, that a woman seen nursing an infant or toddler would instantly draw up images of sexual acts and be called "child porn."

I say, shame on anyone who thinks it is acceptable to publicly or privately refer to a mother as a sexual predator. Shame on a society full of people trying to make nurturing, loving mothers out to be no better than the scum of the earth that prey on children. Breastfeeding is a parenting choice, extended breastfeeding is a parenting choice. Guess who makes those choices? The parents! Shame on anyone with the audacity to think they know the best way to raise a child that is not their own and think that anything other than the way that they would do it is wrong.

Kuddos to any mother who can do what she knows is right for her children despite the negative, disgusting comments that are going to be slung from the misinformed, judgemental section of society.

In the Belly! Week 39

2012-05-10T12:41:00.000-06:00

Week 39 and still very pregnant. I am extremely impatient and ready to meet Baby Brother. According to babycenter.com, he is the size of a small watermelon (I feel like I swallowed a giant watermelon!) and could weigh around 7 lbs and stretch about 20 inches long.

My bags are packed, the car seat is in the car and we are ready to roll...just waiting on the star of the show to make his move.

At this point, I am so impatient that I am sure that he is never going to come and is just going to torture me with "false alarms."

I have to constantly remind myself that he will come when he is done cooking but it is hard to be this close to the finish line. I can see the end, yet, we are still not there!

I think even Big Sister is ready to have a baby in the house. She has been toting a doll around, it goes everywhere with her. She cares for the doll and announces "Elizabeth is a gooood Mama!" often. And she is a very good Mama and will be an awesome big sister.

We often talk about all the things she is going to help me with when Baby Brother get here.

Until Baby Brother makes his move I am left to sit and impatiently admire the cute clothes I cannot wait to put him. Especially the little socks. Baby socks are so cute!

"I like Dinosaurs better."

2012-05-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Elizabeth's favorite thing right now is Dinosaurs. She plays with dinosaur toys, watches dinosaur movies and plays dinosaur games. She is all about dinosaurs!

According to her, she likes dinosaurs "better."

While eating her favorite snack, yogurt...
              "Elizabeth, do you like yogurt?"
               "I like dinosaurs better."

While drinking her favorite drink, chocolate milk...
               "Elizabeth, do you like chocolate milk?"
               "I like dinosaurs better."

Elizabeth: "Balloons!"
Daddy: "Do you like balloons?"
Elizabeth: "I like dinosaurs better."

While reading stories...
               "Elizabeth, do you like reading stories?"
                "I like dinosaurs better."

While playing with Mama or Daddy....
               "Elizabeth, do you like playing with Mama (or Daddy)?"
              "I like dinosaurs better."

Elizabeth: "Can I have chocolate milk?"
Mama: "Yeah. Do you like chocolate milk?"
Elizabeth: "I like dinosaurs better."

On our way to the park...
                  "Elizabeth do you like playing at the park?"
                  "I like dinosaurs better."

While eating dinner...
                    "Elizabeth, do you like this dinner?"
                    "Yummmm. Um no, I like dinosaurs better."

Daddy: "Elizabeth, do you want ice cream?"
Elizabeth: "No. I like dinosaurs better."

Basically, she likes dinosaurs better than everything! But that makes excellent sense, dinosaurs are awesome! Only the cool kids like to play with dinosaurs and watch dinosaur movies for hours on end!

Buffalo Chicken Taco

2012-05-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hmm, buffalo chicken...Sometimes I crave something with a little heat and this recipe is so simple it can be repeated without any effort.

Ingredients:
1 Chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
4 tsp Frank's Red Hot
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
Tortillas
Lettuce

Step 1:
Cook chicken breast and cube or shred, whichever you prefer.

Step 2:
Mix Frank's Red Hot and Ranch dressing, adjusting the amount of red hot to your desired heat. The ratio of 4 tsp and 1/2 was mild enough for 3 year old Elizabeth. I added extra red hot to mine, I like the kick!

Step 3:
Add red and ranch sauce to chicken and heat until bubbly.

Step 4:
Serve in a tortilla with lettuce or other veggies. Enjoy!

My Shopping Cart: A Week in Review

2012-05-07T11:13:00.000-06:00

Albertsons...Retail: $213.75 Paid: $42.06, 80% savings

This was my last big trip before Baby Brother arrives (we are still waiting!).

I wanted to make sure to take advantage of the excellent sale on my favorite juice, Cranberry Naturals.

I also got us all set on milk for the next couple of weeks and was even able to splurge on a few things and still have a good percentage of savings.

Inaugural Flushing

2012-05-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Recently, I went all Deep Clean Crazy on the bathrooms. No one likes to clean the bathroom but when I set my mind to the task and let go, I rather enjoy it, especially the end product.

After all my efforts are focused on making my bathrooms sparkle and shine and look like fancy, high end, never been used bathrooms of some celebrity with too many loos to choose from, I feel a sense of pride. I also feel a sense of protectiveness. Don't you dare mess up my spotless masterpiece!

With this protectiveness, it is no surprise that the Husband got a dirty look when, following my brag-fest of my so-clean-you-could-eat-off-of-it-toilet (umm...yeah, probably not recommend based on the gross factor!) he announced that it was time for an "Inaugural Flushing."

Seriously? I just spent what seemed like hours undoing all the "flushing" that occurred in the Throne Room and he was going to soil it! (pun intended!)

I have noticed a trend in being the primary cleaner of household rooms...they always get "broke in" or "tested out," resulting in more mess and an inevitable return to an untidy state. Spotless floors become toy strewn again, clean surfaces attract clutter, and shiny new toilets get inaugural flushings.

For once, I wish to be able to enjoy a spotless, design magazine, perfect room without having to watch it unravel before me.

Elizabeth's favorite thing to do after I clean a room is to announce, "Room all clean! Play with toys now?" How can I possible say no?

Maybe, the instant messing up of my newly cleaned rooms is a way of showing appreciation? I try to look at it that way so that I do not go completely crazy. My family is happy I have given them a clean area to do their business, because everyone enjoys a clean space.

What room do you take pride in after a good cleaning and despise when it is messed up again?

BBQ Pork Chops with BBQ sauce

2012-05-01T19:40:00.000-06:00

Nothing beats a BBQed pork chop, unless you put it over rice and drizzle it in a special, ah-mah-zing, BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:
Pork Chops
BBQ Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Butter
Seasoning of Choice for Pork
water

Step 1:
Season and sear pork chop on high heat in a pan that can be placed in the over.

Step 2:
Pour about half a bottle of thinned (water) BBQ sauce over the seared chops. Add a couple drops of worcestershire sauce. Make sure the chops are covered and finish in the over on 350 degrees. Sauce with thicken while they cook but the water keeps it from burning.

Step 3:
Once the chops are finished, remove them from the pan and set aside to rest. Place the pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add a dollop of butter and continue heating to a bubbling state, stirring constantly.

Step 4:
Slice pork chop, place over rice and drizzle with the BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

My Shopping Cart: A Week in Review

2012-04-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

Albertsons...Retail: $42.66 Paid: $7.48, 82% savings

This week I bought a lot of good, real food! It was a "Coupon Round Up" at Albertsons, which meant all coupons from $0.25 to $0.99 were rounded up to a $1 and any thing less than $0.25 was worth 4 times as much.

This meant, that a lot of the very low value coupons that are hardly ever used or when used, barely make a dent in the total cost of the item.

My first trip, featured to the right, was mainly to get bread and lunch meat for our picnic in the park. I decided to grab a few other things and do some "scouting" for my larger trip.

My larger trip was much more involved and took a lot longer. However, I was able to get a good variety of dairy, meat and other foods.

Albertsons...Retail $211.40 Paid: $46.49, 78% savings

During the coupon round up, I like to visit Walmart and ad match. I am able to get Walmart's low prices with a rounded up coupon.

Walmart...Retail: $60.31 Paid: $22.73, 62% savings

Walmart...Retail: $33.34 Paid: $21.28, 36% savings

The difference in percentage of savings between the two stores has to do with the non-sale price. Albertsons is a considerably more expensive store than Walmart but I often get better deals at Albertsons because they have excellent sales.

I was really pleased with last weeks purchases! I got a wide variety of food for very little money and that always feels good.

In the Belly! Week 37

2012-04-27T11:52:00.000-06:00

Yay! We are now considered full term! Babycenter.com never fails and has informed me that my baby is as long as a piece of swish chard. My little veggie is capable of joining us but would benefit from staying put as long as possible.

I wouldn't mind if he joined us and by the looks of my belly he may be gearing up to make his grand entrance soon.

Last Saturday, I was enjoying a day out and about, hitting the yard sales pretty hard, when all of a sudden...BAM! Baby dropped.

I had no idea that it worked like that, I never dropped with the first. So there I was, sitting in the car, driving along, when all of a sudden I felt extremely uncomfortable, like on the verge of painful uncomfortable. I told the Husband that we needed to stop, like, NOW! He had no idea I was serious until I told him to stop jabbering at me a pull over.

We stopped and I got out of the car, did a little jig, Elvis style, wiggling my hips in all directions. Instant relief. Baby Brother dropped and had no place to go with the position I was sitting.

After that, I had the feeling that a bowling ball was trying to escape...someplace a bowling ball should never be...

Now, I look really funny. I am not happy about it. I loved my giant pregnant belly. I resemble something like an olive on a stick (only I wish my stick were a little more stick like!) with butt and belly on the same level. My shirts are not long enough and I visit the bathroom about one million times a day, a problem I never had before.

Nights are long, with multiple wake ups and I waddle around afraid that if I spread my legs too far, Baby Brother is going to drop out.

Needless to say, I will welcome the end of this phase! I am patiently (or not!) counting down the days, hoping every little discomfort results in a baby.

*Eviction Notice Posted. Time to pack your bags and join us in the real world, Baby Brother.*

Those Lazy Stay at Home Moms!

2012-04-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

As stay at home moms, many of us have been asked "what do you do all day?" or in my case, wondered "what do I do all day?"

Here is an awesome example of what would happen if a stay at home mom didn't do all that she does in a day.

A man came home from work and found his 3 children outside, still in their pyjamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn around the garden. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Walking in the door, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, the throw rug was against one wall. In the front room the TV was on loudly with the cartoon channel, the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls. As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pyjamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, 'What happened here today?' She again smiled and answered, 'You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world do I do all day?'
''Yes," was his incredulous reply.
She answered, 'Well, today I didn't do it.'

On one of the days that my husband came home from work early, he offered to sit and watch something on TV with me. After going around the channel guide twice he looked at me and said, "I don't see anything to watch, what do you want to watch?"

After thinking for a bit I realized that I do not watch TV during the day. Cartoons are always playing and when they are not, the TV is off. I am busier than I realized. Some days I feel like I get nothing done and have wasted a whole day.

The reality of the situation is I am always doing something and I only have one child. If I was the mom above or even the mom in the picture, I would be beyond exhausted! Being a stay at home mom is very demanding.

I am constantly having to stop and "watch this!" or get something or fix something or find something. And those are just the toy demands. I still have to feed the kid several times a day and fill drink cups over and over.

While doing all things parenting I am doing household things. Dishwasher, laundry, pick-up, vacuum, and sometimes I actually do end up with a clean house.

On top of the daily stay at home mom duties, I have hobbies too. Couponing takes a good amount of time between organization and shopping trip planning and, of course, my lovely blog.

So, when you get questioned about what do you do all day as a stay at home mom or if you are asking yourself the same question...Don't forget all that you do! You are a valuable asset to your family and keep things running smoothly!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Roast

2012-04-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

Pork roast rocks! Bacon rocks! Why not combined to the two into an ahh-ma-ziiing meal!?!

Here we have brown sugar crusted, bacon wrapped pork roast. The perfect combination of savory and sweet.

Ingredients:
Lean Pork Roast (Ex. Pork Loin, something good for slicing)
Bacon
Brown Sugar
Salt
Pepper

Step 1:
Season the pork roast with salt and pepper. Rub a thin layer of brown sugar over the roast.

Step 2:
Tightly wrap bacon around the roast, be sure to over lap each piece slightly.

Step 3:
Rub a very generous amount of brown sugar over the bacon. Don't be afraid to really layer it on there.

Step 4:
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until the bacon is crispy and the roast reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees.

Step 5:
Rest for at least 15 min, slice and enjoy!

My Shopping Cart: A Week in Review

2012-04-23T11:24:00.000-06:00

Albertsons...Retail: $65.37 Paid: $21.93

This week I spent a little bit more money than I had originally planned but I was able to supply my husband with a little bit of variety in his daily lunch.

A great thing about following coupons and sales is getting to try product that we have never tried before. For example, the Kashi frozen meals. At full retail price they are way more than I would ever want to pay for a lunch, let alone a frozen one. But the perfect coupon and sale made them cheap enough to give them a try. My husband reports that they are yummy!

Another fun part about couponing is splurging on totally bad for you goodies and not feeling bad about wasting money.

Sure, hostess donuts are not at the top of the nutritionally good for you list but they tasted so good!

Walmart...Retail: $6.67 Paid $3.17

This week was all about buying goodies that we usually pass up and trying new things. I have a wonderful supply of food to feed my family and have already saved so much that I do not feel guilty about my splurges this week!

Tips and Advice for Busy Moms

2012-04-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Guest Post

Americans are often told that there is no job more rewarding than motherhood. That may well be true, but it is unlikely that you will ever have another job in your life that is busier or more demanding. The tasks that make up a busy mom's day are almost endless. Chores such as packing lunches in the morning, getting the kids off to school, making sure they have clean clothes for tomorrow, helping with homework, and ferrying them to activities and sports are just the beginning. With so many demands constantly clamoring for a mother's attention, it is no wonder that so many moms feel that there aren't enough hours in the day. I have been a busy mother for a while now, so I do feel qualified to pass on some advice that may be helpful to you.

Learn to prioritize

One key word that every busy mom should learn to use is "no." Instead of running yourself ragged trying to participate in the parent teacher organization as well as doing charity work for your church, and facilitating your child's membership in three different clubs, set some priorities. There is nothing wrong with telling your daughter that she will have to choose between ballet classes and tennis lessons. Indeed, saying "no" to some requests will help your children learn the important skill of prioritizing as well.

Build in "me" time

One of the most important things a busy mom can do is to allocate some time for herself. Without a much-needed break every day, a mother's stress levels can increase to the point where she truly can't cope with all the demands on her time. Take at least a half-hour every day to do something that you enjoy. This might be a long hot bath or some time working on embroidery and beading. In addition, try to build in another half-hour of "me" time that you can use for exercise. Without adequate physical activity, your body will be less able to cope with the many stressful demands that are a part of every busy mom's daily life.

Housekeeping and cleaning: a busy mom's nightmare made easier

Quite often, busy moms are so worn out after completing their daily repetitive tasks, such as cooking dinner and washing the dishes, that they can't find time for weekly tasks such as cleaning the bathroom and toilets, and dusting the furniture. This not only leads to a house quickly becoming dingy, it can also affect a mother's self-esteem. When she sees a grimy bathtub, she may feel like she is not doing a good enough job in the home, yet she also feels helpless to change this since her days and evenings are already filled to capacity.

One of the best ways to ease the stress of motherhood is to get some help with the house cleaning. Having a professional maid drop by once a week can make a world of difference to a busy mom, and if families feel that they cannot afford weekly service, they can arrange for a maid to visit once or twice a month instead. Even this less frequent schedule will mean that a maid can take complete charge of tasks that often fall by the wayside, such as cleaning the refrigerator or scrubbing floors.

In between the maid’s visits, busy moms can use a few tricks to help them spiff up the house in a hurry. Instead of using a feather duster, remove dust with a baby wipe, which takes no additional time but does a much better job. Instead of trying to do hours of cleaning every day, designate a task for each day, such as vacuuming on Wednesdays. It is also a good idea to develop certain habits that promote a cleaner house, such as always putting clothes in the hamper when they are removed. Teach your children to develop these habits as well and the house will stay much neater and cleaner between maid visits.

Multi-tasking

Being able to manage several things is an important skill for every busy mom. Many chores can be accomplished while helping children with their homework. Have the kids read their math word problems out loud while you are chopping vegetables for a salad or sewing patches on a Boy Scout uniform. You can also get things done while you are helping them practice for spelling tests or when listening to them read.

Multi-tasking can also help you get through several chores at the same time. When cooking dinner, begin by unloading the dishwasher. Then, as dirty dishes are created by your cooking tasks, place them directly in the dishwasher instead of in the sink to be dealt with later. You can also wipe counters as you cook so that spills don't dry out and become more difficult to remove.

It is all too true that children really do grow up fast. In order to enjoy their time at home as much as possible, take some positive steps today. A few simple changes to your normal routine can help you to lower your stress levels and find more "hours in the day." Between prioritizing, multi-tasking, and hiring a maid to do occasional cleaning, busy moms can once again start appreciating their children and regarding them as what they are: one of life's greatest joys.

Disclosure: This post is a sponsored, guest post. The author of this blog did receive compensation for this post.

In the Belly! Week 36

2012-04-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

This week, according to babycenter.com, my little crenshaw melon (wait...what is a crenshaw melon?!?) is shedding his fur and waxy protective coverings, both of which are making a yummy snack...ewwy. Baby Brother is still packing on the pounds, preparing for his big debut.

Speaking of packing...

The husband asked me if I was all ready for the hospital stay and had food and stuff prepared for when we got home.

My response? I totally laughed and said "No!"

I seriously have not thought about a single thing I need to pack to stay at the hospital. I started planning meals for easy cooking once home but that did not last beyond browsing around Pinterest (Follow me?) for recipes. I was soon distracted by other things...

The problem that I am facing with packing is knowing what to pack. The first time around I had a bunch of stuff I was positive I would need because all of the online lists told me so but I didn't touch most of it or forgot how much I needed it once there.

Needlessness, I am totally not prepared to be away from my home birthing a baby. The only thing I have managed to do is make arrangements for Big Sister. I guess it is time I get on that!

A Dragon in a Wagon

2012-04-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

"Elizabeth wabby no go!"

Elizabeth's favorite book, as of three days ago, is A Dragon in a Wagon.

One night before getting ready to read bedtime stories, Elizabeth decided to reenact her favorite story.

"But the wagon does not go very far..."

I watched as Elizabeth pulled her wagon into the middle of the room, climbed in and exclaimed loudly, "Elizabeth wabby no go!"

I love the way she interprets things. She sat in her wagon and showed me the page where the wagon doesn't go.

And if that isn't cute enough...

"The car will not go..."

She ran into her room and pushed her cozy coup into the room, climbed in and yelled, "Elizabeth car no go!"

I could tell she wanted to play out every scene in her favorite story. But she hit a road bump with, "The bus will not go..."

Elizabeth doesn't have a bus. Solution? Reenact the parts she does have!

She played the wagon and car part over and over. First she did it herself, over and over. Then her dinosaurs did it, over and over. Finally, Elizabeth and her dinosaurs played out the first two scenes of A Dragon in a Wagon together.

I cannot get over how much I love watching her learn. It is an amazing thing and no matter how much time I spend with her, teacher her new stuff and watching her amaze me with the things she learns on her own, I am still awe struck. This is has to be what pride feels like. I am proud of my baby.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

2012-04-17T07:00:00.008-06:00

Mmmm, pasta. My weakness. I love a giant plate of pasta, any pasta.

Here is my favorite recipe for an amazing pasta dish that even picky husbands and kiddos are sure to love.

Ingredient:
1 Cubed Chicken Breast (I buy Zaycon*!)
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Ribs of Celery, chopped
1 Onions, chopped
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Can of Beans, your choice but red or kidney work the best
1 Can of Olives
1 lb of Noodles, your choice
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Italian Seasoning, to taste

Step 1:
Cook chicken. Add bell peppers, onions, and celery, cook for a few minutes longer.

Step 2:
Add tomatoes, beans and olives. Season and simmer while noodles cook.

Step 3:
Boil noodles until tender. Drain.

Step 4:
Combine noodles and sauce. Enjoy!

Everything in this recipe can be bought with coupons or at a discount through food co-ops.

*Zaycon Foods is a way to save money on fresh meats and produce. You buy in bulk but it is the best quality of meat and produce I have ever eaten. The chicken breasts are "100% natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients" and are huge. Seriously, one breasts is a meal for my family of three and it is so juicy and tender.

Three!!

2012-04-16T13:16:00.001-06:00

Guess who is the Mama to a wild and crazy three year old!!

It is amazing how a change in number age equals a change in the kiddo.

It is hard to explain, but she seems different since turning three. She uses fuller sentences and connects concepts that she never did before.

Elizabeth had a great birthday party with her Grandma and Papa, Aunt, Uncle and Baby Cousin. the party was small and perfect. All the stressing I did the past week was pointless as she had the best time possible. Elizabeth got to eat cake, open presents and feel the love of her family on her special day.

Happy Birthday to my BIG GIRL!!

My Shopping Cart: A Week in Review

2012-04-16T12:33:00.001-06:00

Last week I focused mostly on buying diapers so my food purchases were very limited.

Here is what I bought...

Albertsons...Retail: $62.71 Paid: $13.06

Not a lot to eat in that picture...But that is how couponing works!

Don't Forget to Stop and Smell the Flowers

2012-04-13T07:00:00.009-06:00

At this weeks midwife appointment my blood pressure was high. I attribute this to stress. Now matter how much I try not to stress, I still stress. I am stressed about being stressed about everything!

This weekend is Elizabeth's 3rd birthday. We are planning a very small party with just family. Family that we get together with all the time, yet I was stressing myself out about it being perfect.

While on our way to the store to get supplies and order the cake I was deep in thought. My husband, noticing my quiet thinking self, asked me what was on my mind.

I told him, "I am just thinking about all that we have to do and get."

His response affected me greatly, but in a very good way.

"Honey, we do not have that much to do. Don't worry. Don't stress."

He made me think. Why was I worrying? Why was I stressing? Elizabeth would love her birthday no matter what and we would have a great time with our family, like we always do. So why was I stressing myself out, something definitely not good for Baby Brother? I couldn't answer those questions. I couldn't find a reason.

The only thing I could do was to find a solution to over thinking and over working my mind. I decided at the store to let go. Let go of some of the control I seemed to think that I needed to have on a simple, fun event, that would turn out perfect no matter what I did or didn't do.

My first step was to let Elizabeth pick the color of plastic plates for her party. Who cares if the plates match the napkins? Who cares if the plates match the cake frosting? It didn't matter. What mattered was my baby girl having what she wanted and she wanted blue plates. So blue plates is what went into the cart.

After leaving the store, I again tried to fall back into my old ways...Did we forget anything? Good thing my husband was there to remind me, "What if we did? We can always get it tomorrow." He was right. The store is five minutes away, we can get it tomorrow, or not get it at all. Elizabeth had hot dogs, strawberries, chocolate milk and blue plates. All the things she wanted. We were set.

Later, once everyone had settled at home, I decided to go through some recently taken pictures. I found the one above. It couldn't fit the situation better. I need to just slow down, relax and smell the flowers. Life does not need to be perfect. I have been spending so much time trying to control and make it perfect, I have forgotten to enjoy it.

That is my goal going forward. To let it go, to let it all go and to stop and smell the flowers.

In the Belly! Week 35

2012-04-12T21:00:00.002-06:00

Oh, babycenter.com, why do you always compare the growing baby to food?! This week my little honey dew melon should have completed his physical development and now will focus on adding extra padding to fill out his little structure.

On the topic of food...I am sure that I am starving all the time! Like, seriously, food, food, food, food is the number one thing on my mind. I find this a little unfair. How am I supposed to be able to brag about not gaining a bunch if all I want to do is eat and sleep?! Not to mention the annoying feeling of being hungry cramping my style all day long!

Since we are getting so close to having a wee-bitty baby, I wanted to do some diaper stock up. My couponing self has been waiting and waiting for the stars to align and the perfect sale and the perfect coupon to fall into my lap.

Last week that happened! I went diaper crazy and bought as many packages as I could with the hopes of not having to buy diapers for a very long time.

Here is the outcome of the perfect coupon with the perfect sale...

Retail: $252.68 Paid: $135.26

Retail: $68.52 Paid: $36.52

It felt amazing to be able to put that mountain of diapers away in the changing station. I only paid $171.78 for 1006 diapers and 1090 wipes, worth $321.20! Now that is how you stock up on diapers and prepare for a new arrival!