When you put it all together...

So it has been a while since you have seen me....  life seems to be swirling faster and faster as the arrival of little man is getting close!  We have less than 6 weeks left now!  The ultrasound tech estimates his weight at 6 pounds and 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  The doctor doesn't seem to think the same. Haha!  We will see who is right in a few short weeks :)

Though they haven't put me on bed rest yet, I am required to have "horizontal time" every day when little-bit takes a nap (which is awesome for me)! Hubby is helping around the house so much and taking quite a bit of stress off of me.  It is so great to have him around :)

So all the plans I had for my blog has pretty much been put on hold for now and not just because the laptop doesn't fit on my lap anymore (even though it sure makes it harder).  We have finished decorating for little man- which turned out AMAZING!!!!  So I wanted to share the finished product with you.

Isn't just handsome!!! I was so proud when it was finished!!  Hubby did such a good job!  He had to put up a guitar night light for little-man. haha :)  Here is a pic of the paper lanterns.

The total cost for these: $1.25

Here is the bedding.  Total cost for this is: $8

($4 for the bedskirt, $1 for the sheet, $2 for the bumper pad, $1 for the mobile, everything else was given to me!)  We had the baskets a while, even though we found those for free as well!  I am so proud that we ended up spending $9.25  

So we are ready for little-man to arrive now!  I will keep you posted!

Saving Money in Style part 2

Look at these awesome little creations!!! PeePee Teepee's

When we found out we were having a boy, I knew these were the things I had to make!!!  

From what I hear, little boys like the fresh air when changing their little diapers... so much so they like to spray everywhere!  So, some genius out there created these awesome things :)

Now, I will show you how easy they are to make!

Step 1: Find a round object that is between 6-7 inches in diameter to make a paper template cut out.

Step 2: Fold template in half.  Cut one piece of a soft material (i used the material from an old diaper changer cover) and one piece of cute cotton material.

Step 3:  Turn the 2 pieces you just cut towards each other and sew along the curved edges.

Step 4:  Turn right side out- pin and sew close to the edge (still over the curve)

Step 5:  Fold in half so that the soft material is on the outside.  Sew along the unsewn edge.  Then zigzag the edge so it won't fray.

Step 6:  Last turn right side out and enjoy!

Super easy right?!?  I couldn't believe it! I used some material I had on hand (since most of my material is very girly!) so maybe I will make some more with a little more "bright" material.  

For those of you who were wondering, I am now almost 32 weeks preggo with Little man!  I have made it 4 more weeks than when I had little-bit! YAY!  The ultrasound tech believes he is almost 5 pounds and doing great! Have a great weekend!!!

Saving money is style! Part 1

So I know most of my posts have something to do with health, but this week I am going a different route with saving money!

My first project was nursing pads.  If you are or have been a nursing mother you know how much you go through these.  You spend roughly $10 for 60 of them (give or take a few), which equals out to about 17 cents a piece.  And depending on your body, who knows how long that one box will last you!  So I decided to get out my material and sew away!  Here is what I came up with!

I made 5 sets of nursing pads in maybe, half an hour?  It was so easy!!! Now I can use them, throw them in the wash (which using homemade detergent it gets WAY cheaper than buying them), and use them again!  

Here is how I did it

step 1: I used a CD for a template and traced several circles (depending on how many you want to make and how thick you want them.  I used a receiving blanket (3 circles for each pad) and fleece (one circle each)

step 2:  Sew the amount of circles that fits your needs together. I made a few with 3 blanket material with fleece on the other side and a few with just the blanket material.   I used a zigzag stitch around the edges and followed with a straight stitch on the inside of the zigzag.  Trim off extra strings and you are finished!!!  

Here is the different styles I made~

I really couldn't believe how easy they were! You can make them as cute as you want too! I used scrap material I had in my basket and am extremely happy!  Knowing I can make more depending on how thick I need them as well makes me so happy! 

Homemade deodorant!!!

As we are finding out more and more each day, the ingredients in our everyday products we can't read- let alone know what they really are!  One of my concerning products is deodorant.  There are several things that concern me in these products, like the scent (which is NOT natural- so you are putting artificial ingredients straight into your body), dyes, triclosan (which has been know to cause cancer and other problems), and MOST importantly.....  aluminum.  I have no idea why someone out there decided this ingredient should be in a product that you rub into a direct link into your lymph nodes dispersing it through your body?!?  Aluminum has been known to cause Alzheimer's disease!!! It gets deposited into the brain, which is where we find the same results in these patients.  There have also been concerns of the aluminum giving breast cancer.  How concerned are you now???


There are several options for natural deodorants out there now, but when I found this homemade alternative - I had to try!!!


Here is the recipe!


you need a cute little jar :)

6 Tbsp of Coconut oil

1/4 Cup of Baking Soda

1/4 Cup of Cornstarch ( I found a great natural one at Bloom clearanced last night!)

Few drops of tea tree oil  (hubby wanted this so he wouldn't smell like coconuts) 

Here are some pics of the ingredients I used!

cornstarch

 Baking soda

 Tea Tree oil

coconut oil

So have a happy 4th of July!!! And use your new deodorant as you sweat through the weekend! Enjoy!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Fudge

Happy Father's Day weekend!!!

I found this amazing recipe for fudge last night and HAD to try it!  Let me tell you, it took me maybe 5 minutes in preparation!  The taste is awesome! The dishes are few. You don't bake it. The health benefits are unbelievable!  So here we have it!  Chocolate-Peanut butter Fudge


I found this recipe here.  She has tons of other awesome recipes as well! 




1/2 Cup of Coconut oil
1/2 Cup of Cocoa powder
1/2 Cup Natural Peanut butter
1/4 Cup Raw Honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla

*NOTE*  coconut oil is packed with all kinds of essential fatty acid.  If you substitute with butter, please go with organic so you avoid artificial hormones and antibiotics. NEVER use margarine. 
Also, natural peanut butter has no hydrogenated oils in it.  Use it! :)
Lastly, Raw Honey is so amazing!  Very sweet! What you buy in the grocery store is trash compared to this!

Whisk all these together.
Fill about 10-12 paper cupcake linings
Chill in Fridge about 30 min or Freezer for 10 min
Eat and enjoy!
Refrigerate any leftovers- coconut oil start getting softer around 75 degrees

Now take a bite and enjoy!  Have a great weekend!

What a crazy 2 weeks!

So sorry it has been 2 weeks since my last post!  Life has been a little crazy around here! I thought I would fill you in on the craziness you have missed out on! Here we go......

1. Little-Bit now has a HUGE vocabulary
2. Little man was bigger at 26 weeks than Little bit when she was born at 28
3. I am now 27 weeks and still going strong! He will be staying in longer! YAY!
4. My MIL came up for a week and a half to help me prepare for his arrival
5. Little-bit and I now go to the Chiropractor once a week (she is lining my pelvis up for the arrival)
6. I got a one hour prenatal massage and it was wonderful!  I might be begging for another if I go full term
7. I have almost everything to start making the ceiling piece for Little-man's bed!
8. I started using homemade deodorant (hubby too!) and I smell wonderful!
9. I need to sign up for birthing classes since I delivered the weekend we were supposed to attend with the last one.
10. I got this amazing lawn chair at a garage sale that is so easy to lay back!! I am trying to get dark :)
11. We got a Roku box at a yard sale for $10 and it makes Netflix be high-def and we get Pandora too!  I love it!
12. I also got Little-man tons of clothes at a garage sale which includes 2 suits that are Kenneth Cole!  I got about 25-30 pieces (all high end name brands) for $10! Hubby knows how to do it!
13. I got a steam mop for my birthday and LOVE cleaning the floors now!!!! EEEK! It is wonderful!
14. oh yeah, I turned 25.  I don't feel old yet though! :) 
15. Hubby and I went on our first date in 6 months!  It was so romantic! 

I believe that is about all of the excitement you have missed! So, my next post will be on the deoderant!  Life is still a little crazy, so if you don't mind, I will be pushing back our series another week or two!  Thanks everyone!

How I save our family about $25 a month!

It has been crazy the last several days at our house!  It seems like summer has started a whirlwind of activities, company, deadlines, and appointments!  CRAZY


I wanted to share with you a way I found to save our family an average of $25 a month!  It was really quite simple once it clicked with me.

 Little-bit eats Kashi blueberry waffles (no butter or syrup- plain) every morning for breakfast along with a banana and usually a little later a fruit smoothie (including leftover banana, pineapple, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, kale, coconut milk, and sometimes an orange).  I have never been so proud of what my little one eats! :)  Kashi makes a natural waffle with no bleached or enriched flour and harldy any sugar (not high fructose).  Besides my pocket book, everyone was happy!  One day I forgot to pick up an extra box and was left with an empty one- not a happy girl.  I decided to make her pancakes instead.  I called my amazing mother for her recipe and was so excited!  Not only could I make her pancakes naturally, I could refridgerate/freeze them for later uses!!!  Ahh, what a winner!  Now, once a week we make a batch of pancakes (looking for a waffle maker cheap in the meantime) and pop them in the toaster every morning!  I need to make some to freeze for when little man arrives too!  I am guessing this might set me back $5 a month? maybe!


Here is my recipe if anyone is interested!

Mix together

• 1 C flour (I use brown rice flour- it is easily digestible and gluten free!)
• 1 Tbs. sugar (organic- not the refined sugar which your body cannot break down)
• 2 Tsp. baking powder (I use a brand that doesn't contain aluminum- very harmful!)
• 1 beaten egg (organic, cage free, brown)
• 1 C organic milk
• 2 Tbs oil (I use coconut oil- it doesn't turn into a hydrogenated oil once heated and has great fatty acids for your body!)
• Blueberries ( I just pour to my liking)

Once all these ingredients have been mixed together, it is usually a tad runny (from the brown rice flour) so I add some coconut flour.  It has awesome benefits but you have to add a small amount because it soaks up liquid like crazy!  There you have it!  What a simple way to save money!

What are things you use on a daily basis that you could make instead of buy?  I'm sure if you look, you will find that simple solution!

Living a Natural Lifestyle -ideas for topics!

So, after several questions on how I  live a more "natural" lifestyle, I have decided to start a series of posts on the subjects!  I, by no means, have all the answers, but I will let you in on what we have changed in our home and why!  I know this is a very broad subject so I assume it will take several posts.  I believe one post on the subject a week will work quite nicely!  I am open for suggestions on topics you may have questions on or would like more info about! I will do my best in informing you!  If you have a blog on one of my subjects, be sure and put the link in a comment! I would love for your input.  Here are some of the topics I would like to cover

• Cleaning supplies
• Baby products
• In your bathroom
• The foods you eat
• How you cook your food/what you cook with
• Ingredients to stay away from
• Vitamins vs. OTC drugs

Leave me some comments to let me know if there is anything else I could add to my list!  Thanks!

Changing what you use in your home- for the good of your family!

The more research I do, the more I decide to go back to the "pioneer" ways!  It seems our forefathers had busy days of doing everything by hand- something I am learning a thing or two about!  It excites me to think that changing what I use actually saves me money!

I have been thinking of ways to make my home a little more "healthy" for the little ones.   Here are a few things I have changed so far:

• switched to natural products for the little one's skin (I intend on doing a post just for this)
• changed our shower soap to natural (you know you are massaging these chemicals into your body from head to to on a daily basis!)
• bathroom cleaners are now vinegar/water/tea tree oil
• homemade laundry detergent (check out how on this post)
• using vinegar in my laundry instead of dryer sheets
• Our bathroom hand soap is goats milk bars *

They say that you shouldn't have anything in your cleaning cabinet that you couldn't ingest.  Now, I haven't got quite that spectacular, but I am striving to get that way!  It would be very reassuring to know that my family is safe from scary chemicals for good!


*The one thing I am hoping to try instead of the bars is homemade foaming hand soap!  Living Renewed shows you how to do it here!  You need to check out this place! I have learned so much about germs!  I have always been weird about antibacterial, especially in the kitchen, but I have changed my ways! This is an easy step-by step guide!  Go for it!

If there is something you have changed in your household, let us know!  Like I tell little-bit, sharing is caring! :)  Have an awesome weekend!

Link it up for some Giveaways!

If you would LOVE some amazing freebies- here is where to find it! I have signed up for several of them already!

Good Luck!

*Remember when I blogged about taking a few minutes to save you a LOT?  Well, go ahead, find something you like and sign up! You just might be the lucky winner on one, some, or all (let me know how that works for you ;)

Follow Me Wednesday

It's kinda icky outside today... so me and little-bit are getting some much needed housework done. (she makes the mess-I clean it up)  As I write this, she is hollering at me from behind a door she closed- she doesn't understand she isnt tall enough to open it back herself. Oh well....

Thought I would link up today :)
You will find some new faces to chat with and follow!
Enjoy!
Gotta go rescue the princess 

Wonderful weekend

Little-bit wasn't feeling very good this week (round 2 of the ickies in 2 weeks), so this weekend we took it easy.  It was so HOT Friday that we got in the pool for a little while. Yes, I remembered to not have freezing cold water in the pool! ;)

 *Notice the cute little pony tail*

We also found a lizard that looked like a miniature alligator.  It was so creepy looking, I decided that he deserved a pic on here as well.

Later in the weekend, we decided to do some girly bonding.  Yes, we painted our toenails!  It was so fun!  As if I couldn't love her any more...  a rush flows even harder through my heart when she giggled at the matching toe nail polish.  She is such an amazing girl to hang with!  She loves to shop with me, craft with me, exercise with me, and now paint toe nails together! YES!  Here is a pic of our matching toes :)

It is just so awful to see your little one not feeling well and you can do nothing to make it go away!  So we made her as comfortable as possible :)

Have a great start to your week~

Another Giveaway!

Here is a new hand sanitizer that i was recently introduced to!  I haven't got to try it yet.... but, well that's what a giveaway is for, right? :)

Here is the Prefense Hand Sanitizer!

• Kills germs for up to 24 hours
• 100% Poison Free
• Non-Toxic and Safe for Kids
• Alcohol Free
• Active up to 10 hand washings!

She even has the ingredients listed on the page! They make me happy :)

You can win an 8 oz bottle so many different ways, if you just hop on over to mama chocolate to enter!  You know I will be entering!  Good Luck!

My Mailbox (the first post vanished!)

I'm really not sure what happened to this post... So, lets have a take 2!

So this is what was in my mailbox this week.  Tons of freebies!!!

-Coupon for FREE pack of M&Ms
-Coupon for FREE Suave Styling Product
-FREE sample pack of Huggies Wipes
-Free Sheet of Zebra Duct tape (not sure what craft I want to do with this yet)
-Free sample of Degree deodorant plus $1 off coupon for later!
*

I have found several sites on FB that give away things just for entering your address!  I know that I won't receive some of the things I sign up for, but look, it was worth the time just for the things I did receive!  It takes some time to fill out things randomly through out the day, but I find it quite fun when I open the mail box and find more than bills in there! haha :)  It's also a great way to help get coupons! Usually, even if they run out of the product that they are giving away, they will send you a coupon (which you save back for when it is on sale and you find another coupon to go with it!)  This is what I did with the deodorant coupon.  I had a Target Coupon to go with it to make the item about $1!

Show me what kind of freebies you get in the mail!

*sorry about the upside down pic- i tried fixing it! it just wants you to look at it a different way :)

Here is a Giveaway you should enter!

I absolutely LOVE hand sanitizer- like, you have no idea!  It seems like everywhere I turn there is someone hacking their head off or sneezing in my (or my family's) direction!  It is a must-have for any mom out there!  Want to win some???  I thought you might!

Just go to Just Add Java and there are simple instructions how to enter!  She is giving away several different scents!  I can't help but hope that I win ;)

Hope you had a great Friday everyone!

Picking a Double Stroller

It's getting that time where we need to think of what kind of stroller to get.  There are SO MANY to choose from, but so few that fit our carseat we already have!  We have a combi carseat and single stroller right now, but I'm not so sure we want a side-by-side (which is what Combi offers).

The Combi single and double stroller fold up extremely small.  The double only weighs 22 lbs!  The other stroller I have been looking into is the Kolcraft Tandem Double.  Instead of it sitting side by side it sits forward and the seats can turn to face each other!  It's really pretty cool!  This one weighs 40 lbs though!  I know you get cup holders, a larger basket, a few more features (like moving the seats around), but I am just not sure if these things are as important as being able to lift the stroller into the car! haha :)

My other concern was Lyric bothering her baby brother being in a side by side.  She is very curious and I have no idea what could come of this?!?

I would love some feedback on styles of double strollers you have purchased or used!  It sure is a large purchase to not enjoy long-term!

Happy Mother's Day weekend!

Everyone's topic this weekend is Mother's Day!  It is mine, at least!

 I feel like such a blessed mommy!  A year and a half ago I gave birth to a 2 lb 2 oz baby girl after what seemed like an eternity of endless pokes, prods, prayers, and sever preeclampsia.  What a scary time! I feel so blessed when I look back at how little my baby girl was!

It is so amazing that something this small can make a mommy feel so complete!  I just can't wait to see how much more my heart will grow when little man arrives!  I never imagined how much fun I would have with a baby!!!  I LOVE IT! :)

So, Happy Mother's day to all!  Have an awesome day tomorrow!  Take time for yourself and take a pic to capture that moment....  it might not happen again till next mother's day! lol

Spend a Little time, Save a LOT of money!

I was thinking of ways to save money on our grocery bill (aren't we all these days!) and friend of mine sparked an idea in me.  Could I make my own liquid laundry detergent?  Well, it was certainly worth a try!!!  Here are the ingredients I used

-Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda*
-Borax
-1/2 bar of Fels-Naptha Soap
-1/2 bar of goats milk soap
-lavender oil
-5 gallon bucket

*(it HAS to be super washing soda. baking soda or detergent will not work)

This cost me roughly $21 with everything.   I had to buy a bucket (some already have one) and the lavender oil cost $10 (but with 2 babies in the house I wanted it smelling lovely)  If you were to use your own soap in the cabinet and have a bucket, it would cost around $8.  Are you ready to see for how many loads???

Top Loading approx. 180 loads
Front Loading approx. 640 loads

Surprising, right?!?  I was extremely excited since I have a front loading machine!!!  This will last about 6 months at our house!!! YES!

Here is a step by step guide:

Grate your soap and add to saucepan of 4 cups of hot water.

Stir over medium heat till dissolved.

Fill your 5 gallon bucket half-way with hot water and add the soap mixture.  Add 1 cup of the washing soda and 1/2 cup of Borax. Stir until dissolved.

Fill the rest of the way with hot water. Stir, and let sit overnight.  (if you are going to put oil in wait until cooled and add about 30 drops)

This is what it will look when you open the lid the next morning.

The next day stir and fill your laundry dispenser half full of the liquid.  Fill the rest of the way with water.

Totally done!  It was not hard at all.  I know this is going to save our family "loads" of money.. haha

 If you have any questions feel free to comment here! Thanks!

Using your leftovers!

So, today I was looking in my fridge and found a few things I had leftover from different meals this week.  Here is what I found to use

-tortilla shells
-chicken
-salsa
-refried beans
-cheese

So not all of these were "leftovers" per-say, but I had read a recipe somewhere about freezing burritos.  So here is what I did.

I shredded the chicken, mixed the salsa, beans, chicken, and cheese together and made a few burritos.  About 2 chicken breasts and a half a can of refried beans made 7 burritos.

What do you do with 7 burritos, you ask?  Freeze them!  Yes!  I can't wait for that "quick meal" I need to make!  I will let you know how awesome they taste!!!

In Search of the Perfect Little Man design!

So, now that I am 20 weeks preggo, I am super excited to start getting ready for our little man!  I found a bumper that is super cute....  but now I need some ideas for decor to go along with it!  

I'm not one to go with a "theme," I would rather go with accenting items!

Give me your ideas!!! 

This would be the front... I love the pastel green as an accent!  

The pictures really don't do justice how cute it is!

This is the inside.  Note the edges and ties are a navy blue print.

So, here is what I was thinking... Going with the navy blue pattern for a bed skirt and window valance? But, what kind of Framed art with his name (when decide what that will be) and maybe a canvas painting made by an artist I know. ( i would love to hear your ideas on designs!!!)

The bed and diaper changer is white... 

  

I also found this idea from Chic & Cheap Nursery.  Was wondering how hard it would be to make?

There! I believe that is all

Now go brain storm and bring me some amazing ideas!!!

The one to come up with a super awesome like idea will win 

a "sweet surprise"

What does Easter look like to you?

I hope everyone had a great Easter yesterday!!!  Our family thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!  We decided after church to take some pics since we were all dressed up :)  Thought you might enjoy them. 

I began to ponder on everything we have to be thankful for.  What an awesome Savior we have that died on the cross for our sins.  I believe the best part of that story is that after the end of that sentence, it really was NOT over!  It was just the beginning!  I was telling little-bit about the Easter story yesterday and how if Jesus had not died and rose again we wouldn't be able to give Easter baskets to the ones we love.  It began to make me think of what God gave us...  a little miracle. We give thanks every day for what we have been given!  I just want to show you a pic of what she looked like last Easter.

She was born in December at 2 lb. 2 oz, came home from the hospital right before Valentine's at 3 lb, and now a month later here she is on Easter :)  She has already grown up to be such an amazing young lady!  

This made a great start to my week and I hope it helps your Monday out as well! 

This was NO pool party!

Mommy decided to get little-bit's pool out today!  I honestly thought it was hot enough! I couldn't wait to see the reaction on her face (she LOVES bath time!)  She looks so cute in her bathing suit! :)

I forgot about being little and how cold the water was....  Needless to say, I forgot to let the sun warm the pool up for a few hours before playing.  Little-bit was not a happy girl!

She was out of that water faster than I could catch a cute pic! Sorry little-bit!  Maybe tomorrow it will get warmer!  I guess that is how we learn to be great parents...  sometimes you have to learn by the mistakes you make.  i will take this as a great lesson and start earlier next time!

I can't believe I have a 17 month old (almost) and one little man who has been kicking up a storm for 19 weeks now!  What an awesome little family!!!  :)  Now that the shock of having a boy is wearing off, hubby and I are super excited! We just need to hit up some yard sales this weekend! haha