The attitude of my heart, before your eyes

Giveaways Galore!

2009-06-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

There are some great giveaways out there in blogland right now!

One I'd absolutely love to win would be this Oreck vacuum cleaner! Remember... the fleas...
To enter, go here.

Also, here is a great giveaway of Rubbermaid storage containers!

And if you win, I know you'll thank me kindly :) Good luck!

WFMW - Reusing Cards

2009-05-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

I used to be crafty and hand stamped many of my own cards that I would give with gifts. However, two kids later and not near as much time in a day as I need... I no longer seem to do that. Also, if you look at the price on many of the cards, I find it crazy to spend $3,4,5 on a card that oftentimes will end up in the trash can of the recipient.

So, my solution.

On cards that I receive, I simply cut off the front half of the card at the fold. Then I store it away for future use of my own. When it's time to give a gift, I simply look through my stash and find the perfect "new baby" card, or "congratulations" card, or "wedding" card, etc. Then I write a message on the blank back of the card, punch a hole in the top left corner, and tie it onto the gift bag with some pretty ribbon.

Voila!

It's an easy way to send the very best!

Check out other WFMW tips at We are THAT Family.

WFMW - The first garage sale of the season

2009-04-15T09:37:00.001-07:00

Lo and behold it's finally a sunny day in April. And what does that bring?

Garage sales.

I'm a fan of garage sales, though I often wonder if I'm buying items that I wouldn't normally, or that I'm wasting money... though it's not near as much as I'd be spending if I purchased new!

Today I decided to check out Craigslist and see if there were any garage sales in my area this week. Was I excited to see there was a sale just down the street from me, and they had kids items!

Woo hoo!

Jackpot!

I could walk, take the girls outside on such a nice day, get a little exercise, and hopefully find a bargain or two! Sounds like the day is off to a great start.

So once my Little Miss woke up, I was ready to go. I'd been waiting patiently for her, she decided to sleep in this morning, which I know her tired little body needed. It was worth the wait, though I was worried what great bargains I'd be missing out on. Thankfully the day is gorgeous, and the sales were good.

I snagged a couple of educational games for her. One being a Discovery Toys jigsaw puzzle, and the other a Usborne books Alphabet game. Both in perfect, like new condition and each for a few bucks each. Much better than the original price tags! The other item, a Speedo brand swimsuit for Little Miss, for a dollar. Not the colors I would buy off the store shelf (neon orange and yellow), but it will do the job and the pricetag sealed the deal.

There were a couple of other items I had in hand, but put them back as I tried not to overbuy another person's "junk". I am very happy with what I came home with and plan to make garage sale shopping a part of our every week. You never know what bargains you may find and I'm excited to have already saved at least $15 on a swimsuit for my Little Miss today!

Garage sale shopping works for me! Have you found any great deals this year?

For my WFMW posts, check out We Are That Family.

WFMW - Easter Story Cookies

2009-04-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

I received an email from a friend for these incredible sounding cookies. Incredible in the sense that it will invite the story of Jesus into your home on Easter morning. Amidst the excitement of Easter baskets and egg hunts, this may be another great tradition to include in your home year after year. Let me first say, I have not yet tried these, but plan to this coming Easter Sunday.

I invite you to share the story of Jesus Christ with your little ones this Easter too!

Easter Story Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter (right before bed)

1cup whole pecans
1tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done with the recipe!)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

For other great WFMW posts visit We Are That Family.

ARGH!!!

2009-04-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

So my Little Miss threw a fit last night because we had to take her away from "Elmo" in order to eat dinner. When she came home from school, I was busy with a project and Daddy was cooking dinner so I put a DVD in for her to watch. If she hadn't been at school all day and used up tons of energy there, it wouldn't have been an option for our evening together. But I figured she could lounge around, sing and dance with Elmo and life would be fine.

I was wrong!

I have created a TV addict and have to get her out of this cycle.

Barney and Elmo are two of her most infamous words that she uses consistently throughout each and every day. We're even to the point that I am taking TV away as punishment... ugh, she's only 22 months and shouldn't have such an attachment to TV.

Unfortunately with a new baby in the house it's become an easy babysitter while mommy breastfeeds and finds spare moments to get housework accomplished. I've got to break the cycle now!

We have an entire playroom of toys, away from the television and within eyesight of me if I can keep her attention focused in there. She colors, she plays with her toys, she reads books, but then she finds her way to the TV - where she knows what buttons to push to turn it on!

Any "new" project ideas I can do to capture her attention? I would prefer to stay away from messy activities since she can't always be under my supervision if I'm up and about. Or any suggestions for this Momma on how you make TV time work in your house...

I'd love to hear them!!!

Backwards WFMW - Toddler hitting

2009-04-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Well, we're just over a week into bringing a new baby into our family. Overall, it's been a smooth transition and everybody is doing well with the change. Big sister (22 months old) loves on her little sister every time she sees her, whether she's sleeping, or eating, or sleeping. She's a big fan already and wants to give her kisses and hugs constantly.

Last night, however, we encountered a small problem.

In the midst of me nursing the baby, big sister was giving kisses and I was talking to her... telling her how nice she was being, that she's such a good big sister, etc. etc. Then she goes and bonks the baby on her head. My first reaction was to bonk her back - obviously the baby couldn't defend herself the way I could defend her, right? This reaction brought me to tears, and left me feeling awful. I know you can't teach a child not to hit by hitting - one reason I'm not a fan of spanking. My second reaction was to yell NO and let daddy take over the discipline from there.

She has had past history of hitting and biting on occasion, but these instances are few and far between and have only been directed toward her daddy or I. We have been fortunate enough to not have to discipline too often. On the occasion that we do, we use time out. Daddy set her into time out last night and she cried and wailed and screamed and cried some more. Daddy repeated to her that we do not hit and she eventually was released from time out coming back to see me and the baby. I too reiterated that we do not hit and we must be gentle with the baby...

All just in time for her to bonk her on the head again after a few more kisses (a tad more gently this time, but still!)

So daddy fetched her up and took her straight to bed. She screamed in bed and she wailed and when she finally settled down we went in and told her that hitting was not nice, we do not hit. And basically turned out the light for her to fall asleep in her clothes and without a bedtime routine. Thankfully she was tired and doesn't need a routine on a consistent basis to sleep well. She slept all night.

So, after all of that... I need suggestions. I need help! How do I keep my toddler from hitting, especially her baby sister. Thanks in advance for your knowledge!!!

More backwards WFMW posts can be found at We are that Family

Cheers!!!

2009-03-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my personal 2009 blog party!

I'd like to share a little bit about myself with all of you and hope to meet some interesting people along the way! Sit back, enjoy a nice hot cup of tea and let me know you've stopped by for a visit along your journey. Here are the top 10 facts about me:

1. First and foremost I am a Christian

2. Me and my other half, married 6.5 years

3. My Little Miss, 22 months old

4. Countdown to baby: currently 3 days!!!

5. My part-time job

6. Kansas girl, born and raised

7. My favorite hobby, though not enough time to ever do it

8. I wish I was better at tending to my home. I'm learning!!!

9. My dream vacation: Italy and the Mediterranean, land of my forefathers

10. My favorite blogs are all about frugal living, pinching pennies and the like

To meet other bloggers or to join the party visit the gals over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Oh, and don't forget there are so many cool prizes to be won at this year’s Ultimate Blog Party, but my top three picks would be:

1. Ergo Baby Carrier by: A Giveaway Addicted Mommy
2. Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer by: Moms Who Think
3. $100 gift card to HomeGoods by: HG Openhouse

And if my top three picks are already chosen, I’d love any of the following (in order of preference): 41, 45, 19, 21, 22

WFMW - Digital photo organization

2009-03-18T13:14:00.001-07:00

So a VERY unorganized area of my life is sadly our family photos. I can remember growing up and my mom having boxes and boxes of printed photos, some in albums and most were not. She used to fuss and complain about not having them organized and she still has yet to complete this lifelong project of getting her photos in order.

I've become my mother.

But, I'm working to stop heredity in it's tracks.

With digital photos you would think that it would be much easier to organize photos. It really can be, though there are many reasons why it's not. Let me count the ways... or at least a number of reasons that, for me, it isn't.

1) I take hundreds upon hundreds of photos. Often of the same event. How many pictures do I need of my daughter splashing in the bathtub on the same night? Apparently 32.

2) Sometimes I will download my photos the same day that I took them, sometimes I don't download them onto my computer for weeks at a time - or until the memory card is full.

3) I have gazillions of folders on my computer that contain said photos. These folders are not organized. They have many different names and dates that don't always tell me what is in that folder.

4) Sometimes if I download photos onto my computer, and I don't delete them off of my camera's memory card, the next time I go to download the next batch of photos the first ones get put onto my computer for a second time... or third.

Okay, that's it for now. I could keep going however, but I have many more points to make in this WFMW post, so I'll stop.

Now another big trouble that I have gotten into using digital photography rather than film is that I never, ever, ever print my photos out. In fact, the last photos I printed were 21 months ago after by Little Miss turned a month old. I printed out her one month photos and started her a nice album... but now it sits screaming for more photos to be added to it's emptiness. How sad is that?

I know that I'm not the only one. It's a sad fact that our family photos are not getting displayed, we're not able to sit down and look at them together - at least not unless we're sitting in front of the laptop. In fact, as I took the weekend to organize and determine the best plan of action for this photo solution I looked back at so many photos, so many moments, so many memories I had in fact forgotten - because I don't have those wonderful family photo albums I so desperately want.

So my solution. Let me spill.

Before baby number two arrives I figured a couple of things.

One. I wanted the past many years organized and easily accessible.

Two. I wanted to get them ready to print, so I can have those albums I desperately want.

And three. Most importantly I wanted to ensure our photos are SAFE. What in the world would I do if something happened that I lost all of those thousands and thousands of pictures? I would cry. It would devastate me for the rest of my life.

So, with the help of an external hard drive I moved all of our photos off of our computer. I then basically made a folder for each and every month of every year I have photos dating back to. And then I started sorting, and sorting, and sorting. This was a tedious and a time consuming task. But to sit and enjoy so many pictures which I haven't seen since I took them, it was so much fun! The many duplicates I had, I carefully deleted. The pointless pictures I no longer needed, I carefully deleted. And I spent much of my weekend at this task.

Fortunately, they are now all in order and ready to be printed. Unfortunately I can not afford to print all of the pictures because there are just too many of them. So my next step will be to determine what I can afford for photos each and every month and watch for good discount codes and ever so slowly print my photos and IMMEDIATELY place them into my family photo albums.

I'm hoping that with the birth of baby number two I will start in the present with one set of albums and hop back to work up from Little Miss's first month at the same time. I think this plan will make it fun to compare what each child was doing at the same age and also what they looked like in comparison to one another.

Oh and another SUPER IMPORTANT tip! I'm also saving all of these photos to CD's as another means of backup. I'm hoping I can get a few months on a CD and keep them in a nice CD folder together, labeled well. And I'm going to send them to live somewhere other than our house - maybe my husband's office desk, or our safety deposit box.

So there you have it, this is working for me at the moment and hopefully will continue to work for years to come. I feel one HUGE area of my disorganized life coming together and it's a relief. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how to keep your photos organized in today's digital world? I'd love to hear them!

More Works For Me Wednesday posts can be tracked at We Are THAT Family.

And for more ideas on photo organization check out Organizing Junkie!

Tackle It Tuesday - Baby on the way

2009-03-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

Now that I am to a countdown of less than a month, I'm really feeling the stress of not being prepared for a new baby in the house. I hit the soda fountain this morning and have a 44 oz Pepsi in one hand, and my to do list in the other. Hopefully I can push through my tiredness and get at least a good majority of the things on my list accomplished. Here are my main goals for the day:

- Clean Pack N Play and set up (almost completed)

- Wash receiving blankets and boppy cover (completed)

- Wash nursing bras and pads (completed)

- Wash bottles, nipples, pump parts, pacifiers (completed)

- Clean out baby bathtub (almost completed)

- Disinfect diaper pail (completed)

- Wash covers, set up swing and bouncy seat (completed)

- Pack hospital bag (I've got a list made...)

- Finish packing diaper bag (completed)

It may sound like a lot to tackle in one day, but there are many, many other things on my list and these sound like the easiest tackles at the moment. We'll see where I have gotten by the end of the day! Check out more tackles at http://www.5minutesformom.com.

Gardening

2009-02-27T06:17:00.000-08:00

I have had in mind the last couple of Springs that I wanted to create and plant a vegetable garden in our backyard each year. For one reason or another it hasn't happened yet, but I'm feeling the urge once again as Spring is drawing closer. Having a new baby in the house may seem like a deterrent, but to me it's motivation. I worry that I may have a more difficult time getting my older toddler out of the house as often as I should with a new baby to tote along. My solution: a garden in the backyard to get us out there playing, working, and having outdoor fun.

My problem: I do not know the slightest bit about planting a garden. I take that back, I've read and researched quite a bit online. Unfortunately it seems there is just so much to know that it boggles my mind and scares me slightly. However, I hope to face those fears this year and see if I'm able to reap any rewards.

The previous owners of our home seem to have had something that resembles a garden along our fence. There are a few posts laid out to make a small 3 ft x 8 ft looking plot. This gives me some hope that it may be possible to actually grow something along there as I've wished. However, I believe we'll need to start from scratch.

I'm hoping to create a raised bed. Nothing huge. Maybe a 4 ft x 12 ft plot or something of similar size that I can expand in future years if I get comfortable enough with my gardening skills. Unfortunately being 9 months pregnant during a time that we should be starting to work the soil, build the bed, and bring in topsoil isn't in my favor. Hopefully my husband will have the same motivation as me once I show him my plans I've been working on.

The idea of having fresh grown produce is very enticing. I'm hoping to try out only some basic vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cucumbers this year. I may mix in a couple of other things, but I figure if I don't keep it simple I won't succeed. Plus, I'm hoping to leave some room for additional growth next year, right?

Has anybody else recently started their first garden? I'd love any advice. Especially timing wise - when to start my seeds, when to plant, etc. etc. It really seems overwhelming for a project that I know so many people love and enjoy. I want to be one of those people!

Nesting

2009-02-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

I can tell that I have started nesting. At least a little bit.

With less than 7 weeks to go, I think that should give me a nice head start on getting a few things done that need to be. I have cleared out and organized my bedroom and closet, my bathroom is in the works. I was originally planning to redecorate my bedroom, but my husband is putting a bit of a brake on that plan... I guess his logic is that the money we'd be spending is what I need to survive my 8+ weeks of unpaid maternity leave. Glad his mind works that way. Mine does not.

Our laundry is officially caught up and under control. That gives me such a sigh of relief. How is it possible to have so much dirty laundry when it seems most of the clothes were never worn? I guess I need to get better about completing the laundry cycle from start to finish. Leaving it in a pile in our bedroom to be put away doesn't work with a toddler in the house... she'll play dress-up with anything and does.

This afternoon I'm hoping to get the infant car seat washed and ready to go. And probably do a bit more organization in the nursery as Little Miss has turned it into a second playroom!

I still have a long ways to go, but just a couple of productive days has sure lifted my spirits!

I'm an AUNT!!!

2009-02-02T03:57:00.000-08:00

Since Momma and Baby will be in the hospital for a few days, I figured I was allowed to comment on the arrival of my very first neice, Ella. She entered the world just over a month early, a little groundhog baby - in the cutest sense of the phrase, of course! Hopefully I'll have some photos to share soon enough as I've got a few hours of sleep to get in before I hit the road and drive down to see the new family.

25 Random Things About Me

2009-01-28T14:03:00.001-08:00

This meme has been floating all over the place and I've had a number of people invite me to participate. The guilt is starting to sink in and I've decided I may as well. So here we go, 25 probably not so interesting, random facts, about me!

1. I have a problem with getting rid of things... trash no, but a program from a high school musical I attended some 12 years ago, yes.

2. I love to save money. Basically I won't buy anything unless it is on sale, on clearance, or I have a coupon for it. Why pay full price when I shouldn't have to? I believe I'm a good steward of the money God has blessed me with, or I'm at least walking along on the path.

3. I have never had any sort of major surgery, broken bone, or medical condition. I've been pregnant, twice now, but that has been mostly low-key. Thank goodness! I hope my lucky streak continues.

4. I do not paint my fingernails hardly ever. I think this is because I am a nurse and I would have to keep them very well kept... and well, I just don't take the time for things such as that. I paint my toenails probably 3 or 4 times a year, usually when it's high sandal season.

5. There are many things in my life that I have said "never" to. I cringe now when I think back to those times when I was being so egotistical. I also have a hard time biting my tongue when others make such comments... especially when it comes to parenting.

6. My daughter is walking around with a pair of Elmo panties on her head right now.

7. I have had braces twice, because I never wore my retainer. I need them again.

8. I am working to become a better cook, to actually cook. In my 6.5 years of marriage I can admit to probably cooking only about 2 dozen meals. Sad I know. Thankfully my husband can cook and we've made it this far without me being very skilled in this area.

9. I have a deep down desire to be an outdoorsy girl. I love the idea of camping, hiking, biking, etc. I have yet to participate in this sort of lifestyle however and may fail miserably. My dream family vacations would be to go camping every year in a different national park. Ok, maybe we'll be staying in a lodge or an RV rather than a tent, but still... I think it would be a fun tradition.

10. My first major in college and the one I wish I had stuck with was graphic design. I love layout and crafty, artsy type things and think I'd have loved a career in that field. Thankfully there are many blessings to being a nurse too.

11. I love things that smell good. Candles, fabric softener, perfume. Unfortunately, my allergies can be overly sensitive at times and I sneeze up a storm if I'm around any smell that is too strong.

12. I am not sure how many children I want. I used to want four, now I'm torn between two and three. It's a much harder decision than I once thought.

13. If I thought I could be disciplined enough myself I would consider homeschooling my children. I worry about all of the outside influences they will encounter and wish to protect them from as much as I can, while I can. I used to think this made a parent naive, now I think it makes a parent wise.

14. I do not like sweetened cereal. If I'm going to eat cereal with milk it has to be something plain and boring like cheerios, raisin bran, or basic 4 (my favorite). I can however it dry fruit loops or corn pops as a snack.

15. Growing up I used to be embarrassed when my mom would take me shopping at Aldi. I thought it was a store only for "poor" people. However little did I know how proud I would be to someday be an Aldi shopper myself.

16. I wish I could get rid of a lot of my "things" and start over. I don't know what I was thinking when I started buying decorations to decorate my home, or even plates and glasses for my kitchen. My taste is completely different now, but I'm just too frugal to do anything about it.

17. I could use a few new bras, mine are pretty sad looking... but then again, my girls aren't to pretty anymore themselves. It's a mommy thing :)

18. When I'm pregnant my legs hairs grow much more slowly and my hair doesn't look dirty for a couple of days longer than normal. This really works out well when I'm in a lazy mood and don't plan on leaving the house for a few days.

19. I am horrible at drinking, especially water. I can go most of the day without getting thirsty, so if I'm not thinking about it, often won't drink much of anything in a given day, maybe a glass or two of something if that much.

20. This may seem like TMI, but before I had my daughter I could never loudly fart... never much in the way of sound, or even smell, honest to goodness. Now that I've gone through childbirth I can give my husband a run for his money.

21. We do not have cable, we ditched it to save money and to find a more useful outlet for our time. It's been over 4 years now and I miss it... alot. And I still watch a lot of tv, only it's whatever I can pick up on the 5-6 channels we actually do get, usually even less productive tv viewing than before.

22. I wish that my sister and I lived closer together and that our children could grow up being closer than they probably will be living so far apart.

23. I used to play the clarinet in middle school. However, I never really "played". Oftentimes I just pretended to be blowing and learned to key the instrument to make it look like I was doing so. I wish I would have been in orchestra.

24. My cats used to be my babies until I had a real baby. I never thought I would get annoyed by their quirks and needs, but goodness. Right now I can't imagine have a more needy animal like a dog, but one day I'm sure we will have one when our kids are older.

25. I rarely read books but wish I did more often. If I start a book and enjoy it I'll finish it in a few sittings, because I just can't put it down. But it's hard for me to ever just pick up a book and start. I want to work on that.

WFMW - Toy Storage

2009-01-28T05:26:00.000-08:00

We are lucky enough to have an entire room in our house dedicated to being our central playroom. Little Miss loves to go in there and spend her time, playing with many of her favorite toys. Momma and Daddy love that she is able to go in there and entertain herself while we are busy with other tasks. Unfortunately it does not take much time, or effort on her part to turn the room upside down. In fact, I often think she enjoys pulling out every single toy and scattering them from one end of the room to the next, it's all a part of her fun!

But not part of Momma or Daddy's! Oy!

When we set up the room we even included an armoire with bins to house some of the toys she would play with often, and placed inside the cabinets books and educational materials mostly to keep them organized. Since the introduction of our playroom however, it seems the number of toys in our house has doubled and things are constantly out of control in a once uncluttered space.

Also, Little Miss has gotten to an age that many of her toys have multiple parts and pieces, and I know it's only going to become more so in the years to come - with smaller, and smaller parts. So I decided it was time to take many of those toys and put them out of her reach unless she's being supervised, or at least only playing with a few at any giving time... instead of... All.Of.Them.

So I recently purchased some 12 gallon bins at Walmart and started sorting. Currently I have two bins that are housing some of her Little People. I sorted the people, animals, and parts to each set and placed them into individual plastic bags along with the main toy itself. It not only makes it easy for us to pull out one set at a time, but will help her in keeping some order to the madness that will ensue anyways.

Another bin will house some of her other toys that I find to be major clutter culprits. Puzzles, pegboards, her Mr and Mrs Potato set, etc. It's all about keeping the toys themselves together and allowing her to play with one at a time. We'll then pick them up together, place them back into their bags and bins and get out another toy. In the meantime we will store the bins themselves out of reach in the hall closet which has plenty of floor space.

I know that this won't keep our playroom in constant order, and we'll still be stubbing our toes on something as we pass through, but it's a start. It'll be a nice benefit to have some extra control over the chaos and not feel so overwhelmed each and every time we "Clean up, clean up. Everybody, everywhere. Clean up, Clean up. Everybody do your share".

Alphabet Soup - K, L, & M

2009-01-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since I last did this meme. I figured I'd start it up again and see where it takes me. I'm planning to kick out a few letters at a time, otherwise it seems I may never get to the end of the alphabet.

Kids - This is true in part, I like MY kids. I've never really been a kid person, but she's opened my eyes to just how amazing they really are. I'm not yet a fan of kids over the age of two, since we haven't experienced that stage, but as she gets older I'm sure I'll enjoy them too.

Kitchenaid Mixers - Not that I have one... yet, but I think that they are incredible and I've got just the perfect spot for one on my kitchen counter... I prefer black if anybody, like my husband, ever reads this.

Kisses - The chocolate ones are nice, but my Little Miss is starting to give kisses on her own free will and they are so precious. Though we're working on keeping the tongue in her mouth, it's kinda gross when those kisses come at you when you're not expecting them.

Kohls - Although I don't ever have money to spend there, I love this store. It has great sales, and a variety of things from clothing to home goods. I definitely enjoy hitting up their clearance racks!

Lemon Meringue Pie - Yummy! The cold, lemony flavor is making my mouth water as I sit and think about it and the fluffy and light top layer. Delicious!

Labor & Delivery - It's my area of nursing and I enjoy it immensely. Taking care of other Mommas during a time that is so precious and special, I love being a small part of it.

LOST - This show is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I can't even begin to explain it or even really understand it, but it's the one show I will not miss.

Laughter - Giggling with my girl, priceless.

Motherhood - I always knew that I wanted to be a mother, and now that I am one it's just awesome! I definitely am not the mother I thought I would be, but so far I think I'm doing pretty well. Little Miss is proof positive that I'm getting something right.

Marriage - Another big part of my life. Having someone that you love to spend the rest of your life with is great. It's nice to have someone to comfort you and listen to you when you need them, and also nice to have someone else around to change a dirty diaper when you've already had your fill for the day.

Mondays - Unlike the rest of the world, this marks the beginning of what I call my weekend. Monday and Tuesday are my two days of the week to catch up on sleep and accomplish the tasks that I can while Little Miss is at daycare.

Minivans - Okay, I'm seriously getting old, but they are practical. More on this topic in the coming weeks...

So much to do...

2009-01-15T05:10:00.000-08:00

Most people assume that bringing a second baby into your home is going to be an easier experience than the first. That there is less to prepare for. You have done it before, you have had another baby and all the things that baby's require... how much more different and difficult can it be?

I have to admit, I thought this way.

In discussing having a second baby with my husband these were many of my key points. It won't be too expensive, we already have everything we need, we'll keep them close together in age and they can share everything...

As my due date is drawing closer and closer I am beginning to see that those words do not necessarily ring true for all aspects of a second child. Sure, my kiddos will be close in age - 22 months apart if all goes according to plan. This is definitely a plus, in my eyes, in the years ahead. However, I'm realizing that my baby, my toddler, is still using many of the things that her little brother or sister will be needing in just a couple of months. Oy!

I've been organizing and rearranging in order to be most frugal when it comes to almost everything. We bought secondhand furniture for Little Miss and we're going to share those items between the two bedrooms. Really, do either of them need two dressers at this point anyways? And thankfully we purchased a second changing table that will double as storage in our new nursery.

What about the crib, the rocking chair... we still are using those with Little Miss and now we need then for baby number two. Sigh.

We're going to make the transition to a toddler bed in the next week. It's being delivered soon and we'll break down the crib and move it into the new nursery in anticipation of our newest Little Tike. It's definitely a transition I'm more than nervous about. Along with the freedom of getting up at any hour, I've discovered Little Miss can definitely open her bedroom door and make a break for it if we're not prepared. Time to finally invest in a baby gate to keep her from tumbling down the staircase at 3 in the morning. Darn those things are expensive! And perhaps a toilet lock... wouldn't want to find her playing in there either... oh my, what if she opens the door into the nursery and wakes the baby! Lots to think through...

I also moved the rocking chair into the nursery just the other day. We still are using it on a daily basis with our oldest because we read to her all of the time. Fortunately her room was outgrowing it, but it's really hard to lose that piece of furniture that we've come to use more than regularly. We're going to have to figure out another alternative... the floor isn't the best option when you're 7.5 months pregnant.

And then there are the little things... the things I really dislike the idea of buying a second one... but we do still sort of need at this point for both kiddos. A diaper champ (having two in diapers is becoming more and more daunting when I think about this from every point of view), a baby monitor (couldn't hear Little Miss downstairs without it - and if she's going to be up playing in the middle of the night... I guess I'd like to know about it)... just to name a couple.

Oh, and how about the things I realize after having one kid would be nice when I have two to wrangle every day... an infant sling, a breastfeeding cover, a second baby bouncer for upstairs, a bigger diaper bag, a double stroller, a leash... okay, maybe not necessarily the last one.

It's just becoming more and more daunting as the weeks pass to realize that my list is not getting any shorter and I'm finding more and more things to add. Fortunately though I know it will all work out. We will make it through this change that is about to hit our doorstep. We will thrive and our family will grow no matter how prepared or unprepared we truly are. I'm looking forward to it more than I can say!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-01-12T20:45:00.001-08:00

I have to say that although last week I did not follow my menu exactly as planned, I was still VERY successful at providing homemade meals for my family instead of resorting to last minute, fast food options. It seems I actually, almost enjoyed the time I spent in the kitchen, so that's new to me. I did learn that our weekend meals need to be revamped because that is where we failed to keep with the menu plan. My backwards weekend schedule definitely makes it difficult and we still have a couple of meal items I'll need to cook this week.

Tuesday
Dinner - Tilapia Parmesan w/ Mixed Vegetables and Rice

Wednesday
Breakfast - Waffles and Apple slices
Lunch - Corn Dog Muffins
Snack - Grapes
Dinner - Chicken Marsala w/ Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Salad

Thursday
Breakfast - Muffins and Bananas

Lunch - Goulash
Snack - Cheese and Crackers

Dinner - Tacos w/ Beans and Rice

Friday
Breakfast - Oatmeal Bake

Lunch - Mac & Cheese
Snack - Blueberry Muffins

Dinner - Mock Lasagna w/ Salad and Garlic Bread

Saturday
Breakfast - Eggs, Toast, and Fruit

Lunch - Leftovers
Snack - Graham Crackers
Dinner - Tater Tot Casserole

Sunday
Breakfast - Oatmeal Bake

Lunch - Leftovers

Snack - Muffins

Dinner - Enchilada Casserole

Monday
Dinner - Different Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ Broccoli

Round Two - CVS

2009-01-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

I can definitely say that this week was much easier and required much less time on my part to accomplish. I was able to spend a solid hour searching blogs and websites for CVS deal ideas and rummaging through my coupons to make a few great money saving matches. My time spent in the store remained at about an hour again this week, but basically I'm getting blind-sighted when I realize that the deals I think I've found really are not legit, or a product I'm planning to buy is out of stock. It takes me a few moments to regroup, determine if I can make a successful deal on my own and reorganize my transaction plan.

I know it'll get easier with time, and I can already tell I'm catching on after just my second try.

Here's the money shot for the week...

A quick recap of my receipts shows that my total before coupons, sale prices, and ECB's was $105 for all of the products in the picture above.

After coupons, sales, and ECB's it seems that I spent $25, with $12 in ECB's to rollover on my trip next week. Not bad at all. I look at that as though I spent $13 on all of the products in the picture above since the $12 is really equal to free.

Here is a rundown of most of the deals I used.

Colgate Toothpaste, BOGO (2.99 each)
$0.75/1 Toothpaste (SS #2 1/4/09 - used 2)
$1.50 TOTAL

Revlon Nail Polish B1G1Free (4.39 each)
Use 2 coupons (SS 1/11/09 - $1/1, $2/1)
$1.39 TOTAL

Glade Air Fresheners 9 oz. 99¢
(SS $1/2)
49¢/each TOTAL

Fantastik All Purpose Cleaner 2/$5
(SS $1/2)
$4 TOTAL - not the best deal, but we were out of cleaner

Cheez-It Twin pk 20 oz total $6 get $3 ECB

Cheerios Cereal Twin pk 24.5-28 oz $7.99 get $4 ECB

Febreeze Apple Spice & Delight and Vanilla & Refresh Candles.
They should be ringing up for .79, instead of the displayed $7.99!
Check the air freshener aisle, but they are technically 90% off Christmas Stock!

Nasogel $7.99 get back $7.99 ECB
Use $2/1 printable
Final Price after Extra Bucks & Coupon: FREE + $2 profit

CVS Eye Makeup Remover $4.49
Used $3.00 off any CVS product coupon
$1.49 TOTAL

CVS Body Wash $2.99
Used $3.00 off and CVS product coupon
FREE

CVS Water $3.97, earn $2.00 ECB
$1.00 CVS water coupon
$0.97 TOTAL

Gold Emblem Smarties $0.99 each
Used $1/2 Gold Emblem Candies
$1.00 TOTAL

Preparation H Wipes $4.19 earn $1.00 ECB
$2/1 printable coupon
$1.19 TOTAL

WFMW - A new try at coupon organization

2009-01-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

Last year I began my attempt to become a coupon shopper.

I spent endless hours collecting, clipping, sorting, storing, and so on. In the end I used only a handful of coupons because I was so worn out by the task. I found it tedious and I found it impossible to really know what I had clipped, and where exactly I had stored it.

I originally started out with a cute little coupon file folder. I sorted my coupons by basic categories: breads/grains, canned goods, etc. This worked just fine except again, I never really knew what I had without shuffling through the little accordion booklet and I didn't have much patience as I stood in the aisles with my then 7 month old child who demanded constant interaction. Though looking back I must say a 7 month old strapped in a carrier as opposed to an active and mobile toddler seems like a luxury.

So I researched a new plan.

I had found that a number of women keep coupon binders. These binders are sorted out similar to the categories mentioned above, but using clear plastic baseball card holder sleeves. So, instead of thumbing through my little file, I'd have every single coupon in clear sight as I turned through my pages. This approach was nice in that I could see what I have, but the time it took was even more daunting. Not only was I now clipping all of my coupons (and yes, all, because you never know when there will be a great sale on something you may otherwise never buy), but I was also having to fold them and store them into little pockets making sure I was able to see the product description and expiration date. Ugh! More time I seemed to be wasting. Especially considering how few coupons I was really using in perspective.

After all of that work, and all of that time spent, I gave up on couponing for awhile. It didn't seem worth the effort. Why spend so much time every week clipping and sorting to not get the reward? My coupon binder was retired and put up on a shelf until I pulled it out just this past weekend with a new game plan.

On to attempt #3 at coupon organization. And let me say now, I think I've found a system that can work for me and I'm excited about it!

With the exact same binder I already had, I tossed out all of the categorized tabs and coupon sleeves. Still mostly full of coupons which expired in 4/08. It was time for a fresh start, but how was I going to do any better? I had read about the idea of not clipping coupons at all, not even sorting through a coupon circular, just storing it away for when I would actually need a specific coupon out of it. There you have it, hours of time I would spend clipping were saved. Instead of clipping one single coupon I instead dated the outside of the circular and slipped it down into a full page protector and organized my circulars by week. Voila!

So, how will I know what coupons I really have and what coupons I should be using when the time comes? Here is where I give another big shout out to the many women who help find great coupon deals and post them on their blogs for those of us who are new to this bargain hunting world.

I posted a list of blogs earlier this week that have helped me, and there are more out there! I have found that most bloggers who post a great deal will direct you to the exact circular you need, to find the coupon you need, to score said great deal. Shuffle through a few pages and make a couple of snips and I'm done clipping. It's that easy!

BUT, I didn't stop there. I wanted to know more about the coupons I had on hand and not rely fully on others to find those deals for me. I wanted to be on top of my coupon stash and not miss out on any product coupons before they expired, whether it was to get a great deal or merely save myself 75 cents on a product that I will plan to buy either way.

That was when I stumbled back upon...
http://www.taylortownpreview.com/

What a great website!

You will see if you go to this website that it has listed all of the coupons in any given insert. It tells for any given week which coupon inserts you should have and the coupons included inside, along with expiration dates. What a handy service! I printed these out for the inserts that I have and keep them in the back of my coupon binder for easy access. I also have a list of anticipated 2009 coupon circulars by week!

Here are the many ways I plan to use this list in the coming months:

- I'm able to flip through them at any given time and scan through to see if I may by chance have a coupon for a product I may be planning to buy.

- I'm able to skim through the expiration dates to quickly determine if my insert is outdated, or if there is a coupon that I will want to use soon before it expires.

- I'm able to cross out coupons I have clipped and have used so I'll know at first glance if I still have it or not if additional sales on the product arise.

- I'm able to feel organized and better know the coupons that I have in each circular without having to flip through and make notes on coupons I don't want to forget to use.

I've also added additional vinyl page protectors to store my deal lists for the week, envelopes to store the coupons I'm planning to use, envelopes to keep my ecb's, receipts, etc. It's nice having it all neatly stored in one place!

In addition the binder I am using has many various pockets and places to store everything from my scissors, to extra pockets for restaurant coupons/ kid coupons/ Bed, Bath, and Beyond coupons... I'm really excited about this system and have enjoyed using it so far.

It's working for me, maybe it will work for you!

I've been hitting up Wally World too

2009-01-06T13:01:00.000-08:00

No photos of today's shopping trips.

I went to Aldi this morning for groceries and was pleasantly surprised that they had just about everything on my list. I decided to splurge on a few more snacky type items so we'd have them around if needed, so my bill was slightly higher than I anticipated. I'm considering starting a pricebook, something simple enough that I can keep track of what I pay for items and where... at least the things that I plan to buy on a more regular basis.

Most definitely because there were a few things that I found which were quite a bit lower in price at W*lmart. One item for instance was french fried onions, since I'm planning to make green bean casserole later this week. I happened to notice the generic brand was about 75 cents less than what I'd paid for at Aldi. Oh well, you live and you learn.

Another area of learning I've experienced today is my need to keep my pantry clean and well organized. I did look through what I had last night and also discarded items that were postdates or spoiled (sure hate throwing away wasted food like that). However, I didn't really have a super organized pantry to start with and discovered that I re-bought a few things I already had on hand... paprika, tomato sauce, baked beans, chicken broth. I'll definitely being doing a closer inventory before I head out next week for my grocery shopping.

So, on to Wally World... I had a decent amount of luck there today, as I had hoped. Thankfully this shopping trip went a bit faster since I know the layout of the store and had a better idea of where I was going and what I was looking for. Last night before bed I quickly matched up coupons and deals that I had found on sites of fellow bloggers and made myself a shopping list. I really must say that I appreciate the work that others are doing to help women like myself find deals, it's so helpful and I'm sure otherwise a task I would find impossible.

Overall I had about $25 worth of groceries and goods ranging from Johnson and Johnson soap to Progresso soup. After all of my coupons I paid just around $5 for all of these products many in which I received for free or close to. It feels so good to watch that subtotal drop such a significant amount and makes me excited again for next week.

Now back to my pantry, another tackle for today. It looks like my kitchen exploded.

Tackling the CVS "game"

2009-01-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

Along with better menu planning I've decided to join the bandwagon (again) and try my best at playing the CVS "game". At the beginning of 2008 I tried my hand at CVS'ing and didn't keep up the pace and decided to quit after only one attempt. While reading blogs over the past year I was continually amazed at the many women who were able to score such great deals at CVS and decided I'd try once again and see where it got me. I've been collecting coupon inserts for the past couple of months in anticipation for the new year and a fresh start.

My first attempt of this year has been very time consuming.

I have spent many hours organizing my coupon binder (check back Wednesday for an inside look), researched various websites reading firsthand experiences of how to make CVS work for me, and also searched and searched their weekly ad and multiple blogs for the best deals to make it worth my time and money. Not to mention that I spent well over an hour and a half in the store today.

Here are some of the great sites I used:
Deal Seeking Mom
Money Saving Mom
Couponing 101
Bargain Briana
Centsible Sawyer

Thank you so much for the time and work you put into sharing with us the great deals you find!

With all of that said, I feel really great about the outcome I had today! The store employees were more than helpful and were so patient despite the fact that I accidentally purchased non-sale items instead of the ones I meant to and had to return them. They took the time to look in the back of the store and find what I really needed, they helped me in reading my receipts and were very supportive of my new "hobby". I was nervous that they would be annoyed with my utter confusion and my multiple coupons, but I didn't have that problem at all.

Because I made multiple transactions, had to return some items, and was reimbursed in the form of a CVS giftcard which I used for the remainder of my transactions... I'm slightly confused as I look over my receipts, but I can basically tell you what I accomplished on my first CVS shopping trip of 2009.

Just take a look at the picture and see for yourself.

Retail price of these items before using coupons and ECB's came to a little over $95. After using a number of manufacturer's coupons, store coupons, and rolling over ECB's from one transaction to the next... it seems I spent just around $20 for all of these products. BUT!!! I still have $11 in ECB's to use next week when I go shopping again. So the way I look at it is that I really spent close to $10 for all of this - the cost of one L'Oreal lipstick!

I'd say that's pretty impressive and worth trying for again next week.

For more Tackle it Tuesday inspiration (yes, I know it's only Monday at this point) check out 5 Minutes for Mom.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-01-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

My New Year's resolution this year is simple enough - to save my family as much money as possible. One area of our budget that needs a huge overhaul is our grocery/food spending. We have fallen into the rut again that we don't plan for our meals, and often resort to last minute decisions like running to the store each night, or grabbing fast food. Neither are very budget-friendly options, nor the healthiest options many times.

So to start off the first full week of the New Year I am once again participating in Menu Plan Monday. My weeks will run from Tuesday thru Monday since my weekend work schedule effects my grocery shopping day and the time I have to prepare a meal. Also, Mondays and Tuesdays will not include breakfast or lunch items since Little Miss is at school and I am sleeping much of those days. I'm hoping to make Tuesdays my consistent grocery shopping day and will do the majority of my shopping at Aldi and Walmart. I'll try my best to keep my food budget under $60 per week.

Tuesday

Dinner - Baked Potato Soup and Broiled Tomato Sandwiches

Wednesday

Breakfast - Muffins and Bananas

Lunch - Goulash

Snack - Cheese and Crackers

Dinner - Sticky Chicken w/ Salad and Baked Sweet Potatoes

Thursday

Breakfast - Oatmeal Bake
Lunch - Corn Dog Muffins

Snack - Grapes
Dinner - Mushroom Pork Chops w/ Green Bean Casserole

Friday

Breakfast - Waffles and Apple slices
Lunch - Teriyaki Noodles and Veggies

Snack - Banana Bread
Dinner - Chicken Enchiladas w/ Spanish Rice

Saturday

Breakfast - Eggs, Toast, and Fruit
Lunch - Pigs 'n a Blanket

Snack - Yogurt

Dinner - Tilapia Parmesan w/ Mixed Vegetables and Rice

Sunday

Breakfast - Oatmeal Bake
Lunch - Mac & Cheese

Snack - Graham Crackers
Dinner - Chicken Marsala w/ Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Salad

Monday

Dinner - BBQ Pork Sandwiches w/ Baked Potato Fries

Twas the day before Christmas...

2008-12-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

Life is chaotic around here. Thankfully my Little Miss is off at school today, so I am able to handle the chaos alone, and without having to keep a watchful eye on my toddler. You see in our home, Santa Claus is coming tonight. It's Christmas Eve in our world and I'm sure not ready for Christmas yet! Presents still need to be bought, most everything still needs to be wrapped, and I've got a small amount of baking that I'd really like to do. Thankfully however, most everything is going to be low-key in the celebration department, and Little Miss is just too little to know the difference anyways.

A couple of days ago while I was sleeping after work, Daddy must of have gotten a little too excited for the big day and went ahead and put together one of the biggest toys we got our Little Miss... and gave it to her. I woke up to see her playroom had a new addition and her Step 2 Kangaroo Climber slide was the center of attention. What!?!?!? I about lost it, but then decided it wasn't worth it and oh well for that oops. I will say however that Daddy will probably never make that mistake again. Part of his "punishment" (though he doesn't technically know that's what I'm considering it) is that he is responsible for putting together her play kitchen. Hahaha. It's a complicated mess of plastic parts and pieces that will have him up into all hours of the night tonight. It's a good thing he decided to spend a couple of hours getting a jumpstart last night!

I can hear the snow/sleet mix starting to fall on my windows. It's time to get this day into gear and pull out the wrapping paper and bows. Falalalala lala la la.

Christmas shopping with a toddler...

2008-12-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

... pregnant, in the slushy snow... not an easy task.

Attempting to avoid shopping carts, because carrying your shopping cart cover is just one more thing to lug around... yet having a toddler running free inside a store, doesn't keep your sanity in tact for too long.

Attempting to let a toddler walk through the snowy parking lot, because it would be so much easier on your aching back... yet the said toddler decides it's fun to run and stomp through the slush, tempting fate to make her fall into the wet nastiness.

Attempting to distract your toddler with an item in the store so she'll be entertained while you are shopping... yet when you arrive to the check out line you are forced to buy said object to avoid a major meltdown. (Thankfully we'd replaced the glittered pear ornament with a plastic penguin bucket just in time).

Attempting to keep your toddler warm and buckling them into their carseat time and time again wearing their winter coat... yet that requires an extra two arms and is not so easy on the pregnant belly bending over that extra minute or two it takes to buckle said child in.

Attempting to get any shopping done when the time you allotted yourself in each store is cut in half because of the time you spent in the parking lot... and then cut in half again because of the distraction that occurs keeping your toddler entertained... and then cut in half again because, let's face it you're wiped out and just want to go home and go to bed.

Holiday Traditions

2008-11-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

For WFMW, I decided to pull out the mistletoe and nativity scene and start thinking about the holiday traditions we'll create in our home over the years. I'd love to hear about any of your special traditions as well - so leave a comment if you please!

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I am starting to feel the Christmas Spirit wafting in and out of my heart. My days are starting to be spent thinking up traditions and plans for my family, and doing a bit of online gift shopping.

Traditions are an important part of the holiday season to me, as I remember having a number of them during my own childhood. We had many common traditions that many families follow, but we also had a few that became our own over the years (it will never be Christmas without Elvis and the Chipmunks). I find traditions a fun way to help remember such a special time of year and make them even more special to a family.

For my growing family I have plans in my head for MANY, MANY traditions. They range from quite small in nature, to bigger and more important ones that I hope my children will pass on to their own. Most importantly I want our traditions to include the different facets of Christmastime: Jesus, Family, and Santa (in that particular order of importance).

In today's culture it is so difficult to notice the role Christianity has to Christmas. With all of the media advertisements, emphasis on gift giving and receiving, Christmas decor, and of course Old St. Nick, it's an easy part to overlook. However, I hope to make that the central part of the Christmas holiday for my family.

So, how do I plan to accomplish such a task?

Really, it will be simple enough with a bit of work on my part, and some creativity. Primarily, many secular traditions have a Christian story that fit them and I plan to showcase those and their importance. Santa Claus, in all of his splendor, will be God's helper - they'll talk, discuss which children have been good or bad, etc. I have no intention to dismiss Santa Claus in any nature as he is such a visible aspect of the season. Christmas gifts will remain few in number in my house, though this is a much more difficult task I am learning each year. My original intention was that each child would receive three gifts from Santa Claus, just as Jesus received three gifts from the wise men. I still plan to follow through with this tradition, but I have, for Christmas #2, decided to include three additional gifts from Momma and Daddy instead of only one more. That will be our limit. Especially considering the many gifts they are bound to receive from family and loved ones. And our goal will be to teach giving, not receiving.

Another tradition I plan to implement into our home is to decorate a Jesus Tree (aka Jesse Tree) each year. This is an advent tree in which you place one ornament each day until Christmas Day, each symbolizing a story from the beginning of the Bible through the birth of Jesus. Our tradition will be to place the ornament on each night at bedtime and we'll discuss that story and say our prayers. This is a tradition that I am most excited about and plan to make my own ornaments for. Thankfully Little Miss is still young enough that this doesn't have to be just perfect yet this year.

Family, being the second most important part of the season, will be emphasized by time spent together. Everything from a special day putting up the Christmas tree with a traditional meal each year, Christmas music, and hot chocolate - to driving around looking at Christmas lights while singing Christmas Carols, to family movie nights watching favorite holiday movies. We'll also celebrate Christmas in our home as a family, and then with our extended families each year. I want to place emphasis on giving as well, though we will do so frugally and being good stewards of the money God has blessed us with. I want our children to be involved with gift giving throughout the season to family, friends, and those who are in need. These are just a few of the things that come to mind for family time, however I know in the scheme of things there will be many more.

And finally, the secular Santa Claus oriented aspect of Christmas will also be observed. We of course will visit Santa each year and take the traditional photo. We will leave out cookies with milk and a note the night before his arrival. And we will also have a few of Santa's elves who will live with us each December. These elves will be our guests, but will also be in our home watching the children behave and misbehave, all the while reporting back to Santa Claus himself. They will cause mischief and bring gifts, as well as, take Christmas wish lists back to Santa at the North Pole. This is a cute tradition that a friend of mine does with her own children and that I fell in love with the moment she told me about it. I've been waiting many Christmas seasons to start this tradition myself!

So as you can see, Christmas will definitely be multifaceted in our home, often many of the parts overlap in nature showcasing the importance and fun of the season all in one. Hopefully though, more than anything, my children will observe the true reason for the season shine through it all.