Sign of Chirstmas

Our kids love the movie ELF! To be honest, I love it too. They ask to watch it everyday, but we have to pace ourselves since we still have a couple weeks til Christmas. There are so many funny parts, this is just one that I picked for today!

The Luvs Challenge

**All information is solely MY opinion

You all know that I am a fan of the Luvs diaper. I recently decided to take the Luvs challenge to give some specifics of why I luv them. After getting a pack of Luvs diapers and another name brand diaper I am more convinced that there is ABSOLUTELY no need to pay $3.00-$7.00 more for diapers. I mean really, they are made so that a child can relieve themselves (it's gross if you really think about it).
All of my kids are small framed (Lord only knows who past that along). They never got those adorable, lovable rollie pollie legs that so many babies get. After working through the diapers from both companies, I am more convinced that Luvs is the best diaper to put my child in. Here is why:
1. They have less bulk- when wet they don't get that saggy bulge that swings between his legs when he walks around.
2. They fit snug, but not too tight around this little legs and bottom.
3. They are VERY absorbant. I have never had a leaky Luvs diaper, even after a long 12 hour sleep. I have had to get up in the middle of the night with other diapers (on several occasions) because little Andrew had leaked all over his crib sheets, and pjs- not fun!
4. The price! We bought the other brand diapers on sale and compared to the LUVS full price, and the other brand was still .3 more expensive per diaper. Why would I pay that much more per diaper if I didn't need to?

I love this diaper. I love the cost. I love the guarantee that the company offers to give a full refund if you are not happy with the product. There was a company that we were not happy with back when Jacob was a baby and we emailed the company about it, they came back at us that it was probably because our child's hips were odd shaped...what? Needless to say, we have never bought any of their products again. Thanks LUVS for keeping my 3 kids dry over the years. You have a great product at a great price! And I can guarantee if I have any more children, LUVS is all they will wear.

You had me at FREE!

Now that Brenton works for a large corporation, there are a few perks, one of them being various discounts!!! I am a sucker for a discount, so when we heard that we could get a discount on our cell phone bill, my ears perked up. After 2 days of comparing, negotiating, and researching we decided to stay with our provider, T-mobile. This is the first company I signed up with 8 years ago when I got my first old school Nokia phone and I have always been satisfied with them. So when we started thinking about leaving we both got sad about it. I called one last time to find out what kind of corporate discount they could offer, and I tried to get a phone at deeper discount than they were originally offering.
When the very friendly and energetic woman I was speaking with seems eager to keep us as customers, she decided to transfer me to another department to see what they could do for us. Again, the man was friendly, funny, and extremely helpful. He offered to give us 2 free Razors if we stayed with them!! YEA- that's the phone I wanted and now I got 2 for FREE one for each of us!!! I told the man he had me at FREE! He followed by laughing and saying he felt like Tom Cruise. Now it will be a battle of who gets the pink one in our home. Way to go T-mobile with your customer service, positive attitudes, and showing genuine concern for keeping long time customers. We will probably be lifers and will definitely be referring people.

Dear Santa

I have had my eye on this item for a while now. It's officially on my Christmas list since all money earned will be going towards a new garage door ($800). I was hoping to purchase it myself, but I will need to wait. Does anyone have one? I can't seem to find a consumer report on it, but it looks handy for doing quick pick ups. It's the Dirt Devil cordless broom vac. With the kids and a wood floor, I need to sweep it daily and then I dust bust up the crumbs, this is a 2 in 1 time saver and back saver for me- slick! ( I want the red one!)

Girls rule, Boys drool

"Girl's Rule, Boy's Drool" or "Second place is the first loser...NO FEAR!" were what the shirts that wore as a girl said, but the goodyblog discovered these, and I believe from Isabelle's personality she will be wearing these; "Doctor, Not Diva" and "President, Not Princess." Can't complain, they have a great self confidence and self esteem message. Check out the website, they have a lot of cute things for babies, toddlers, and kids.

An adoption story

Being adopted myself, I always get a warm fuzzy as I read or hear people's stories and journeys of making it through the adoption process. I think adoption is great! I was sent this from a friend of mine today, if you are interested check out their story, I think it's pretty neat.

D.E.A.R

When I was a teacher, we had DEAR time in our classroom. It stands for Drop Everything And Read. Last night I was tired and there was work to be done around the house, but I decided to drop it all and read my Parent's magazine that I got over a week ago and haven't gotten around to yet. I've read other parenting magazines, but this one is my favorite for many reasons. Typically I can flip through a magazine in 10 minutes, but after 30 minutes I hadn't even made it through half. There was so much to read. They were not long articles that I was reading, it was a tidbit here and there and some more lengthy articles, but I thought it was all good. I think everyone should check it out. There are barely any adds, lots a great parenting advice, cute stories, party ideas on a budget, receipes that the whole family will love, decorating tips, seasonal ideas, and much much more! Also, I found a new blog that I plan on frequenting often. It's the called the .
I would be willing to say that if you don't like it I would refund your money, but I'm not going to do that for the fact that I might get scammed! Just check it out- let me know if you like it!.

My kids love it

All of my kids love to listen and watch other kids sing. We first purchased one of these Cedarmont Kids DVDs when Jake was a baby, and he loved it. We recently started playing them for Andrew and he loves them too. He stands a couple feet away from the tv dancing and clapping. The continue to sing the songs throughout the house and in the car because they love it so much. You can find them at most Christian book stores with a wide range of titles. You can also bring them along in the car and sing together as a family, I admit, Brenton and I find ourselves wanting to listen to them sometimes too.

** If you are a new parent, you might think you are going crazy for a bit because your kids will want to watch and listen to it over and over and over. You will learn like it as well, for if no other reason than because it keeps them occupied and quiet for a while.

Super Why!

Jacob has been watching this for a week or so, but this morning I sat and watched it with him. I LOVE it! It's interactive, educational and positive. All the kids are tunned into the show and participating by answering the questions the characters ask. It's technologically (is this a word? :)) current as Super Wy ( boy with green eye thingy) carries around a gadget that looks a lot like a video ipod. The show is all about these 4 kids that have super educational powers. They all come together to solve a problem, and they look in books to find their answer. They talk a lot about letters, sounds, and words. I am very excited about the kids getting into this. Check it out on PBS in the morning or on channel 17 in evening.

Favorite quote

Rarely do I read or hear a quote that I feel is worthy to hold on to. However, on the Reston blog this quote hit very close to home...

Tell me and I'll forget,
show me and I'll remember,
involve me and I'll understand.

If anyone know where this is in Proverbs, please let me know. I am unsure of who is speaking and to whom, but this is speaking to me and being a mom. I forget everyday that I get to teach and involve my kids into learning and understanding the world around them. I think I have missed many opportunities to involve them so it really sinks in and so that they do understand. In selfishness, busyness, and impatience, I just tell them things and expect them to get it. I need to put this on my bathroom mirror or fridge, so I can be reminded all the time of what it takes to lead and teach a child to a deeper understanding.

Bawl baby

This past week Andrew and Jacob were down and out with a stomach bug, so that meant, not a lot was going to get done around the house. Andrew was being a cuddle bug, not wanting to be alone, so that meant I was stuck on the couch holding & cuddling with him (oh bummer ;). As we were flipping through trying to find something to watch, we came across the classic, Little House on the Prairie. I loved that show as a child! Jacob was totally into it since he loves horses. I didn't however remember all the emotions that the show is filled with. I was a big bawl baby crying through most of the episode. I was crying one minute for Caroline's expressions of losing here baby girl, Carrie in a well shaft, and the next minute crying because Charles got to the daughter before well collapsed and she was ok. Wow, I get choked up just thinking about it. I do admit, it seems that I can cry at a drop of a hat ever since I've had children, but that's an entirely different post. So, now that I know Little House on the Prairie is on everyday at 3p, we might be making it a daily routine to get our fill of the simple life.

New to me

Yesterday I experienced two new places that I wish I would have discovered earlier. I have heard of both before, but never ventured in to either. First, Jacob needed a haircut, and I have heard people rave about the Kid's hair. I never wanted to pay the extra $4.00 that it is when he could get it cut in town. Well, I now see why it's worth the $4.00. Usually when Jacob gets his hair cut it's a long drawn out discussion about how he will act. Then we get there and he freezes up like a deer in the headlights before latching onto my leg and screaming that he doesn't want to get his hair cut. Those days are gone. He did awesome at Kid's hair! They have a tv, toys and video games to keep kids occupied and distracted from what's really going on. There are many fun colors and things around- it's a must do again stop. If you want to check it out visit their
website and get a coupon for $2.00 off your first visit.

After the hair cut, I earned 8 FREE meals at Let's Dish with my Tupperware Director. This place is amazing!!! I want to go back sometime with friends or mom and mother-in-law. It's relaxing and fun! If you've never been, then you have to try it. I made 8 meals and each meal feeds 6! So, I split most of them because I know they are things the kids won't like and then there are more meals from Brenton and I. Everything is prepped for you, you just dish up the food into freezer bags and tins. Then they clean everything up for you- AMAZING! It took me about 2 hours to prepare all of that. The meals all look delicious- I can't wait to cook them. My director goes their often and has compared prices with what she would spend at the grocery store and she says it's VERY competitive. I love knowing that we can have healthy, delicious meals that will take little to no effort on my part. It's difficult preparing a good meal when you have little ones tugging on your legs. Check it out if you can, I don't think you will be disappointed.

The French Open

It's such a good time of the year for sports! Tomorrow is the championship game for the men's French Open. And next weekend is the US Open (golf). I am cheering for Rafael Nadal tomorrow. He will be taking on Roger Federer. Nadal has won the French Open the past 3 years. Last year in the finals he played Roger Federer as well. It's very exciting, it should be a great match. The bummer part is that it's right in the middle of church. So, I will more than likely miss most of it.

I wish I still played tennis. It's so much fun, and a great workout. I hope as the kids get older it's an activity the whole family can play. It's rather inexpensive too. Once you get a racket, balls and shoes you can play for free. If anyone wants to hit the court, let me know.

Coming soon

I got this link from my sister-in-law. It looks like it's going to be a great site when it's complete. I am always looking for helpful resources for my kids, and I will checking back with this one for sure. There is helpful information from infant through high school. It's called Minnesota-Parents know.

I Luvs 'em

I have always been a full supporter of Luvs diapers for my babies. They give the best protection and they are the cheapest besides the generics (which always leak). As a new mom, back 3 years ago, I do admit that I spent the big bucks on the brands like Pamper and Huggies. I loved the little stretchy tabs and the cute cartoons on them and I thought they were the best. Then, I discovered Luvs and I have never gone back. Well, today I opened up a new pack of Luvs diapers and to my pleasant surprise, Luvs, now has the stretchy tabs too!!!! I feel like we now have the Cadillac of diapers!

Delicious

This weekend I tried some delicious and healthy salad dressing. It's Paul Newman's Seasame Ginger Salad dressing. It is so yummy!!! I had some chopped up romaine lettuce, chicken, and some Asian noodles and almonds with some dressing on it. I was hooked. I am a person that is very picky about things that are light or fat free. I loved this dressing. You don't need a lot because it is so flavorful, but if you did it would be ok, because it's not so fatty like other salad dressings. I just found out they have it with the McDonald salads so I will no longer be ordering the fries and burgers, I will be going for the Seasame Ginger salad. If you like Asian foods, you MUST try this. I think it would be a great marinade too- I will let you know how it tastes.
Nutrition Facts:

Serv. Size 2 Tbsp (30g)
Servings about 16
Calories 35
Fat Cal. 15

*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Amount/Serving % DV*
Total Fat 1.5g ________3%
Sat. Fat 0g ___________0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholest. 0mg _________0%
Sodium 390mg _______16%
Total Carb. 5g ________2%
Dietary Fiber 0g ______0%
Protein 0g
Sugars 4g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 2%

Selling season is near!

I saw a sign today in Monticello that said the City Wide garage sale day is May 5th! Mark your calendars- it could be one of my favorite days of the year.

I have been wanting to see this movie since I heard it was coming out. I loved the book, and even worked behind the scenes of the play done in our town when I was a kid. Yesterday, when I heard it was suppose to snow again, I rented Charlotte's Web for us to take up some time. The kids really liked it because they love farm animals. I thought it was ok. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. It was really slow moving, and the animals talked with this monotone soft voice which was tiring and creepy, not that animals talking isn't creepy enough. I think the main reason I didn't like it was because the spider (Charlotte) was so nasty looking. Spiders are so gross. I'm not afraid of spiders, I will kill them with pleasure, but they are really ugly to look at, and I didn't like looking at her. I did however like the innocents and sweetness of the story. I liked watching the movie with my kids and talking to them about being a good friend-like Wilber and Charlotte, how to take care of animals, and feelings that people have when they are sad from someone dying (oops I hope I didn't give anything away). It was nice to have a completely "clean" movie. If you haven't seen, I would recommend it, just prepare for yourself for the ugly spider.

Sign of spring!

The race is on... The golf season is underway. I am not normal, I realize that most people don't care about golf, and some would would rather watch paint dry than watch golf on tv, but I love it!!! I love to play, watch on tv, or attend tournaments live. I guess it comes from being in a family of all golfers. We would go out as a family from as far back as I can remember. To start, I would only get to putt, then as I got older, I got to bring another club, usually my 5-iron. From there, we started going to the par 3 course and eventually I was the captain of the high school golf team. I also can't forget that my brother was and is still heavily into golf, so I would get great advice and lessons from him. I'm not very good anymore, it's not like riding a bike, it is something you start losing skill in if you don't continue to practice. It's fun that Brenton also likes watching and playing, I know that there will not be any objections to laying on the couch Sunday afternoons to see the final round of the current tournament. I get excited just thinking about it!!! We hope to someday enjoy it together in a league or leisurely, when the kids are older, of course. I hope that at least one of the kids get into golf, if not all of them. The whole family could go out and play together- wait... that seems a little pricey, I might need to rethink that thought! This weekend you will find us at home enjoying the Masters tournament- GO TIGER or Phil!

Anyway

This was added to my ipod today- I really like it. check it out- Who doesn't love Martina???


Download now Martina McBride lyrics and videoclips on Lyricspy