My Top Ten Money Saving Tips

1. First (and most importantly) you NEED to create a household budget. I can't tell you how many times I have scribbled expenses and incomes on sheets of paper. I've crunched numbers. Added and subtracted. This is SO important. You need to be able to SEE how much money is coming in and where it is going. The only way to do this is to write it out. From there, you'll be able to see where you can make cuts.

2. Set an amount and STICK with it! If you are only budgeting $300 for groceries that month. Make sure you keep your receipts. Keep track and try your best not to go over that amount. What happens if you do? Find another category where you might be able to make cuts that month and "borrow" from there.

3. Pre-paid vs. cell phone plan. I switched to Verizon pre-paid and cut my bill almost in half! You're thinking, "There must be a difference!" NOPE.  I have the EXACT same service and plan, but I'm paying half the price. Winning!

4. Don't buy name-brand. Better yet? If you have an Aldi, shop there! We save LOADS of money shopping at Aldi!

5. Check out those sale ads! They come every week in the mail, and we each go through them. Jewel can have some AWESOME sales on fruit and meat. (Yes, surprisingly even less expensive than Aldi! Gasp!) It isn't every week that we find something great, but when we do, it is definitely worth it!

6. Instead of buying movies and books on Amazon, head to the library! We find many great books and movies, and better yet? They're free! If we really enjoyed what we read or watched, we'll buy it!

7. Unplug. That cell phone charger that is constantly plugged in? It is eating up electricity, even when it doesn't have a phone attached to it. We try to make sure we unplug and turn off things when we aren't using them. It saves us quite a bit on our electricity bill.

8. Cheaper is not always better. Buying something because it's cheaper and then having to replace it often is not saving you money at all. Do your research!

9. Cut the cable. Netflix and Hulu are awesome and much cheaper!

10. When you see something you really LOVE, and you just HAVE to have it, jot it down and tell your significant other. It's a great gift idea! Anniversary... Valentines Day... Birthday... Christmas... It'll save you money and give your sweetie the satisfaction of getting you something you love.

There's an Oil for That!

       In a previous post (check it out by clicking the word post), I talked about why I use Young Living essential oils. Today I thought I'd share a few ways that I used them last week! No joke, I use these oils daily. Sometime I diffuse something. Usually I am putting a few on topically. I even ingest them by drinking lemon daily. There are SO many ways to use these amazing little bottles that I just have to share a couple of them!

(No, our garden doesn't look quite like this... but close. ;) I wish...)

       This is the first year we decided to plant a garden. We didn't want to use any harsh chemicals on our plants because we planned on Emma eating some of it. Enter the magical oil...  PEPPERMINT! We didn't want pesky little bugs invading our garden and eating away at our plants that we worked hard on growing so I made a simple recipe that is safe to spray on plants. The CrAzY and cool part about all of this is that the literal minute second that I started spraying it, the bugs were flying like crazy trying to get away! Awesome, right?!
Peppermint Garden Spray
-8 oz or 16 oz spray bottle
-1 cup distilled water
-1/2 tsp. natural soap (I actually used Dawn, and it worked great)
-10-15 drops of Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil
(I doubled my recipe so I could get several uses out of it.)

       Does anyone have a patch of dry skin that will literally NOT go away. It doesn't matter what you try, it just is always there? Ever since my crazy pregnancy hormones showed up last year (and I'm still convince some are just hanging around for the heck of it), I have had the driest (like the desert on a miserably hot day) skin on my face, especially around my eye brows. I can scratch and scratch and the flakes just keep flying. Ew, gross... I made this peppermint (can you tell that I just LOVE this oil?!) sugar scrub to exfoliate my face. I can't get enough of this stuff! Try it out! It is super easy to make!

Coffee Peppermint Sugar Scrub
- glass jar
- 1/4 cup dried, used coffee grounds
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
Mix it all together in the glass jar, and exfoliate away! It smells magnificently beautiful!

Looking for a Little Inspiration

       This week has seemed... Long. It has dragged. I have dragged. I have yet to unpack my bag from a week ago. Clothes are piled everywhere. Emma's room, the spare room, our room, the bathroom. The sheets need to be washed, floors need to be cleaned, toilets need to be scrubbed. The list goes on...

       The week hasn't been a complete "epic fail". I've gotten little things done here and there. I spent time with family. Cuddled with my adorable nephew. Finalized (I think) a tough decision. Laughed with friends over a glass of wine. Brainstormed new ideas for my oils. Took my daughter to the library and read some books.

       Last night, I kept thinking about how I needed a little mid-week inspiration to get my rear in gear. But when I woke up to my crying daughter this morning at 5:45, I realized that I had all the inspiration that I needed. The week wasn't a failure. I was just focusing on the things that I didn't get done. The quote below really hit home...

       This quote is proven true everywhere I look... in my daughter's bright blue eyes, the wall of pictures in my parent's house, my childhood scrapbook, hard-earned college diploma, photos of kids I used to babysit for, memory books from my years of teaching. Moments like the ones I mentioned don't get repeated. Life is made up of those little moments, and if you blink (or in my case focus on what I didn't get done), you miss it. You miss life. That is all the inspiration I need.

Favorite Recipe Monday

       The four o-clock hour is approaching. Your kids are crabbing. The laundry is split between the floor, washing machine, and dryer. You quickly open the washing machine lid so the clothes don't smell later otherwise your efforts will be for nothing. (Did I mention that on days like this laundry is the first thing on the FOREVER long list of things to do?) Missed naps, dishes in the sink, still wearing your yoga pants and lacking a shower... it is one of THOSE days.

       At this point, the crock pot is obviously out of the question. You are kicking yourself for not prepping a crock pot meal last night or early this morning while the kiddos were sleeping. (Maybe For sure tomorrow!) You stare into the pantry and refrigerator, and your mind is drawing a blank... Sound all too familiar???

       I will share a favorite recipe of mine. It is pretty simple. Keep it on the back burner for days like the one that I just described! Even if my house is a disaster, and my daughter is fussing when my husband gets home, I at least feel like I accomplished something if I pulled off a semi-decent dinner. :)

Bruschetta Chicken

You will need...
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I have to skip this yummy ingredient because I'm lactose intolerant- yes, it sucks.)
- 1/4 cup crushed garlic croutons (If you don't have any, you could use bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes and season them with garlic salt.)
- 1 tbsp. butter, melted
- 2 large tomatoes
- 3 tbsps. basil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (approx. 1 tsp.)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking dish. Place flour & beaten eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken into flour, then into eggs. Place in baking dish. Then combine Parmesan cheese, crushed croutons, & melted butter and sprinkle onto chicken. Loosely cover with foil, and bake for 30-40 minutes. (or until top is browned and chicken is cooked through) Chop tomatoes and combine with basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt & pepper. Spoon the mixture over the cooked chicken and bake for 5-7 minutes. I served my chicken with salad and toasted garlic ciabatta bread.

       Enjoy! :)

Life with Essential Oils

       It all started about a year ago. I was pregnant with my daughter and majorly stressing over being responsible for a little life. I was all of the sudden way too aware of the harmful chemicals/substances in... well... just about everything! From food, to shampoo, to household cleaning products... Scared this new mama!

       A friend and co-worker had been using and talking about these "essential oils." I just thought, "A new fad... it'll pass. They can't possibly work." (My dad is a pharmacist, and I can name (and pronounce!) more drugs than most people.) But then she kept sharing and sharing, and I started listening. As the school year dragged on, I noticed that she was hardly taking any days to stay home with sick kids. She also talked about how she loved cleaning with her oils, and how amazing they left her house smelling. I started asking her questions...

       Fast forward to today. I bought a kit from her and decided that I wanted to share these awesome oils with my friends and family so I became a distributor. People often mistakenly think that it is just another mlm company, and I am in it to "get rich." So. Not. True. I am still learning A LOT about my oils, but I can tell you that, without a doubt, I do not regret buying my kit, and we use these oils every day! My purpose in distributing these oils is to help others like my friend/co-worker helped me. I want my friends and family to live healthy, happy lives!

       In what ways do I use them?
          1. I clean with them! (Thieves/Lemon/Thieves Cleaner/Purification are game changers when it comes to cleaning!)
          2. I diffuse them to freshen the air and create different environments. When I'm feeling groggy after a rough night of sleep, I might diffuse Citrus Fresh or Lemon/Peppermint to help rejuvenate me. If Emma is out of sorts or I am stressed/overwhelmed, I might diffuse Lavender, Stress Away, or Peace & Calming to create a relaxed environment.
          3. I use them topically for the same reasons that I diffuse them. I also use them in a lip/body scrub. (take that dry skin!) I mix with coconut oil to help with Emma's diaper rash. So. Many, Ways...
          4. I ingest them. Lemon water anyone? (amazing for scratchy throat!) Peppermint brownies? (YUM!) (When ingesting, remember to ONLY use therapeutic grade oils. I only use Young Living which I'll explain below. NOT all essential oils are created equal. Some are NOT safe to ingest!)

       I did some research, and the only company I feel good about getting my oils from is Young Living. What are essential oils anyway? Essential oils come from different parts of plants. These plants are grown, harvested, distilled, and bottled. Why Young Living? They are the only company with a "Seed to Seal" promise. What does that mean??? They monitor their oils from the moment they are seeds to the seal that goes on the bottle! Every part of the process is completed under the company's watchful eye. They are tested according to their high standards and even disposed of if the oils fail to meet those standards! (Now that is something I can feel good great about!)

       Watch for some fun posts about how I use my oils and crafty recipes in the future! :)

Breast or Bottle, Oh My!

     We have all heard that sound before... The ear-piercing sound of a hungry, screaming newborn. They act like they have never been fed before in their lives. Early on, it seems like you hear it every 2 hours... around the clock... Sleep? Totally overrated. But my oh my, what is best? Bottle? Or breast?

     It has been a heated debate for years! A lot of tears, arguments, and mommy shaming later, I feel like we are still in the same spot. (despite Simlilac's "Sisterhood of Motherhood" campaign)

I'll give a little background about myself. I was breastfed for a short while, but I did not grow up in an environment where we discussed breast vs. bottle. My mom and grandma weren't huge advocates for either. A baby gets fed. It is that simple. When I got pregnant with Emma, and I set up our baby registry, I included a breast pump and all of the supplies needed without really thinking about it. I thought, "Of course I am going to breastfeed! It is what is natural, and it is cost effective. Yes and yes. Sign me up!" Little did I know that it was a bit more complicated than that... (for me) I honestly did not start freaking out about it until my sister had her baby 2 months before me. (Good thing I signed up for that breastfeeding class!) I agonized over positioning and yes, I practiced with a doll... I worried about supply, a correct latch, and the number of wet diapers. I bought lanolin and coconut oil because I was scared to death of cracked and bleeding nipples.

    January 2015... my daughter arrived! Yes, breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world, but you still have to work at it. A Lot. The latch wasn't great at first which resulted in redness, followed by some tenderness, that eventually turned into cracked and bleeding. (coconut oil and cool soothies to the rescue!) The lactation consultant that I saw was a true gem and worked with me until we got into a good groove. Then came the complications... A lump... thought to be a clogged duct, but several appointments later, (and eventually surgery) it was discovered to be a fibroadenoma. But before that discovery, I tried some of the CrAzIeSt things to unclog that thought-to-be-clogged duct. I won't even go there. Fast forward 2 months... I go back to work, and BAM! nursing strike! (Wait, what? Those exist? You bet ya, my friend! I googled it extensively.) I joked that my daughter joined a boob union and went on strike, but that was to hide my pure frustration and guilt. I cried a lot. I felt like I had failed. Back to trying the CrAzIeSt things to get my baby to latch again which resulted in more failure and frustration and lots and lots of tears. (post-pregnancy hormones don't help)

     My solution? Exclusively pumping! I thought, "Wow, it won't be so bad! Now other people can feed my baby too!" It was great! For a few weeks... But then I started hating despising my breast pump. I described it to my husband as a hatred that ran so deep, that I wanted to throw my pump out of the window of the Willis Tower and watch it explode into tiny, little pieces. (I'm almost positive that he debated getting me psychiatric help but then remembered the hormones) I kept it going for 2 and 1/2 months. I ate oatmeal, lactation cookies, drank Mother's Milk Tea (love it now!), took Lactation Blend, ate flax seed, fennel oil... you name it, I did it! It did wonders for my supply and my baby! But then I was just exhausted, physically and emotionally, and I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore. Enter mommy guilt! Breast is best, right?

     Wrong! While breast milk is WONDERFUL for your baby, a crabby and weepy mommy isn't. It is more important that your baby has a happy and healthy mommy to cuddle her. (or him!) I decided that pumping was just not worth it for me. In the end, it wasn't what was best for me or my baby. We asked her doctor about formula and did a little research. Formula is just as wonderful for babies, and as I mentioned earlier, it is simple, the baby gets fed, and that is what they need to be happy and healthy.

      Two months of nursing and two and a half months of pumping... Each month filled with its own set of joy, worries, comfort, tears, complication, and victories. Did I mention earlier that I had a spirited daughter? Strong-willed would be another term. Just as I was about ready to wrap up my school year and transition to formula, BAM! she started nursing again. Just. Like. That. What a stinker.

      Our journey has not been easy, but I have learned so much.  Formula = healthy, happy baby.....Breast milk = happy, healthy baby. We are all doing what we think is best for our babies, and that is what is truly important.

I Wanted You More Than You'll Ever Know...

 ..."so I sent love to follow wherever you go." 

       I read the pages of that book over and over to my daughter. Nancy Tillman really has perfected the art of writing sweet books that make hormonal mommies cry. (not that that is difficult - just ask my husband) I can't imagine what thoughts are running through the mind of my 6 month old. I'm pretty sure she just thinks her mommy is crazy. Oh well, she'll think that eventually I guess.

        Becoming a mom was something that I always wanted. I guess you could say that it was on my bucket list? Man, was I in for a surprise! I was so miserable during that last month of pregnancy. I just wanted to hold and cuddle my baby girl instead of having her kick my bladder every five minutes. Fast forward a few weeks... I remember coming home from the hospital and thinking, "Now what?" This tiny person can't do anything. (except for eat, sleep, and poop - a lot) She can't talk to me. She can't laugh or smile at me.

I'm being very real when I say that those six weeks were the hardest thing I have ever experienced. 

But no one tells you that. Why? I'm convinced it's why no one talks about childbirth. We'd have a population crisis on our hands because no one would be having children. I beat myself up a lot those first few weeks. Becoming a mom was something that I always wanted so why was I not easily falling into the role? 

        It took some time (and a lot of poopy diapers, sleepless nights, and breast feeding complications) to find my our groove. I looked for the good in every day, dressed my daughter up, put a bow in her hair, visited as many people as I could, snapped a lot of photos, read sweet stories to her, and sang/cuddled her to sleep. I'm a far cry from the mommy I pictured myself to be. (yep, I totally lick the pacifier instead of washing it if it falls on the floor) But I love my daughter deeply and more every single day. And those first six weeks? They sound like forever, but you blink and they're over, and you feel like a normal human being again. (sometimes) I'll blink again, she'll be walking, and those first six weeks will be a distant memory. 

 "You are my angel, my darling, my star, and my love will find you wherever you are."