Why I love Kohl's

So. I happened upon an advertisement that showed that right now the toys for the Kohl's Cares for Kids program was Toy Story. I woke Hunter up from his nap so we could get to town and back before the school kids got home. He is obsessed with toy story and repeatedly watches the DVD's every day! I love their stuffed toys because they are big, but not too big, and machine washable! These are perfect for their sleeping buddy! I was happy to support a great cause and get great quality books and toys for a screaming deal. If you ever need a great, affordable gift, I would always check here first! Each item is always $5 At our store they are right in front by the check stands.

The other reason we love Kohl's is their great clearance prices. 80-90% off is a price I can live with!

To potty or not to potty

With every child I go through this great dilemma of when they are "ready". Problem is I'm always ready long before they are. I try to trick them into a successful potty visit, and sometimes I'm lucky, but mostly I end up frustrated that I have to put another diaper on. Nevermind that I'm spending $40 on diapers! I always start about 18mths and get frustrated, insane and exhausted. By the time they are 3 1/2 they are completely trained and never have accidents or need pull ups. So with hunter i decided I'm not even going to start yet. However...

I personally always feel the pressure of all my other friends and their amazing potty training skills and how their kids are much younger and more intelligent, that I think i should be able to do it too! You could say boys are harder than girls, but I have a great friend Linnet who is amazing and patient and will have an under 2 yr old trained in 1 day she has all boys! Rock on girl, but i never have the staying power to use her methods and it involves a naked baby running around and well, my germaphobia takes hold and i just CAN'T do it!

So once again i begin to charter the rough waters of potty training! We have purchased a training seat, although this froggy potty is just the cutest! He loves it! Maybe it will motivate him:) Heaven help us! Wish us luck!!!!

Hair Raising!

I have 4 boys and a husband! All who get their haircuts by me! I have gone through every brand of hair product I have found to try to help in the battle of hairstyles in our home. Some boys like it spiked just in front, faux hawk all over, porcupine on top, and just a permanent wave look. At first all the gels work fine, but this gel is the ONLY stuff I have found that will hold any type of hair!!!! I love the product, can't stand the name...Short Sexy Hair Hard Up Gel by Sexy Hair

It is a bit pricey, I would go through a hairstylist to buy it at discount, still cost $9, then I would check TJ maxx and 1 out of 5 times they would get in 1 tube for $9. Walmart and Target sell it, for $16. With 5 heads to cover, I couldn't afford to love it THIS much, but NOW I CAN! Target has it on special 2 for 1 on the end caps in the health and beauty dept. I bought 4 pkgs! You get 2 for $16!

If you are thinking of switching or getting the good stuff, now is the time!!!

My personal Crafter

You know how you always have those little projects to do that just get put off and to the side because they are so little, that it is a BIG inconvenience to do them? I have a list of plenty! When I found out my mom was coming, I pulled out the list and told her we could work on them. My mom loves to hang out, watch movies and visit, but she likes to be accomplishing stuff too, so I knew that I needed to have stuff to keep our hands busy while enjoying her visit.

She is an unpaid, talented seamstress, alterations girl and her sewing machine is her gift. She lengthened Rix 2 suit coats and pants, which is very tedious, then we hemmed and hung valances and curtains, she replaced the button on my upholstery pillow (way too hard for me to do, you need to use a thimble and everything!).

Then we made the cutest little car books for church. The idea originally came from this blog:

http://mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com/2009/09/car-cozie-tutorial-and-etsy-re.html

Then this was my friends version:

http://ourturleylife.blogspot.com/2010/02/valentines-gifts.html

I took a little from every idea and this was our version.

Then, my mom brought a cute kitchen towel craft that hangs by the hot mitt, from my sister Summers house. She got the idea from someone in her circle of friends. You buy a hand towel (I bought the 10 pk from Costco for $12) and hot mitt (2 for $1) and dig in the button box. So, we made our own version, with the new towels I bought and for less than $2 we had these cute towels. Great ideas for Christmas or gifts! I love getting cheap and easy, and nice ideas! Thanks to my mom for inspiring me to be crafty and all the friends for the ideas!

I wonder....

I wonder If this little girl knew then the special life she was to live?

Did she know that she would be just as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside?

Do you think she dreamt of being a wife, a mother, a friend?

When she would play pretend did she picture her life with 6 sons and 6 daughters?

Did she ever imagine that she would have a multitude of little ones who would look to her for guidance, love, friendship, and security?

Could she ever have imagined that she would be blessed with such a posterity?

This little girl I know and love was sent on this earth to be MY mother.

This same girl would never have dreamt that her life would ever be filled with so much joy, happiness, and especially love. She would never believe that she would be chosen for such a special life. How thankful I am that her life became bigger than her dreams! How blessed my life is to have been born to such a special person.

To this sweet girl, thank you for choosing me, for loving me, for wanting me and for inspiring me to not limit my dreams. I Love you Mom.

The Clearance Dilemna

What is it about this little thing that makes my mind go to a crazy, excited, place of euphoria? Rick thinks it means I have just been charged the actual VALUE of the item, but to me it means SO much more! So my other must go to store is what my little ones refer to as the "red" store! All you moms out there know that there is a "blue" store and a "red" store. My favorite place to get good quality stuff for a great deal is Target. They are organized, clean, and the clearance prices are marked on EACH individual item!

After every holiday I will hit their seasonal aisles for 50% off, then track it (more like stalk it) until it goes 75% off. Then I begin the clearance phone tree, where I call everyone I know and love and let them know it hit 75%.

In between holidays it is always a hit or miss. The different depts have their sections on the back endcaps with items clearanced either 30-50-75. So for weeks I have been "tracking" two things I "want" but don't need! (At 50% I want it, and 75% I NEED it!)

My must haves this month were the kids rubber garden boots and the "old style" toy story toys! (Making room for Toy Story 3 stuff) In the last week I have stopped by to check three times to see if they went lower. (The goal is to actually get OUT of the store on these "drive bys" without actually buying anything!)

Today I hit big! (Yes ladies, this is what you have to look forward to as a stay at home mom who lives within a budget!) Both things went 75%, so Hunter is now the proud owner of 2 pair of boots, (1 for now, another for later) and every different toy story toy they marked down. Some of the toys will be stashed for the man in red, and others will be used for special treats and occasions. All in all I spent $38 and left with an MSRP value of $152!

I don't consider myself a shopaholic. More like a cash paying, budget sticking, "Save-aholic" who loves getting a great deal on GREAT stuff!

What's for dinner...

So everyday I hear this question from sun up until dinner is actually served. Half the time my kids are never pleased with the meal placed before them, and then I go into the "ungrateful speech".

I think in my Dad's day the speech went something like, "did you know we had to walk to and from school with no shoes, uphill both ways, in the snow, and we did it with a smile on our faces?" Every generation has one of "those" speeches.

The speech I always give is "did you know that when I grew up it was a treat to get to have RANCH dressing?! Everything on our plates was green and anything on your plate that you see that is white, in my house was actually brown! (brown rice, whole grain bread, salad with healthy dressing) If you want I can start feeding you just like that and then we'll see how hungry you REALLY get!" By the end of this speech I am NOT at all soft spoken, but really? am I ever?!
They then proceed to eat, quietly.

(side note~looking back I love how I was raised. My mom was so diligent about health and nutrition, and it is NOT cheap to feed your family this way. She fed us food that did our minds and bodies good. I miss eating that way. Truth is I am too lazy and cheap to feed my kids all natural.)

Okay BACK to my POINT. I have found a meal that my kids will eat often and enjoy. Spaghetti. I have never liked the store bought sauce, and once again, I am too lazy to actually make it from scratch. Then one day I was at 1 of my favorite stores....COSTCO! I found this sauce and brought it home. They ate every bite and wiped their plates clean with their bread.
It is White Linen Collection Marinara Sauce. It is a 32 oz jar for $4.39! However, with Costco, they rotate food, and when they stopped carrying it, you would have thought the world had ended for my kids and especially for Rick. So, months later when they finally started carrying it, I bought 24 jars! The great thing about this sauce is that it has a 3 yr shelf life! Great for food storage!

The sauce tastes like an old italian grandmothers homemade recipe.

• No water, no tomato paste, no fillers
• All natural, 100% Italian Plum Tomatoes
• Pure Olive Oil, Fresh Basil, Fresh Onions
• Wonderful Homemade Taste
• Kosher, Large 32 oz. Jar.

I am telling you all about this NOW because it is still being carried at Costco, and I would hate for you to miss out on this great sauce and great price. FYI you can order this on Amazon's marketplace but it is $7.99 plus shipping. Still, worth that price, but not if you can get it for much less.

So when my mom visits next week, this is what we are eating, when my sister visits the week after, THIS is what they are eating, and if all of you EVER visit, THIS is what I will feed you, too!

They Come in Three's

When I think about the things I love most, my family is always on the top of my list. I have been blessed with three amazing families in my life. I have the family I was born into, the family I was gifted when I married and the family Rick and I have made together. Anything good that has come out of my life is because of the love and support of these three families. All three families have one thing in common, LOVE. Love for each other and love for the Lord.

My Blessing~

The family I was born into is very special to me. To have been raised with such love and such wonderful parents was my great blessing from the Lord. I have 11 siblings and feel close to each of them. Many people can only count on one hand the people who have influenced their lives. For me there are never enough hands to count the influence they have ALL had in my life.

My Gift~
Rick was widowed in 1995 leaving him to raise their 15mth old daughter, Aubrey. His wife Cindy came from a wonderful family that have always been there for them and were there for me with love and support when he and I married. That was such a gift to me when I became an instant mother. I cherish their family and the large part they all play in our lives.




My Posterity~
I have been given a great responsibility to raise children who are kind, selfless, honest, good, hardworking, grateful, who love others and love the Lord. I could never do this without the love and support of a great husband and the help of a loving Father in Heaven. This family keeps me grounded, wears me out and brings me more joy than I have ever known. It is always a work in progress, and never perfect. But, this is what life is for me, always working to become better, do better, and be better.


And in case you were wondering the thing in my life that I most love right behind my family and my faith? DISPOSABLE DIAPERS!

God knew not to send me to earth until these were invented...or this big family I have would be VERY small!

I'm always grateful for the little things in life that make the BIGGEST difference!