And we're back!

As is the case with any family, the kids have grown a little and we got busy!  Throw in a new job and a pandemic and we've had a pretty lengthy hiatus.

However, I'm still discovering products that I love, recipes that make mealtime a little less crazy for our family, and books I can't wait to share with you all.  So, we're back!  

That said, blog design has changed a little over the last few years, so please excuse the mess as I do some tweaking and get things a little more streamlined around here.  Can't wait to share my first (new) review soon!

Stuff I Love: Little Rock Store

Everyone's closet deserves to have at least one great band Tshirt.  Unfortunately, it seems that most children's shirts only represent popular children's groups - groups you probably only listen to because your kids ask you to.  What if you've raised your kids to love the same great classic bands that you do?  Do you have to wait until they finally grow into your old vintage Ts? 

The answer is NO!  Thanks to Little Rock Store now your kids (and infants, too) can sport the same great sartorial style that you do.  Whether you're a big fan of Guns'N'Roses, Johnny Cash, The Beatles or Greenday, there's a cute T or onesie for your child.  They've even got matching sets for kiddos and their parents. 

Not in the market for new duds?  You can support your favorite bands on lunchboxes, hats, tote bags, coloring books, tights and more.  These are high quality items, most of which come in at under $20.  They hold up to plenty of washing, which is great for on-the-go kids. 

My daughter couldn't wait to sport her new Rush shirt and she felt like such a star!  If you're looking for the perfect shirt for your little one, head right over to Little Rock Store and give them a look. 

*Disclaimer: I was compensated with an item at no cost in exchange for review, but all opinions are my own.

Recipe Of The Week: Chicken Fajita 'Nachos'

I love Mexican food.  So when I discovered that I could no longer eat corn, or dairy, or beef (and I've only just now gotten back pintos and avocados), I was pretty upset.  Going out to dinner suddenly became much less fun.

But then I started getting creative.  A local Mexican restaurant served Fajita Nachos.  As per my request, the put all the toppings over rice instead of the usual corn chips.  Oh. my. word was it good.  Since we can't afford to eat out all the time, I made an effort at approximating the recipe at home.  Once again - super good!  Here it is:

Chicken Fajita Nachos

2 cups brown rice, uncooked (or 1.5 cups brown rice, .5 cups quinoa)
4 cups water

2 large chicken breasts, diced
1 large onion, sliced
2 sweet red peppers, sliced
2 sweet green peppers, sliced
1 tsp olive oil

1 15 oz can refried beans
1 15 oz can black beans
liberal dash each cilantro, chili powder, cumin

5 ripe avocados
1 large tomato, diced
1 small red onion, diced
juice of 1/2 lime
liberal dash each cilantro, chili powder, cumin
(optional) 1 tbsp mayo

(optional) fresh cilantro to garnish


Combine rice and water in large pot.  Bring to boil, then simmer 20 minutes (or until all water is absorbed).

Heat olive oil in large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling.  Add onions and peppers, stirring constantly until just softened and slightly blackened.  Remove veggies to serving bowl.  Add chicken to hot skillet and stir until cooked through and slightly blackened.  Remove to bowl with veggies.

Meanwhile, heat refried beans, black beans, cilantro, chili powder and cumin in medium pot over low heat.

In another bowl, mash avocados, diced red onion, diced tomato, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder and cumin until smooth.  (If avocados are slightly under-ripe add 1 tbsp mayo to improve texture).

When all foods are finished, layer on plate.  Or, if you're picky like my kiddos, serve separately.

Optional toppings include: shredded cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa or swap the chicken for beef or pork.  You could also substitute chips for the rice and make real nachos instead!

Easy and yummy and much cheaper than dining out.  Enjoy!!

Old Navy Fits Me To A Tee

By now you guys probably know that I'm a huge fan of Crowdtap.  I love giving my opinions on products, and in exchange for a few minutes a day I get amazing rewards.  I can trade accrued points in for gift cards, host fun product house parties and, occasionally, sample amazing products for free!

I just completed my fifth Old Navy sampling thanks to Crowdtap.  I'd fallen out of love with Old Navy over the years, but after my first sample experience I realized how much the brand has changed recently and I'm totally hooked.  If my wardrobe needs freshening up, I hit their clearance section and stock up.  They are constantly having great sales (and you can get more bang for your buck with cash back from ebates), and they add great new collections every couple of months.

This time around, Old Navy offered my friend and me a chance to try out their comfy basic Tees.  I was just lamenting to myself that I could use a few new t-shirts in my closet (I haven't bought any new shirts since my pre-baby days, and mommy-pooch is definitely not en vogue).   It seemed to me, however, that all the shirts I've tried on lately are meant for tall, skinny supermodel types.  Too long in the torso, too tight in the hips.  My friend, on the other hand, is a tall, thin supermodel shape, so I knew that we'd really be putting these shirts to the test. 

There were so many shirts to choose from I had to take stacks back to the dressing room!

Here's what I wore to the store.  Yup, that's an Old Navy top, too!

 I've finally lost enough weight that last summer's shorts are too big!  So I snagged a cute pair from the rack to try on with my shirts.  I love all the bold colors this season!  This purple shirt was a lot of fun and SO soft and comfy.

 No more mommy pooch! (that's the waistband, I promise)

 I loved this light heathered gray shirt so much.  Which is good because I apparently already had one on my shelf at home!  Oops.  See how the shirt has shape but doesn't cling to my hips. 

 And some days I like to look a little slouchy, so I went up a size in the darker grey.  Still a great fit and so snuggly I'd wear one every day if I could. 

I loved all the colors so much that I sucked it up and paid for the extra shirt - and at $7.50 I didn't mind the splurge!

 My friend had great success as well.  She chose a slightly different style (and scored a few other amazing finds), but we both left with some great new items for our summer wardrobe.  I'll be back to try on some of those adorable dresses before the season is out as well :)

Want to earn free clothes of your own?  Sign up for Crowdtap and start accruing points now!  Before you know it you could be sporting some new Old Navy gear, too! 

Stuff I Love: Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend Babyfood Maker

I may have a new favorite product. 

As you all know, I've been on a path to healthier eating lately. Due to a sudden discovery of a TON of food sensitivities, I've been forced to start eating a much fresher, more paleo-inspired diet. But not only that, it's opened my eyes to just how fake and processed the food we're accustomed to eating is.  I don't want to put that stuff in my body and I certainly don't want to feed it to my kids.  (I will confess to an occasional McDonalds cop-out, but it's hardly the norm). 

The problem?  While not picky in the sense that most kids are, my kids are pretty set in their dietary ways.  Try new fruits and veggies?  No way!!  I have to get pretty sneaky to fill them up with all the nutritious produce I want them to be eating.

Thank goodness Moms Meet offered me the opportunity to review the Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend Babyfood Maker.  Clearly, I don't have any babies in my family anymore (can you believe baby girl is 2 and a half!?) - but that's what's so amazing about this product.  Sure, it can make healthy, tasty baby food - but it's a super useful tool even if your babies are all grown up.

Not only does this machine steam your fruits and veggies to lock in nutrients, but you can steam multiple foods at once.  You can make smooth or chunky purees, and it even comes with a smoothie blade!  Now I don't have to haul out my heavy blender each time I want to whip up a healthy breakfast smoothie or toss together a batch of apple-pear sauce for the kids.  

I'm a big fan of the 'hide pureed foods in meatloaf' trend - get my kids to eat better by sticking healthy stuff in the dishes they love.  But grated veggies are too chunky (and therefore easily detected) and I never have the energy to cook up a big batch of veggies, run them through the food processor, stick them in little containers to freeze for later.  Too much work, too many dishes.  This little tool does all that work for you, cleans up in a breeze, and makes just enough for one meal (for 3 kids).  

Ordinarily this babyfood maker retails for $99 (still a pretty great deal), but my lucky readers can save $20 off retail price by using this coupon!  There's also a $1 coupon to use on any of the great Freshfoods accessories - such as the Mash & Serve Bowl, Food Mill, Freezer Tray, Stackable Cubes or Fill & Freeze Pops.
 

I can't wait to try out all the recipes in the included cookbook, but since we just moved and we were low on produce, I stuck to my kids' all-time-favorite - applesauce!

 All of the pieces that came in the box

 Chop the apple into cubes

 Put cubes in strainer basket (here is where you can use the divider for 2 different foods)

 Put basket in container

 Add water

 Plug it in and steam (my outlets are finicky so I had to use a power-strip)

 All cooked!

 Blend it up

Mmmm - Mommy that's good!

It took me literally 1 minute to wash the bowl and put the product neatly back on my shelf and my kids had a fast, healthy, delicious snack.  Next  up - sneaking veggie puree into our pizza!

Want to learn more?  Check out Nuk/Freshfoods on Facebook!

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May
Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinions on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Recipe: Gluten-Free, Vegan Mac'n'Cheese

When I learned that I could no longer eat dairy, I panicked.  No more creamy comfort foods?  No more mac'n'cheese?!  What was I going to do?  Fortunately, there are some pretty awesome (corn free) cheese substitutes out there and with a little help from the internet, I was able to hobble together a pretty amazing Mac'n'faux-cheese.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Mac'n'Cheese

4 cups dry gf pasta (such as Tinkyada shells)

drizzle olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 tbsp rice flour

2 cups rice milk

7 oz follow your heart cheddar, shredded

5 oz follow your heart mozzarella, shredded

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Heat oven to 350 degrees

1) In large sauce pan, cover pasta with water, bring to a boil, then simmer until al dente.

2) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large pan.  Add onion and sautee until tender.  

3) Add rice flour and stir until well combined.

4) Add rice milk one cup at a time and stir continually, simmering until thickened.

5) Add shredded cheeses and stir until cheeses have melted completely. 

6) Stir in mustard and nutritional yeast.

7) Place pasta in 2 qt casserole dish.

8) Pour sauce on top of pasta and toss until well combined.  

9)  Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned on top.  

*optional: before baking, top with crushed rice crackers or rice breadcrumbs for extra crunch if desired

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chicken Pot Pie

One of my absolute favorite cold-weather comfort foods is chicken pot pie.  It's quick and easy to assemble and chock full of healthy foods.  I've had to modify my recipe to meet my new dietary restrictions but I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  It was incredibly yummy without any wheat or dairy!  Here's how it's done:

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chicken Pot Pie

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 large stalks celery, diced (I'm allergic so I swapped in a big handful of spinach in the photographs below)
2 large carrots, diced
4-5 small potatoes, diced
1/4 cup rice flour
1 cup Basic Onion Broth
1 cup rice or coconut milk (coconut will make a creamier sauce)
Liberal dash each Rosemary, Majoram, Savory, Parsley, salt and pepper (thyme and sage also work well)

1 cup flour (I use 1/2 cup rice flour and 1/2 cup tapioca starch)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp baking powder
cold water

1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Cut up potatoes and carrots

2) Put potatoes and carrots in large pot, fill with water, bring to boil, then simmer 10-15 minutes, until just tender

 3) Cut onion and celery

 4) In large skillet, heat olive oil, then sautee onion, celery (or spinach), peas and herbs/spices until tender

 5) Add flour to veggies in skillet.  Slowly stir in rice or coconut milk and broth and cook on low, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.

6) Meanwhile add flour, baking power and coconut oil to large bowl.  Mash until mixture forms consistency of small peas.  Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time until dough forms smooth ball.

 7) Drain potatoes and carrots and add to creamed veggie mixture.  Pour into 2 qt casserole dish.

8) Roll out dough on sheet of parchment paper and invert on top of casserole.  Gluten-free dough may be fragile, so you may have to patch it.  For a more 'artistic' look, cut dough with cookie cutters and arrange on top of pie.

 9) Bake for 35 minutes, remove from oven, and let stand another 15-20 minutes.  Enjoy!!

Review and Giveaway: Anywayup 360 Cup!

My kids are messy. Really messy. I'm pretty sure we have at least one spilled cup of water at a meal every single day.  However, my kids hate sippy cups.  In their opinion, sippy cups are for babies.  They have sport-top bottles for bedtime, but they won't use those at the table - they want a 'real' cup like Mommy and Daddy have.  Unfortunately, one overly enthusiastic elbow can soak the whole table.  

 Thank goodness for the Anywayup Cup.  These cups look like a big-boy open-top cup, but they include a special valve in the middle to minimize spills.  A child can drink from any part of the rim, but the stopper in the middle prevents water from gushing out if the cup is tipped.  My kids literally have to turn the cup upside down and shake as hard as they can if they want to make a mess.

And thanks to the bright colors and fun designs my picky kids were literally fighting over who got to use the new cup. Our kids preferred not to use the handle, but for smaller children a convenient snap-on handle is included.  And, the cup has a lid to prevent spills and messes while on the go!  

Want to win one of your very own?  Anywayup has generously offered to give away 3 of their 360 cups to Stuff I Love readers!  Just enter on the punchtab form below!

Disclaimer:  Anywayup did provide me with a free cup to review, but I never recommend products I don't personally love.  All opinions are my own.  

Recipe Of The Week: Basic Onion Broth

On my new food-sensitivity diet, two of the foods I can no longer eat are beef and garlic. I have found it next to impossible to find a broth that doesn't contain at least one of those ingredients (or celery which is also on the list).  Plain old chicken stock just doesn't have enough of a 'kick' for me, so I cooked up this basic onion broth to fill out my soup bases and splash in my veggies and casseroles.  It's super easy and so good!

Basic Onion Broth

2 onions, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
liberal dash marjoram
liberal dash savory
(if you can eat them, bay leaves, thyme and sage work well, too)
8 cups water

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low over night (approximately 12 hours).  Strain into a large bowl, cool and ladle into smaller containers to freeze. 

Hellow New Year $200 Giveaway!

Diva Fabulosa is super excited to announce that we have teamed up with a rock star team of bloggers to bring you guys a super fabulous giveaway! With the holidays over, your expenses has probably doubled, we decided to put together a prize that will help you on this new year!

We’re giving away a $200 Amazon gift card OR PayPal cash, winners choice.This is an amazing giveaway, I’m pretty jealous that I can’t win!

This giveaway is made possible by the following co hosts:

Jenn's Blah Blah Blog - What's Up? - Stay at Hone Mom - The Stuff of Sucsess - Stuff I love - Canadian Giveaways - Monica's Rants, Raves and Reviews - Simply Sherryl - Techie She - Travel Pixy

Please take a moment to check their blogs.

Giveaway ends January 20th, 11:59 pm EST. OPEN WW. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below.

Disclosure: This giveaway is open Worldwide, must be 18+ to enter. Winner will be contacted from admin@divafabulosa.com and will have 48 hours to respond to winning email. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. None of the other bloggers in this giveaway are responsible for prize shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Valentines Giveaway!

     


Can you believe that Valentines Day is just around the corner?  Couldn't you use a little swag to make your holiday a little more romantic?  Enter today for your chance to win one of four amazing prize packages to help you spice up your Valentines!

 Prizes: 4 WINNERS
4 Holiday Inn Vouchers for 2 Nights and 3 Days Stay
4 1800Flowers
4 Chocolate Cover Strawberries
4 $50 Applebees Cards

The event dates: 1/7- 1/18

Open to US Only

Sponsored by: Holiday Inn | 1800 Flowers |

Co-Host: Mom Blog Society | Jackie's Reviews | Geeky Gamer Mom | She Informed | Mom Does Reviews | Route 249 | Stuff I Love | As Mom Sees It | Finger Click Saver |

 Make this Valentines Day a Day To Remember. For a chance to win, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. GOOD LUCK  

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Follow @walistambo525 Follow @schwoomsmom Follow @itinbiquecalvo Follow @gustosagiveaway Follow @girlfriendshoes Follow @frugalfollies Follow @momkn4lva Follow @CDNGiveaways Follow @LifesCheap Follow @tyrneathem

Borax Laundry Booster: Review and Giveaway!

I don't know about you, but to me the terms "Laundry" and "Borax" go hand in hand.  As a kid, we always had a box of Borax sitting right next to the detergent in our laundry room.  Mom swore that without it, our clothes just wouldn't come clean.  We had another box under the kitchen sink for making home-made dishwasher soap.  And I even ran across that familiar Borax box in science class when our teacher has us make this super silly goop. 

What is Borax? 

Borax is a 100% natural mineral found in the earth.  It is washed, dried and boxed for consumers.  Nothing is added before marketing - not phosphates, not chlorine - nothing. 

Why use Borax?

Chances are, your home has what's called "hard water" - or water containing calcium and magnesium ions.  When you add detergent to hard water, some of the particles attach to the calcium and magnesium and head straight down your drain without doing a thing to clean your clothes.  20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster naturally softens the water which maximizes cleaning power.  

How do I use Borax?

To make the most of your detergent, ad 1/2 cup Borax to every load along with your detergent.  

Want to win a FREE box of Borax?  Just fill out the simple punchtab form below.   3 lucky winners will receive a coupon for a FREE box of Borax Laundry Booster.  (If you win, be sure to make yourself a batch of goop!)  Good luck!

giveaway open to residents of the US over the age of 18 only

Disclosure: Borax provided a free sample of their product so I could review them.  However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Of The Week: Hug A Bug

Dan Andreasen is one of my all-time favorite illustrators.  My kids beg for his books at bedtime on a regular basis.  We were thrilled when we recently stumbled upon his collaboration with author Eileen Spinelli on the book Hug A Bug. 

This darling story uses short rhymes to tell about a girl who loves hugs.  Not only does she love to give hugs, but she loves to teach others - others who might be a little grumpy - how good it can feel to give someone else a hug.

The illustrations are colorful and charming and Andreasen's characters are typically expressive.  This is one book we are guaranteed to be checking out from the library frequently! 

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Don't Believe The Lies That You Tell Yourself

My parents tell me that I was a happy child in the beginning. Apparently as a toddler I was friendly and outgoing.  But somehow, sometime before my memories begin, I was infiltrated with a damaging lie.  Sometime in my formative years the idea that I wasn't good enough began to seep into my heart. 

I was shy, I was empathetic and I was chubby - a dangerous combination in a public school where kids acted up, teased, and took down the 'little guy' so they could ease their own ache a little.  I don't know if the lies started with them, with the devil or with myself - but I believed them.  I believed that I was ugly.  I believed that I was weird.  And worst of all, I believed that I was unlovable. 
 

Of course I knew that my family loved me - but they had to, right?  I had a few friends, but frankly they often weren't much nicer to me than my enemies.  And the more I believed I wasn't worthy of friendship, the fewer friends I had. 

Eventually, we moved to a new state and started a new school (private all-girls' school).  Even though I met new friends and got involved in activities, I still felt lonely, still felt like a freak.  I felt fat and ugly and awkward and couldn't bear to look a boy in the eyes.  I tried to blend in with the walls, because disappearing was so much less painful than risking rejection.  I thought of myself as someone with few real friends, who would always be a loser.

Even when I starved myself down to 95 pounds, I still felt ugly, still felt like a freak.  I still didn't believe I was worthy of friendship or real love.  I always assumed that I'd end up with whatever guy would deign to be with me, who probably wouldn't treat me well because, fankly, he'd be settling.

And then I grew up.  I met this guy who treats me like a princess and doesn't feel like he's settling at all.  He helped a lot to open my eyes to the truth. 

And, oddly enough, I had my biggest revelation while digging through my boxes of old photos.  Not only was I not nearly as fat or awkward looking as I'd thought, but I wasn't unpopular, either.  I found photos of parties I hosted where 20+ people showed up.  I found photo on photo of myself posing in groups of smiling girls, all of whom I considered to be good friends.  I recently had a boy I knew a long time ago tell me "oh, yeah, I always thought you were pretty, I just didn't ask you out because we were into different stuff."  Wow - boys noticed me?  I had real friends?  I wasn't a freak? 

Everything I've believed for the last 25 years has been a lie!

And worst of all, I was the one lying to myself.  Excluding a few (probably not atypical) instances in jr. high, no one else has ever told me I was fat, ugly, or weird.  In retrospect, the boys who picked on me were, essentially, dipping my pigtails in the inkwell - they were flirting.  The only reason I didn't feel like a part of the group was because I chose to withdraw. 

And most importantly, I allowed these lies to fester because I didn't believe the greatest truth of all.  God loves me.  HE made me worthy.   Nothing I do or don't do can change that truth.  Nothing someone says, nothing I say to myself will ever change the fact that my worth comes from God.  HE will always love me no matter what. 

Sometimes the lies come back.  Sometimes I still feel like I'm worthless.  But those are the moment I decide to change my focus.  I stop thinking about how I feel and start thinking about what I can do.  It's hard to feel like a loser when you're doing something good for someone else. 

So the next time you feel down on yourself, ask yourself this - are my feelings true? or are they just lies I'm telling myself?  So often our self-perception is SO inaccurate.  We don't know exactly how the world sees us because it doesn't tell us.  But we know how God feels about us because HE told us - HE showed us. 

Don't believe the lies.  Believe the truth.  You are worthy, you are loved.  You are good enough!

DIY Holiday Poppers and New Years Goals

Well, December 21 has come and gone and it looks like we're going to live to see a new year after all! 

New Years eve is one of my very favorite holidays. Not only is it the one time of the year that we get to visit with old college friends, but it's a time to celebrate a fresh start and new beginnings.  It's time to set some healthy goals, forgive some old wounds (even those self-inflicted) and reinvigorate important relationships.  

And while our NYE celebration tends to be pretty low key (Railroad Tycoon and Wii anyone?), I still love to make a celebration special.  Some day I'll host a soiree where I can finally wear that perfect party dress.  But this year, I'll settle for a little DIY crafting.

Our kids spend the holiday with Grandma while we're off with our friends - but I didn't want them to feel forgotten.  So I dug into my pile of empty toilet-paper tubes (I love upcycled crafts) and threw together some festive party poppers for my kids to open on the big night.  I want them to know that even if we're not together to ring in 2013, Mommy is still thinking of them.  Here's how to do it.

DIY Holiday Poppers

(also known as party crackers)

Gather: 

 empty toilet paper tubes

wrapping paper scraps (at least a few inches longer than the tubes)

candy or trinkets

ribbon or string

1.  Cut paper scraps so they just wrap around the toilet paper tubes and extend 2" beyond each end.  Tape in place.

2.  Fill tubes with candy or small toys.

3. Tie string around each end of the tube.  

4.  On the big night, untie string or pull on paper until the ends tear off.  

Variations:

1. For a more 'grown-up' look, use leftover scrapbook paper in coordinating colors.  Cut one pattern as above, then fashion a sleeve the exact length of the tube and wrap around the outside.  

2.  Decorate with butcher paper, twine and custom stamps.

3. Use fabric scraps and monogram a paper sleeve.

4. For a "girls' night" fill with mini polish bottles, chocolates and jewelry.  

5. Consider including a small fortune or blessing for the new year inside each popper.  

6.  Up the stakes and create a "grand prize" popper for one lucky recipient. 

The possibilities are endless!!  

After all the celebrating is done, I like to write down my list of goals for the new year.  For 2013 I plan to work toward the following:

1. Get into the best shape of my life.  No more eating disorders (super skinny but unhealthy isn't attractive), no more junk food binges.  I plan to make healthy meals (and not cheat on my new food-sensitivity diet) and get my tush to the gym.  I'm hoping to start dancing again and I am definitely going to work on building muscle.  Who cares what the scale says, I want sexy abs!

2. Spend less money.  There are so many worthy things we want to put our money towards in the near future (private school for the kids, animals for the farm, charitable causes) but somehow it seems like money just vanishes from the bank account.  I'm going to make a very concerted effort to keep tabs on spending and to save save save.  I'll be canceling the subscription boxes, finding ways to DIY any decorating or household wants, swapping for 'new' clothes instead of hitting the stores, learning how to stretch my grocery dollars - and reading every 'frugal' blog I can find (this one is a great start).

3. Get organized and STAY organized.  I am so tired of living in chaos.  I'm tired of toys all over the floor, of overflowing shelves, of helter-skelter kitchen drawers.  In a few weeks we'll be moving to a new house and I'm looking it at a chance to start over.  If I can't find a logical, attractive place for something, it doesn't come in the house.  The new playroom will be organized top to bottom (no more messy bedrooms or toys in the living room).  The office nook will be both immaculate and easy to use (no more bills piling up on the table).  The kitchen will be tidy and logical (no more hunting for the spatulas).  If you haven't read The House That Cleans Itself, I recommend you do it now.  It has revolutionized the way I think about cleaning and organizing and I cannot wait to put that system to work for me.  I'm pretty good about cleaning binges - getting everything lovely and clean for a big event - but inevitably it all deteriorates again in a few days.  This time we'll find a cleaning routine we can stick to, and set up the house so that staying neat is a nobrainer. 

4. Spend more quality time with the kids.  I spend a lot of time with my kids.  I'm with them from the moment I wake up, till the moment they go to bed most days.  But the realization that they'll soon be headed to all day school has thoroughly freaked me out.  It made me stop to take a good hard look at how I use the time I have with my kids right now and I don't like it.  Sure, I'm with them physically - we're always in the same room, sometimes even in the same chair.  But I'm a little ashamed to admit how infrequently I'm really, truly engaged with the kids.  It's more "they play while I cook/clean/finish my book/check my email/get distracted" than "we play/cook/clean/read together."  Which means that they don't get quality Mommy time, and I'm robbing them of important life lessons (learning to cook, learning to clean, learning to read).  It's my goal, once we're moved and organized, to stop 'doing near' and start 'doing with.'  Sure it'll take longer, but they can help me fold that laundry, stir that soup, read the easy words in that book.  I want to have a daily craft that I do with them, not leave them to do while I'm off doing xyz.  Pretty soon I'll be sitting at home wishing they were there to mop the floors and chop the peppers with me while they're off at school.  I'll be wishing they were snuggling in my lap with a book while they're off playing with school friends.  I want to make the most of these moments instead of letting them slip by unnoticed. 

So - those are my new years goals.  Leave me a comment and let me know what's on your list - I really love to hear what other people are hoping and planning for their fresh start!

HNY FB 4

HNY FB 4 - http://www.babystuffilove.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas 

and best wishes 

for a blessed 

2013!