Getting ready for Baby

I can't say I have really done anything yet to get ready for baby #2. I'm starting to get a little anxious to get things ready, but I'm waiting to find out if it will be a little boy or girl. We also have had a lot come up in December that made it a very busy and expensive month.
We have our ultrasound on December 31st, which we will be finding out the sex. If the baby is a girl I plan on re-using B's white crib and dresser. We then will purchase a big girl bed for her along with a new dresser. If baby #2 is a boy we will buy a new crib and dresser. Bailey's crib, which is a 4 in one will then be used as a head board and foot board for her big girl bed. I highly recommend spending the extra money for the 4 in one crib. Starts out as a crib, then converts to a toddler bed, a day bed, finally full size bed with a head and foot board. Instead of having a crib that you only use for a few years you can re-use it for many years as a regular size bed.

Our current crib that I love:
It's very durable, cute, and reuseable.


Here is the site where I ordered B's crib. The prices are great and there is free shipping!!
CSN Baby

Things still needed for Baby:

Move Office-- To make room for Baby's room
Paint
Furniture
Rocker
New closet organizer

We don't really need much more then that. Since this is not our first. I still feel like there is so much to do!

When it rains it pours!

Let's just start out saying that "When it rains it pours!" pretty much sums up our December.
So December has been a big financial month for us, not really so much for Christmas. I have had our gifts bought in November, luckily. We have had a lot of things that have come up with our rendals and our vehicals.

Here's the list:

New furnance - Rental
New Frig - Rental
Replace blinker - Car
New Tires - other car
New Door - Rental

Not to mention it's Tax season... So 3 property tax payments will go out the door next week.

Good thing we had an emergancy fund for some of the random things that came up. Bad new's is we have to start again to reach our goal.

Another year older...

So yesterday I turned another year older. Although I don't feel older (I say this every year to my husband and he gets so frustrated.), I'm not liking the sounds of the numbers I'm into. I actually feel pretty young, which I guess you could say is a good thing. Last night I looked back on my life thus far and am surprised by many things. I never thought I would get married when I was younger and now I am. I even made a pack with a best guy friend that if we both were not married by the age of 28we then would marry each other. I believe I got married first. (I think we got it from My Best Friends Wedding.) I didn't think I could have kids, but I think that is a female thing. I have had the opportunity to travel so much when I was younger with my parents. I really can't complain about things too much growing up. Looking back at my high school years, freshman to senior year I had changed so much. Some of the changes being good, some I hope my kids don't do, but then again you have to experience life. I have some great friends. College was one of the best times of my life. It was great to have so many people around to hang out with. There was never a dull moment. I would have to say I loved the many guys there were to look at! Looking back at the bad luck I ran into or struggles I had faced it has always turned out for the better. I was laid off twice before I was even 26 years old. Each job I got after was a even bigger jump in my career. I have a great husband and daughter who make me laugh daily. These are some of the thoughts that had gone through my head yesterday and I'm very Thankful for it all. Every bump, every good thing, everything bad.

Life: It just makes us who we are today.

Congratulations!!

I am so happy to hear that a great friend of mine is expecting a baby. I can't put her name here because she has not spread the word yet. She told be late last week. I'm so happy to share my stories and listens to hers while going through our pregnancies together.

Congratulations to a great couple!

Just a note... she had had some issues before getting pregnant. At one point was told she may not be able to have children or have a slimmer chance than the average female. So this is very very good news. I'll post more about the issues when it's official announced.

How's that E Fund coming along...?

A while back I talked about starting an E Fund. Well with hard work and automatic transfers we are almost there.
An E Fund is an Emergency Fund that you put money in to save for the future. It can go towards a unexpected expense that may come up. If you or a significant other is laid off from work this account could be used to live from. You can set your own goals and what you would use the fund for. Our goal was 3 months worth of living expenses. It's a great feeling to know that if somethings comes up you have the cash to pay for it. No worrying about where the money will be coming from and stressing about it. It's always a great idea to save. You never know what may come up in your life.

Here is how we got to this point:

1. Rentals - The rental property we bought a few years ago have been one of the best investments we have started.
2. Cable - This past summer we cut out the cable bill. We went with out for 6 months. All this money went into our e fund.
3. CC - We had one credit card balance that is now paid off. It was used for small things that added up when we bought our house. Most of that money is now going to savings and our e fund.
4. Pay with CC - We have been paying almost everything with our credit card. The balanced is paid off fully every 2 weeks or sooner. This has allowed us to see what we are spending all of our money on and we have earned free gas, gift cards, and a book light (a gift for Isaac).
5. Automatic Payments - Over the past year I read the Automatic Millionaire and realized we needed more automatic savings. Since these have been set up we have increased them several times. The money is gone from our account before we know we have it. I love Automatic!
6. Bargains - I rarely pay full price for something. Everything will go on sale at one point or another. If it's not on sale I will use a promotion code or coupon to get the price lower. This really ads to savings.
7. Determination

Organic Clothing.... Is it worth it?

While on a shopping trip last weekend to get a few in-between clothing items (pre-pregnancy clothing till maternity clothing) I found that Kohl's now carries organic baby clothing. The items were pricey, but I have not found organic clothing that is not. They were adorable though. So the question comes up… Is Organic clothing worth the price?

The cotton is as pure as cotton can get. It’s is also said that organic cotton is softer, which tends to be more comfortable next to your skin. Standards are said to be set higher in the work place. No child labor is accepted.

I will most likely purchase organic baby clothing or organic clothing in the future. Some questions I wonder and will most likely have to experience on my own are…
Do organic clothing last longer?
Are they as soft after they are washed?

I’m hoping these will become more of a standard in the future so they lower in price. For the time being I plan to purchase a few items and slowly add to our clothing collections. Balancing quality within our financial means.

So you will have to answer the questions for yourself. Is it worth it?

Juggling

We constantly are juggling through out life.
We are constantly jugging our family, friends, children, a career, a significant other, and so many more. What is often forgotten is OurSelves.
I tend to do this. I worry about others first, I come second. In most cases it is fine with me, but there are those days or times when we need some balance. I have found this in yoga. I don’t know what I would do without it. There is something that connects your mind, body, and soul. I inherited from my father the ability to not take the time to relax. I feel like I need to do 101 things in a day. Yoga has really helped with being able to relax and get centered with myself. I recently had to give up my current yoga classes because they are not prenatal. There are some positions while being pregnant that you should not do. For example, a reverse boat pose. These put pressure on you stomach. Hopefully I will be able to find a new class that works with our families schedule, but it not I have found a few back up plans. Recently while at Target (One of my weekly visits, yes I feel I have an addiction.)… I stumbled upon a yoga series. The ones that most interested me were the Prenatal Yoga along with Mommy and Baby Yoga. My daughter does not know exactly what yoga is, but she has a mean downward dog. One day I came home from work very stressed from a long work day. In the living room I decided to do a few poses to relax. One of the poses was a downward facing dog. My daughter first laughed, and then joined in. She thought it was so funny she laughed while in the pose. She continues to surprise us while we change her diaper. Yes I said it. She has a dresser in her room that we put a changing table pad on top of. While trying to put the new diaper on she will squirm away and say, “goga” then bare butt in the air a perfect downward dog, what a way to forget about stress in a day.

What do you do to relieve your stress, relax, and enjoy yourself?

If you are not familiar with Yoga here are a few of the poses I mentioned earlier.




What an adorable picture!!

Great News!

A little over a month ago my husband and I found out that we are expecting another baby. We could not be happier! This is something that we have been talking about for awhile and are very blessed that we are able to have another child. We always said we wanted to keep our children close in age, so I think this will be the perfect timing.

It's very exciting for us both, but at the same time hard when you think of close friends and family who have been wanting a child for years, but do not get the opportunity. What do you say... what not to say... It's not easy, but at the same time you have to live you life and they have to live theirs. I still can't answer these questions. There probably is not a good answer either way.

One thing that is hard in the beginning of a pregnancy is what is commonly called morning sickness. I personally don't feel this is the best term since I rarely have been sick in the morning with either of my pregnancy. I get sick nightly. Morning sickness effects each individual differently. Some are given medication because the sickness is so bad. Others never feel the effects of morning sickness. This past week I have been sick every night. Going to bed between 6:30-7:30 has been a standard practice. I have to say that I am so lucky to have such a caring and thoughtful husband. The other night he surprised me with Sea Bands, Raspberry ginger ale, and Yogi digestive tea.

I have to say these thing have been great to me. Easing, not stopping, but easing my sickness.

Sorry Blog.... It's been awhile!!

Sorry it's been awhile since I have blogged. There is just so much going on right now. I know that is NO excuse. Work has been very busy for both my husband and I and summer weekends are always filled. So I finally have sometime to write and something great to write about.

This past weekend my family went to visit my husbands sister. She introduced me to a great site that I will check often. It's a site that is dedicated to cosmetic and personal care product's harmful or safe ingredient's. It's rates each product and list the harmful ingredient's.

Here is the link:
Cosmetic Database

I had discovered that many shampoo's I have used in the past are not very good! Even cancer causing. So let me just say, "I will not be buying those anymore!"

Stated on the website, and so TRUE....
Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety.

What....Krispy Kreme Introduces Living Grass Flip-Flops???

Yes that is the heading of an article I just read and am questing... what... how does it work... who uses these...

These are all questions that are running through my head.

Here is the full article:

Are you stressed out? Like, right now?

You might have some company.

New research points out that nearly three-quarters of the UK’s workforce can claim fatigue in the first degree. In response, Krispy Kreme, more revered for their scrumptious and addictive fried creations, switched hats and went to work questioning 1,000 British employees about the origins of their stress. Over half blamed it on a lack of contact with nature.

And so, the world’s first (living) grass flip flops were born. Krispy Kreme is temporarily expanding their trade to include cobblery, bringing a little piece of the pasture to the tired soles of Brits everywhere. Each flip-flop has 5,000 blades of soft, springy grass to cushion your feet. With a little water and care, the earthy thongs will last up to four months, making every day of summer a walk in the park.

Natasha Jacob is a finder of curiously awesome Green stuff. She blogs regularly for MSN Green and can be reached at natasha.jacob@gmail.com.

Ok... Would you buy these or even wear them? I asked myself this and I'm not sure if i would. Yes I like to walk around in fresh grass barefoot it feels good and I would say it's relaxing, but wait... Walking around in grass flip flops? Maybe it's the next big thing, but I don't think I will be partaking in these anytime soon.

Green Facts...

1. More than a quarter of bottled water is just processed tap water, including Pepsi’s Aquafina and Coca-Cola’s Dasani. Despite this, bottled water consumption is growing at 10 percent a year, faster than any other beverage. We drink 15 times more bottled water today than we did in 1976.

2. A study of nearly 6,000 children in Munich has found that children are much more likely to develop asthma, allergies and skin rashes if they live near major roads.

3. Last December, Congress passed an Energy Bill that raised CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards for the first time in 32 years. It took significant negotiation to push this through, and yet we are still far beyond Europe and Asia.

44.2 miles per gallon - Average fuel economy of the European vehicle fleet, page 226.
45 miles per gallon - Average fuel economy of the Japanese vehicle fleet, page 226.
35 miles per gallon - Average fuel economy of the American vehicle fleet when the newly passed CAFE standards are fully implemented in 2020 (up from under 30 mpg currently), page 226.

To read more on these interesting Green Facts visit Green MSN

Laundry Detergent

Several months ago I switch to Ecos Laundry detergent. I have very sensative skin and so does my daughter. I love this detergent and will stay with it for a while! It's got a fresh scent that is very mild. It's clear so there are no added colors and it's all natural. Another great thing about it is it can be used in front loading and HE machines. It's about $8-9 a bottle in the area where I live, so it is pricer then other brands of detergent. Since this detergent is all natural it's safe to use on the whole family even if you have a new born baby. Check it out.

The little things...

I have to say since having my daughter I really enjoy the simple little things in life. Sitting on our back deck watching the tree's and listening to the birds while eating messy ice cream treats.



My husband on the other hand likes to enjoy a fast ride down the driveway with himself and Bailey flying on his skateboard. While my heart races in fear their smiles are priceless.

4th of July weekend

This 4th of July we didn't have any plans. We were just going to say at home and relax, but ended up having a full planned out weekend with last minute activities. Friday July 4th we met up with Tyson, Liz (Peterson), and Peyton Perry along with my cousin Katie and her husband Matt. We met at Kids Coulee so the girls could meet and play together. Peyton and Bailey are only a couple weeks apart in age. Bailey was so concerned with seeing every kid at the park and chasing them that time with Peyton was short. Both girls had a fun morning.


Saturday we decided to head to the cabin for Bailey's first camping trip. We decided to bring our tent and see how she would do sleeping in it. We love being outdoor and love camping. She loved being outside and decided not to take a nap Saturday. She was having so much fun playing with her cousin's Kendall and Cooper. We decided to go to the beach in the afternoon and evening grilled out followed by a relaxing camp fire. She stayed up till 10 pm eating smores and Popsicles. She did great sleeping in the tent until 3::30 am rolled around. Then she didn't want anything to do with that tent. Grandma Sue rocked her by Lake Halle and she slept peacefully while the sun rose and day began. It was a great time.

Potty Training

So my daughter is 17 months and I would really like her to be potty trained before having any other children.
Last night my husband got one of the best Father's day gifts. My daughter was in the bathroom and picked up her potty seat. My husband saic no Bailey put that down. I said maybe she has to go to the bathroom. She has probably sat on the seat a couple hand full of times since getting it at 13 months. We took her diaper off and said go potty. Waiting... and all of a sudden we hear it. She went and stopped 3 times and knew exactly what she was doing. We both couldn't believe our ears and we so excited for her. By no means is she potty trained, but she now can relate the two. Afterwards we gave her a pop ice, which she loved! My goal is to have her potty trained before she is two. Some might say that is early, but I believe slow and repetition teaching. This week I plan on buying her some Elmo (Her Favorite) underwear as a specail treat to show her what she can wear if she keeps going in the potty.

A few times a month since she has been two we let her sit at the computer and watch Elmo's Potty Time. She loves it. She also loves this interactive potty game from SeasameWorkshop
Have your little one check them out.

Still waiting for your Stimulus Rebate?

If you e-filed with any service like TurboTax and had the fees taken out of your rebate, then you will get a paper check.

The reason was because if you had the fees taken out the service had it DD into their account and then forwarded to you minus the fees. To avoid anyone getting fees accidentally taken out again or not getting theirs due to an error by the e-file company the IRS decided to do paper checks for those people.

This also applies to anyone who got an instant return like the ones H&R Block do.

We received an e-mail this the above information in it a few weeks back. So if you are still waiting for you stimulus and filed thru Turbo... this is probably why you don't have it yet.

Last day of Swim Lesson

A few weeks ago my daughter passed her infant swimming lesson's. We just signed her up for the Toddles session this fall. She loves the water and by the end of the class was able to go under water along with kicking her feet. She actually started to look like a little swimmer. Here are a few pictures from the last class.

Appliances Energy Star

So I am happy to say that we now have 2 energy star appliances. When we received our new appliances the other day I asked my husband... I thought you said the stove was self cleaning? That was my only request. Well..... he forgot. So we have upgraded the stove to an energy star stove along with upgrading our new dishwasher to one that saves water and is still an Energy Star. I can't wait for both of these new appliances to be installed and use. I have to wait till next Tuesday for them to be delivered and installed. I'm not looking forward to being with out a stove for that long, since we eat at home the majority of the time and cook our own meals. Oh well we'll have to think of some craft idea's for meals.

WI Dells

So this past weekend 4 generations went to Kalahari in Wisconsin Dell. That being my mom, my grandma, and my daughter. It was a great time minus the weather. On two separate occations we had to go to the basement of the Kalahari to wait out the tornato warnings. Bailey had a blast. There were so many kids and people she could watch. I on the other hand was scared and worried, but luckily everyone was ok and Bailey got to enjoy the water park. Here are a few pictures of us in the Dells.

Sex and the City

There may be a problem with a film when a narrator constantly tells you the meaning of what you have just seen, gift-wrapping each scene with a moral.

There may be a problem with characters who shop with such conviction while the audience looks up from the trough of a credit crunch. There may be a problem with stretching Sex and the City into a two hour and twenty minute film - it can feel like a never ending dinner party: however pleasant the courses, after a while you can hardly eat another one.

None of these problems seemed apparent to the women who sat around me in the cinema in Leicester Square, laughing and weeping in quick succession. After a while I began to reason like one of the characters: maybe the problem was me.
This was posted on Times Online.

I have to say that I heard a lot of negatives reviews of the movie, but absolutely loved it. I have watch Sex and the City religious when it first came out I own almost every series and loved the shows. There were moments watching the movie when I was laughing, crying, laughing so hard I could not breath, surprised, and just feeling good. It was a great chick flick and also date movie. My husband who once in awhile would also watch Sex with me on Sundays went to see the movie this weekend. He really enjoyed it also. Check it out if you are or are not fans of Sex and the City.

Energy Star

So I am happy to say my husband and I purchased our first energy star appliance.

We have wanted to get new appliances, but the fact is our are just fine for the most part. After my husband did a walk thru at our rental he realized that the stove they had was not in the best condition and the frig is green. Yes I said Green like a pea sage green color. You can probably imagine how old and appealing it is. After thinking about it... we decided that we would recycle our appliances to our rental and purchase new appliances for ourselves. It also just so happened that there was a great deal in that weeks ad's for a total kitchen appliance package. The brand is Frigidaire and stainless, which is what we were looking for. I wish I could say that all of the 4 appliances we purchasing were energy star, but fortunately we will have one. I guess one is better then none.

I just can't wait for these new appliances!

I am still not sure what we will do with our over the stove microwave (which is only 1 year old) and also our dishwasher. I'll have to post an ad on Craig's list or something, since they are in great condition. Let me know if you are interested they are white.

Sunscreen Defined.

Sunscreen (also known as sunblock) is a lotion, spray or other topical product that absorbs or reflects the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and protects the skin. Medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society recommend the use of sunscreen,[1] despite many epidemiological studies indicating an increased melanoma risk for the sunscreen user.
Sunscreens contain one or more UV filters of which there are three main types[10] :

Organic chemical compounds that absorbs ultraviolet light (such as oxybenzone)
Inorganic particulates that reflects, scatters, and absorbs UV light (such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide), or a combination of both.[clarify]
Organic particulates that mostly absorb light like organic chemical compounds, but contain multiple chromophores, may reflect and scatter a fraction of light like inorganic particulates, and behaves differently in formulations than organic chemical compounds.[clarify] An example is Tinosorb M.

I AM KICKING MYSELF BECAUSE I DIDN'T USE SUNSCREEN THE WHOLE WEEKEND. NOW I'M PAYING FOR IT.

Come summer we all want to be tan, but it's essentially not good for you. The sun damages the skin causing wrinkles and age spots. If you have the change like I did last year you should check out your skin in a skin booth. It has a black light and some to explain everything you see. I usually use a SPF location from Mary Kay daily, which is a good first step. I was told Summer or Winter you should always have sun screen on. So I'm off this week to find a mini bottle of sunscreen for my purse. I hate being sun burnt. Not only does it not feel good it's not good for you.

The weekend!

I have to start out by saying I had a great weekend! Even though I didn't feel the best, it couldn't of been better.

I had to miss my daughters swim class due scheduling a garage sale. My husband and daughter had a great time like usual. We usually go as a family. My daughter has learned to kick her feet, splash her hands, slide into the pool, and that wearing a life jacket is not comfortable, but safe!

At the garage sale my mom and I made about $250. We got rid of a lot of things we didn't need, which my husband was very excited about. I have to also point out. My mother the deal finder she is. Purchased 3 steal bar stools for $2.50, yes that is right. She works at a department store and always finds good deals. Well she bought them like most other things because they were cheap. She was able to sell 2 of them for $20/each and the last one for $10. Talk about making some $$.

The freeze over the weekend went well. My husband, daughter and I did splurged Sunday and went out to eat. We did use Fun money though. Which was a great time. My daughter loves to eat out and people watch. (Takes after her Mom.)

What made my weekend so good you ask?
I am a person who stresses easily, a neat freak, can't sit, and always has to be doing something or in most cases 3 things at once. I get this from my Father (I'm convinced.) So.... this weekend I tried to not worry about having everything in it's place, having dishes cleaned, toys picked up, clothing washed.... you get my point. I tried to simply relax. Part of the reason was because I was sick and didn't have much energy, but I thought to myself...., " It will not be the end of the world if I don't have these things done." Since working full time weekends is the only time I have to clean, do laundry and be with my family. Yes, I can spend time with them during the week, but not more then a few hours at a time. I really concentrated on Family this weekend. My daughter and I had a party on Saturday night. We had some much fun! Teddy, doggie, Teddy2, and a bunch of little people showed up. We dance for almost an hour to the Backyardigans and dressing up in many dresses. We were decked out in the coolest bracelets (plastic hearts and flowers), lays, snakes around out necks... If you weren't there you really missed out. I'll have to post a picture of my daughter at the party.

So my advice... take time for yourself, your family and if you don't clean-up right away, do laundry, etc. It's not the end of the World.

Life still goes on!

Stimulus Check

So the majority of us will be or have already received our Stimulus Checks.

I'm sure you have heard and are banking on receiving a certain amount. Here is a little bit of info on it.
The Internal Revenue Service announced that it will begin sending more than 130 million economic stimulus payments starting May 2. The initial round of weekly payments will be completed by early July.

My family is supposedly receiving $1500, $600 for me, $600 for my husband, and another $300 for my daughter. Do not count on this amount until you receive it. I have heard from many people who thought they would receive a set amount and it actually was lower. This is supposedly due to your 2008 takes. I'm not totally sure how it all works, but here is a link if you want more information. IRS

So I'm curious what you are going to do with your Stimulus check? Are you going to spend it? Save it? Get gift cards at a store like Sears who's offering a percentage more if you put all your stimulus towards their store?

Lunch Time!

Before I got my new position I have to say that I ate out for lunch about 3-5 times a week. Yes! Usually most of the week.
Since starting my new job I have joined several fitness classes and have really been watching what I am eating.
*One reason is because I'm in a wedding this summer and I want to be fit.
*Another reason is because I want to be in good shape before I have another baby that way it will be easier to lose the baby weight.
*The over all reason is to live a healthy life style.

Since starting my new job I have eaten mostly salads w/ minimal dressing, wraps and some sandwiches. I have to say that I do feel better. Sometime eating chinese or greesy fried food just weighs you down. Sometimes you get so full you don't feel like doing anything, but napping. I usually bring my own lunchs. On occation I'll pick something up for our cafe, which is AWESOME! I have to say that I have saved a lot of money. Previously I have spent around $30 or more a week eating out. Just think how much can add up to over a year, not to mentioned it's healthier then eating out. The hardest thing is to disapline yourself, at least that is what I find.

Weekend Freeze

So we got through a week and weekend of the Freeze and I have to say it wasn't bad. Although I did have a hard time not wanting to go bumming and shopping. This is my downfall. I like to get out of the house on the weekend with my husband and daughter and look for decor items for our house. This weekend we spent time with my Granada and visiting friends from out of town. Instead of ordering food we grilled out, which saved on $$. I did end up going out Saturday night with my friend. We'll call her J. We were not planning on going out, but did and had a blast. It was an expensive and an even more expensive cab right home. It cost $22 to get home! Even though it was pricey it was must better then us driving. We got some free drinks, so we saved money there too. All in all we did not go over budget this weekend we were actually under.
Now we have more money to put in our Money Market for out Kitchen remodel.

Freeze

What is a Freeze? (My husband and my definition anyway)

It's a spending Freeze. You do not spend unnecessary money on items you do not need. You only spend what is in your budget. Be it bills, a wedding, Birthday gift or anything else for that month. You budget for those items and only those items that are necessary.

We have realized that we tend to purchase items we do not need. I probably am the majority here. We are in the process of De-cluttering and being more conscious of what we spend. There are also many things we want like remodeling our kitchen, new appliances, a fence in the back yard, lets just say many Large $$ projects. So hopefully by doing a monthly freeze every once in awhile we will save enough money to complete these projects sooner than later.

I first learned of the Freezies (what those who freeze call themselves) from www.thenest.com. These girls post how their weekend spending was the following week. Things to do to spend less on weekend activities, it's really quit impressive. Not only does it help you save money.

It will get you back to spending more time with the people you care about most, Family and Friends.

One week into the Freeze has not been too bad. It's something that you have to remind youself of though. I would spend money without thinking before.

Example:
Get gas, pickup some snacks something to drink, gum or whatever.
Now just fill up my vehical with gas and get out!

Kicking my Butt!

So I have finally decided that I need to go out and do something for myself. Since having my daughter getting personal time for myself was getting groceries. Don't get me wrong anyone who knows me well knows that I love to go grocery shopping. I usually take my iPod with me and zone out listening to tunes.

So this week I have signed up for 3 fitness classes. Yes, 3! I am taking two Total Body Fitness classes after work and one Restorative Yoga class during one of my lunch breaks. I have to say the Monday night Total Body Fitness class kicked my butt. I was so sore that night that it woke me up in my sleep. I can honestly say I'm still sore today. I guess that is a good thing though... the work out WORKED!

I think this is something most women put off. Doing something alone. We tend to take care of our husbands and children and forget about what we need for ourselves. It's been over a year since I have said I need a hobby. I need to go out and do something myself. Now a year later I'm acting on it.

Try taking a class, exercising, or just going out for coffee and read a book. Everyone Male or Female needs to partake in something they enjoy!!

Organic Wear 100% Natural Makeup

A few weeks ago I need to purchase some new make up products. I don't tend to wear much makeup, but a little. I like the natural look. I have been loyal to Clinique for years. There bonus buy always gets me.
I was reading one of my magazines and noticed an add for Organic Wear. There were some great reviews for their products online so I decided to give it a try. I purchased a Bronse powder and blush. I have to say that I love the make up. It looks natural and is light. The thing that was hard to get use to at first was the smell. I can't describe it. It wasn't bad, just different then what I was normally using.
I highly recommend Organic Wear makeup and will continue to use it. It's also nice that they have a mirror at the bottom of the container that also contains a little brush. The price is higher then most makeup. I think it was around $8-9 for each the Bronse and powder.

Click here for more Organic Wear Products

Go Figure!

So this weekend I planted several vegetables and today I wake up to snow.

Go Figure!!

Garden

So this is the big weekend. I'm going to start the garden I have planning most of winter. We went to Menard's a month or so ago and bought several packets of seeds. These are the ones I can remember:
Melons
Radish
Green Beans
Lettuce
Carrots
Cucumber
Summer Squash
Tomato
Various Herbs
I think there are a few more, but I can't remember right now.

I am not sure how things will turn out, but I'll give it a good first try. Even if we just get the tomato's it will be worth it since we go thou them a lot. I'll have to try to take a few pictures of it before and after.

Wish me luck!

New Job

Well it's been a few weeks, but I have been so busy.

I now work for a local hospital as a Help Desk Analyst. I have to say that I am very glad that I made the switch. I really enjoy my new position and feel it will be great to advance in IT. I have started taking phone calls this week and it has gone well. It's nice to have an on site cafeteria. I have been eating a lot of salads and wraps. You can not beat the price either! There is also an on site work out center along with classes that can be taken during lunch or before and after work hours. This summer I'm going to sign up for Pilate's. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up to date on the blog more often once I have some more time.

STAY TUNED!

Is Cheap Now Chic?

Here is a great article on How Frugal Became Chic.




Like I have said before being Frugal is not necessarily being cheap. I just want a good deal. Why pay full price for something you like when you know it will be on SALE.

This is a perfect example of that: I went shopping about 2 weeks ago at GAP and saw a bunch of things I wanted. All were full price. I decided I didn't need them that bad. One of the shirts was $39 spring yellow 3 quarter length shirt, Very Cute! Well this past week I went back to the GAP and the same shirt was maked down to $21. I picked it up and saved almost 1/2 off the shirt.

There are also store forums that you can find online to find out Sales and mark down schedules.

Here is one that I visit often for Target.

I don't think in the past few years I have ever paid full price for any of the clothing I have purchased.

Why pay full price when you don't have to?

Review on Cloth diaper

So it has not been quit a week since I received and started using the Bum Genius 3.0 cloth diapers.

I will be honest and say the first couples times I used them on my daughter she wanted them off. They are bulkier then disposable diapers. She thought it was funny to jump up and land on her butt. I suppose it was softer. It was so funny to watch her to this. I have to say that I really like using this, not only do I not feel so wasteful, but I haven't had any diaper rash problems when using them. Once in a while I'll have to use a diaper rash cream, but when I use the cloth (part-time basis) I never see a red bottom.
My husband even had a request for him to bring one of the diaper into work. A mom-2-be was interested in using these a her child. The response I have mostly received is cloth diapers, you have to use pins and wash them? People totally turn around when I tell them what cloth diapers are today. Very easy, look cool, and help mother earth.
I have decided to continue to use on a part-time basis. I would love to use these full time, but with working full time I would be doing laundry at night instead of spending quality time with my daughter. Our quality time together is more precious to me. Maybe you think that is bad or maybe you think it's good. I think of it as the right choice for us.

A small step to reduce waste is better then no step at all.

Cheese Please!

Thanks to Not So Crunchy (We'll call her NSC) I have purchased my very own cheese making kit.

My husband and daughter love cheese. I would say it's easily eaten daily in our home. When mentioning to my husband that NSC ordered the cheese making kit he wanted me to order one right away. Well I didn't. Since NSC received hers and successfully made wonderful mozzarella. I had to put my order in too.

Here is the site were we ordered our Cheese Kits from.
Cheese Making

I think this is a great idea to do as a family. Fresh cheese is the best and I'm anxiously awaiting my kit!

This is who determines a green product.

So this is what I have found....

The SCS is a leading third-party provider of certification of green labels, auditing and testing services, and standards. Their goal is to recognize the highest levels of performance in food safety and quality, environmental protection and social responsibility in the private and public sectors.

More information:

Scientific Certification Systems

Who determines what is a green product?

I often wonder what the question posted above. Who determines this? Is it accurate? Can one trust a label?

These are all things I'll be searching and find more information on.

Extreme recycling: Food, furniture, diapers

One of my good friends in high school, Kim, and my fellow Luvbugz (you would of just had to be there, Great times!) sent me this article. It's very interest and is Extreme, but great for those willing to reduce in this way.

You can read all about it by following this link:

Extreme recycling

Choice

I have chosen to leave my current position within Business Objects/ SAP for a new opportunity with Franciscan Skemp health care as an Help Desk Analyst. I will be analysing the currently help desk and helping with an upgrade software and kicking off a knowledge base solution to help the engineers. It's a great opportunity for my career and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

I have chosen stability and hopefully that will be the best choice in the long run.

Tough decision...

For those of you who are wondering what my tough decision is...

Those of you who know me well know that I have a magnetic attration to companies that are being Acquired, sold, and merged. It all started in 1998 I was working for G. Heileman Brewing Company Stroh's as a brewery tour guide. This was one of the best jobs I have every had. Not only did I meet people from all over the United States I had the opportunity to sample a lot of beverages. I learned everything there was to making beer, bottling it, and distributing it. It was all a very interesting process. G. Heileman's brewery names and intellectual properties became part of the Pabst Brewing Company, the current owner. Pabst oversees the brewing of several well-known Heileman brands, including Old Style and Special Export, under the G. Heileman name. I was lucky enough to be able to give the very last brewery tour as G. Heileman. It was my biggest tour by far and most exciting. I still have the Tribune news article with me on the cover. It was crazy to see, but a great experience that helped my fear of speaking in front of a large audience. As of 2007, the former Heileman's flagship brewery in La Crosse is owned and operated by the City Brewing Company. The new brewery chose to use the name that the former Heileman's used as its start up name in 1858-1872.
Following that I had worked for First Federal Capital Bank. I started out as a Teller, which I had worked all through college. After graduation I moved into IT Support. First Federal was a great company to work for they really promoted within and the customers were very loyal. In 2005 Associated Bank Corp Acquired First Federal. This was a shock to most employee's since we were planning on building a new corporate office in Onalaska. Strike 2 for me! My finance also worked for First Federal and we were lucky enough to be offered a package deal for both of us to relocate to Stevenspoint. Moving at that time was something neither of us was interested in since we had just bought a house and were getting married that year. Isaac's department remained in La Crosse and I decided to take a few months off of working to plan our wedding. I also worked for my dad part-time to make a little extra cash. I ended up not working for 6 months, thanks to a great severance package I was offered from First Federal.
Six months later I was offered a job at FirstLogic. I had previously had hopes of working for FirstLogic since I entered college. FirstLogic was a software company that focused on creating mailing and data quality solutions to it's customers. They were very known for their outstanding customer focus and quality of service. After working for FirstLogic for 1 year... something that I knew all to well was happening again. We were going to be acquired by Pitney Bowes. Before this was finalized the market declined this acquisition because it would cause a monopoly on the mailing software market. I believe it was a couple months later and an offer came in from Business Objects. A year later from that SAP decided to merge with Business Objects. This is where it stands right now. There are so many uncertainties in my mind. Our SAP integration will start July 1, 2008. In any situation like this it's hard for one to decide what to do. Do I look for a new job... will my job be fine... no one will know until time passes. That is the hard part.
So for my tough decision.
About 7 months ago I applied for a job at a Hospital in the area where I live. I was called to come in for an interview, but decided based on the salary they were offering. To my surprise 7 months and some weeks later I received a call from this Hospital. They had researched the market and discovered they were paying below average for the position. They revamped the position and decided to increase the salary. They asked if I would still be interested. (You hear from employer often, we'll keep your resume on file for 1 year. I never thought they really did this. To my surprise someone did!) I thought what do I have to lose. I love my job in the sense that's in challenging every day. I save my customers $100's if not $1000 of dollar's with their mailings, but maybe there is something better out there. I got to thinking about all the uncertainties with my current job also and went for it. After 2 weeks I have been offered the job. The company I work for has great benefits in regards to sick leave... (no minimum), MBO quarterly bonus, short term disability, Flex time, 401/k match, vacation time, pay, and they just moved us into a new building right on the Mississippi River (my pod is right next to the river and is a great benefit). There is so much out there it doesn't hurt to compare.

What to do...
What's more important money or being happy? Happy for sure
Hours? Yes these are very important...especially when you have a little one
Job Security? Very Important
Vacation? This is nice, but not a deal breaker
There are so many other things that are going through my mind and I need to make a decision today, so it's a very tough one for me. Especially since I've gone through lay offs in the past and it's a hard process to get through. So I guess just stay turned for what I decide is the best choice for myself and my family.

3 day until swim class...

I signed my daughter up for swim lessons this spring and they actually start on Saturday. I can't believe it's hear so fast and not sure I'm ready for a swim suit yet this season. I have been so busy and stressed with my job that I have not been sticking to my work out plan. I do have to say I have been eating a ton healthier.

I have two recommendations:

Morningstar Garden Burgers
Morningstar Chicken Patties







We made the chicken patties last night and I could not believe how good they were. I'm still not convinced that there is no chicken in them. From the taste to the texture it's hard to tell! I highly recommend these. They are so much healthier for you too! I'm excited to try some new flavors too. I have tried the Boca brand I prefer this brand over that though.

Come April it will be a whole lot easier to work out since my employer will have the on-site work-out center. I then will be able to work out and have a great view of the Mississippi river. It can't come soon enough.

Cloth Diapers... NoWay!

So I went online today and ordered a few cloth diapers. I know what you thinking. Those white clothes that you use for burp rags that you have to pin onto the baby. Well they have come a long way since then. They are actually pretty cute and very easy to use. I first got turned on to these from a mommy baby yoga class my daughter and I took with our friends Sara and Liddy. The instructors daughter had them on and raved about them. She said it saved her so much money and was nice to not have to leave the house to purchase more diapers with a baby. If she needed more she just washed the diaper. They now have the option to have disposable inserts, which is also less waste then disposable diapers. The washing of these aren't as bad when you throw the inserts away. I'm going to give these a try and see what comes of it. I should receive them in 5-7 days.


I ordered them from http://www.cottonbabies.com/. The brand I decided to go with was Bum Genius. I have been looking into these since my daughter was a few months old. I decided to try these out with my daughter only on a part-time basis and then determine if I'll use them full-time when we decide to have another child. Here is a picture of what they look like:

House For Sale Lakeville MN

Agent is owner. Tons of character, great home in a quiet neighborhood. Updates include: maple hardwood fl00rs, prof. painted, new landscaping, window treatments, roof and much more. Please give 2hr. notice for showings.

More information listed at:

http://www.realestateopens.com/results_home.aspx?PropertyTypeID=1&PropertyID=3056852&SearchType=3&detail=1

This is a great house! The owners have put a lot of work into updating this home. They have decided to relocate to be closer to family.

Renovating

We purchased the house we live in about a year ago this month. We had been looking and searching for houses for about 3 years. We were very picky. (Which I believe one should be, when making that big of a purchase!) Well this house had the layout we wanted with three bedrooms all together on one corner of the house an extra one downstairs for a guest room. A Jacuzzi tub, which was on my list. A entertainment area, which is the basement. Open concept was a must with a little one too. The only problem now is the little things. Well... some I guess aren't so little. We really want to redo the kitchen. I absolutely hate the cabinet colors. So we have an appointment tonight with Kitchen Solvers. Kitchen Solvers is a company that refinishes existing cabinets to look ideal for you. This is a cheaper alternative to redoing the whole kitchen saving money and reducing ones waste. I'm very curious to see what the price difference actually is. Our previous home we gutted the kitchen and totally replaced everything brand new. It was a small kitchen, but the price tag was close to 7,500. I'll fill you in on the exact process and how the cost compares after the appointment. We received information about this from the home show, which wasn't wasn't I accept it to be. The Home Show that is. There really wasn't too much green information. The majority of th booths seemed to be Banks.



The next thing we would like to do is update our appliances. I have to be honest there is nothing wrong with our current ones, but these would be a great update to our rentals. Of course allowing me to have some new ones!



Like one of the previous post I would like to paint a few rooms. I have been looking into Eco-friendly painting options. These are great to use because most are orderless, so if you have little ones around they are not as harmful. Plus you are reducing your carbon footprint too!



Lighting.... OK if you have entered my house, you will know that our light fixtures are horrendous! They are cheap first off and gold. Yuck! Since I can remember I have never been a fan of gold. When I was 7 my dad bought me a gold heart necklace. I opened it and was like ohhh I love it. (It is still sitting in the leather holder he gave it to me in and never worn. Sorry Dad!) The lighting is something that could be replaced at not much of a cost and not hard to do it yourself. The only problem is with open concept you need to replace most of them at once, or your room will look even sillier.

Grandma's Green?

So every Thursday my daughter, husband, and I meet at my grandma's for dinner and some cold beverages. These are great nights. My grandma who is over 80 years old is totally young at heart and very cool!
Last Thursday I was telling her how I bring my own bags when I go shopping and she said a Green Bag? She walked to her bedroom and comes out with a Green bag from a local store. She said I bought this, but would like one smaller that fits in my purse. I just happened to have one in my purse that was as small as a wallet and gave it to her. She was as happy as a kid in the candy store. I have to say I was really shocked she used her own bags. I find the older you are sometimes the harder it is to change. Not my grandma I guess. She not only thought it was good for the environment she thought they were cute. So I learned something... you are never too old for some change.

What... No March Madness???

Yes...

So last week I called our local cable company and canceled our digital cable service. We didn't cancel because of the money. It's something we have always talked about doing, but never actually did.
I grew up with cable. The minute I woke up it was on until I went to bed. Don't get me wrong I went outside and played. My parents had a pool in their backyard so most summer days were spent out there, but come winter it was mostly TV. Since having my daughter we hardly have the TV on when she's awake. Kids tend to become glued to the TV. Some experts say TV is bad because the objects move so fast that it's not good for a child's development. My daughter does have a few DVDs of her own that we let her watch once in awhile. Since we only watch TV a few hours at night it just doesn't really make sense to have. My husband is a huge basketball fan. He always talks about taking a week off for March Madness to watch all the games non-stop. Well this year not only will he be working, but we'll have NO CABLE. He was fine with this... he just might be stopping over to my parents house to check out a few games. Plus most shows are shown online for you to watch FREE. You can't beat this if you have high speed Internet connection.
After really looking at the TV shows I watch, which are mostly reality, I realized how pointless they are. I watched this one reality show and I actually felt so dumb after watching it, because it was just yelling back and forth. What is the point?
So this summer we have decided to cancel cable.... My husband loves to golf, which he plans to do more of. My daughter and I are taking Saturday swim lesson's. I plan to grow a great garden in our yard. We'll see how it turns out. I'm not the best with plants, so cross your fingers! I just think not watching TV we will have even more time to update some things around our house. Bailey is at a fun age too. I can't wait to take her to the pool, on long walks, to the zoo, and out for ice cream. I do believe that in some homes TV has replaced a lot of family time. I am not saying it's bad, you just need it in moderation like everything in life. Come winter I'm sure we'll get cable again. We need to cheer our Green Bay Packers on!! (Missing FAVRE of course!)

To Do:

Repaint
Our bedroom
master bath
Kids bathroom
The downstairs entertainment area
Guest Bedroom
Guest Bath

Remodel Kitchen (I don't know if this will happen this summer, but we have a few people stopping by to give us some estimates in the next few weeks)
Plant Garden
Redo Landscaping - Plant flowers
Update a few window treatments
Refinish and stain Deck
Replace wood flooring (This will not be this summer, but I'm adding it to the list.)

So as you can see there is a lot to keep us busy.

"Go Green" in 2008

This weekend:
2008 Home & Garden Show
Date: Friday 03/07/2008 through Sunday 03/09/2008
Description:
This year will be a bigger and better show as the home Builders Association expands into our second building. Hours are Friday 5:00pm - 9:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 7:00pm, and Sunday 11:00am - 5:00pm. Admission is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for ages 12-17.
For more information:
https://laba-wi.builderfusion.com/bf/website/index.jsp

I will review on the show and any idea's we got from this next week. We are planning on attending it this weekend.

Natural dried fruit bars

I highly recommend trying the pineapple Natural dried fruit bar from Trader Joe's. I bought one on our Trader Joe's shopping spree and wish I would of bought 100 of them. The other flavors are good too, but I especially love the pineapple. These are great little snacks and only contain around 60 calories.

They are Yummy!!

Trader Joe's 100% Pineapple Fruit Bar contains nothing other than 100% sweet, ripe pineapple which is ground into a paste and made into a delicious dried fruit treat. No flavors or fillers of any kind have been added.

Wow... never felt clean like this before

I just started using an all natural toothpaste this week. I have to say it was a whole new clean experience. I have previously been loyal to Crest, but it doesn't even compare.

The toothpaste is All Natural Trader Joe's Toothpaste and I have to say the texture is unlike Crest. This was hard to get use to at first. The texture is not totally smooth, but it made my mouth feel so clean. I'm not sure if it's the baking soda that makes it textured or if it's the mint extract. Maybe it's a combination of both, but whatever it is I like it.

First time... Trader Joe's

So this last weekend we went to visit my brother and sister in-law in Madison. It was a great visit and even greater was meeting the newest memeber of the family Kaitlin Susan. What a quiet baby... several times I forgot she was in the room. I previously talked about their house. We played basketball, watched movies in the theater room, had adult beverages by the bar area and played Golden Tee. Yes, they have the game and that's pretty much where the guys hang out.

Overall the trip was relaxing and fun. On our way home Sunday we decided to check out Trader Joe's. First off I'll say it was very busy! I hate shopping when there is a crowd and I can't get thru isles. We did end up shopping around for a little over 30 minutes. The prices were what I expected since most items are organic. We ended up buying around $50 worth of new foods to try out. My husband and daughter most love cheese and don't go a day without it. We picked up the best smoked cheese. It was seriously some of the best I have ever had. Living in Wisconsin you get a lot of chances to try cheese. I also picked up som 100% natural dried fruit bars. I had the pinapple one yesterday. I plan on picking up more of these hopefully soon. I won't tell you everything we picked up, but one thing you should try is their Dyno Juice. It is filled with vitamins and taste's great. I really wish I had one of these closer to our area. They have a lot of thing you wouldn't be able to find at a regular grocery store.


Check them out online:
http://www.traderjoes.com/

The Story of Stuff

My husband is taking a few classes currently to get this state social work certification. He went back to school 3 years ago to get a social work degree, because it was something he was really interested in. He graduated from UWL, but still needed to take a few classes to get his certificate. He just finished this 2 or 4 classes last Tuesday and his teacher told them to check out, http://www.storyofstuff.com/ . We both watch this last night and I have to say most people don't think about what happens to all the stuff they buy. This is a great 20 minute presentation on how the chain works.

I have to say after watching this that I am so guilty of that shopper. I see things on TV and say I need this and I need that, when I really DON'T. This is something that I am going to really try to work on.

Shopping is a hobby to me, so I need to find a new one!

Say good-bye to granite countertops

This article was posted on thenest.com and I was really surprised by it.

The article was originally posted on CNN.

Say good-bye to granite countertops
<http://tinyurl.com/yt8fd5>

My husband and I have been talking a lot lately about remodeling our kitchen. I would really want a lot of top of the line items along with engery star. Now I'm wonder if we'll even get the return if we do this. We were thinking granite counters, new appliances, cabinets, and floors eventually. So maybe we could start the project sooner and choose some less expensive options.

One good thing is the cabinets in our house will most likely go into one of our rental houses, since ours are nicer then the ones currently occupied in them. I also found a site that reviews energy star appliances. http://www.energystar.gov/

My own cleaning products

It has been a few weeks now since I have been using non-commercial cleaning products. After reading Organic Housekeeping and doing some searches on the interest. I have found that all the chemicals in most cleaning products are not good for anyone. I am a person who suffers from allergies. Certain scents and chemicals trigger these allergies also. This is one of the main reasons for my switch.

I now clean with a 50/50 vinegar water mixture. This is an all-purpose cleaner. For sinks and tougher cleaning projects I will add baking soda to the mixture. I was surprised by how well this works. I'm not a huge fan of the vinegar smell, but adding a little fresh lemon juice to the mixture is great!

Other items to help with cleaning:
Salt - Will help to dissolve tarnish.
Baking soda - Will to absorb odors and act as a mild abrasive.
Hydrogen Peroxide - Will help act as disinfect.

Cleaning with vinegar is not only a great way to avoid exposure to many hazardous commercial household cleaners; it’s also cheaper, safer and easier on the environment.

Become a Millionaire

So in college I once had a Finance teacher Denise, who gave us an equation to becoming a millionaire by the time you retired. I have been searching the internet to find this equation, but right now I'm empty handed. It went something like this though...

Around the age of 22 if you contribute $2,000 every year for eight years you will have close to a millionair dollars by the time you’re at retirement age. If I could find the equation I could give more specifics on interest rates and so on. The reason this is because the sooner you save money the more interest you will make over time and then you can make interest on that interest. Compound Interest if you would like.

I did find an article online that has a similar equation: How To Become A Millionaire (In 6 Easy Steps!)


I'm happy to say that I'm on track and have contributed more then the equation states. How I look at it is... I would rather live comfortably now, but not splurge. This way when I retire I don't have to worry about $$. Some people say live now... what happens if something happens to you. If something happens to me that is the way things go and the money I have will be given to my children and/or spouse and then they can use it as they like. I would rather have no worries and not have to work at retirement age.

Whatever you decide to do saving now, saving later, just make sure you make it a point to save something for retirement.

No more Junk Mail!!

Well maybe not NO MORE... but at least it will minimized.

I went to www.directmail.com and signed up to remove my name from several mailing lists. We receive credit card applications weekly. It's annoying to have to shed all this paper and throw it.

I also went to all of my online banking accounts and signed up for e-delivery. This way I don't receive a monthly statement. We usually file these and then year end shed and throw them away. Most banks now keep a years worth of online statements to view and print, so there really is no need to have a paper statement sent to your home.

Welcome Kaitlin Susan!

I am excited to see Kaitlin Susan my newest niece!

I am happy to announce that I once again am an aunt. My niece Kaitlin was born this morning at 9 lbs 5 oz and I hear she is a cutie. This is A (we'll call her), who’s my closest sister in-laws second child and second daughter. We can't wait to go visit them this weekend and see the new addition.

Speaking of my sister in-law, who is only 1 year older than me, and is one of the smartest women I know. She graduated from college with a Business and Accounting degree. Then after her Bachelors she went straight on to get her masters. She worked for several years in Accounting at an energy company and then became a consultant. I would have to say anything she does she does it's over 110%. She and her husband both ran a franchise cleaning office buildings also. She knows money and she knows it well. They together had purchased many properties fixed them up sold them, rented them, and lived in them. They also own a sports bar in Madison, WI. A stop you must make while attending any Badger game or even any time you visit Madison.
LUCKY'S check them out: http://www.luckysmadison.com/modules/web/index.php/id/1

A is currently a stay at home mom, and is very good at it. At 1 her daughter said so many words. She also runs her own business Best Dressed Window's. She sells window treatments. She and her husband just build a new house. The house they sold was beautiful, but this one is unbelievable. It's big. They have 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 3 separate living area's, a bar, a gym that over looks a half court basketball court, and book cases that are doors to a theater room. You got to love it. The first time I walked in I felt like I was walking thru the pages of a Pottery Barn magazine. These two know where to invest their money and always invest it well, as you can see.

Real Estate - Always a good investment! In most cases you will get all if not more money back. When you are renting you are just throwing money alway that you will not receive back.

Rental - If you are able to purchase a property for rental purpose. Just do it! Especially if you are able to get enough rent to pay the mortgage. You then have someone else paying your mortgage payments, thus you are gaining equity.

Stocks - The Company I worked for gave us a 15% discount on their stock prices. It was a no brainer to invest, because no matter what you will make money. I just wish I would of invested tons more. We were purchased again and this is no longer an option. Darn! So if your company has this and your not buying... re-think this option and enroll as soon as your next open enrollment period is available.

Money Market - If you have a savings account try changing it into a Money Market account. They usually have a higher interest rate. There sometimes will be a 2,500 or 5,000 balance minimum so combine other accounts you have. The more money in one account the more interest you will receive.

Time

This weekend I was playing Little People with my daughter and thinking that I could not believe she was almost 14 months old already. Time sure flies after you have kids! Maybe it's because your life becomes busier. Not only do you need to think about yourself, but you have another human being to raise into this world. You may also have a boyfriend, husband, significant other, or partner to add to the equation. Yes... there are sacrifices you must make.
Two years ago I would sit on the couch and watch pointless TV shows for hours at a time. I planned my nightly routine by what was on TV for that evening. This is something that I have sacrificed, but I wouldn't call it a sacrifice now. I now think of the time in my life I wasted. Nothing significant has come from watching those shows... yes maybe some entertainment for the night, but not much else.
I can say that I now spend my time with my family... mostly laughing. My daughter is hilarious. She has been adding to her vocabulary daily and when she says words it sounds so cute. She gets mad when she can't do something perfectly, loves to run free (naked), loves to sit by herself reading books, and has to say HI to everyone. This is our entertainment now and it's much better then anything. To watch a little baby go from crying and sleeping... to... holding their head up... to... sucking their toes... to... waving bye... to... crawling... to... walking... to talking is just a unbelievable thing. It's something that you just need to experience.
It's not always easy... it's an adjustment and is hard work to raise a family, but it is also one of the most rewarding experiences.

Organic Meats

Over the last several weeks I have done a lot of research on organic meats (mainly grass-fed beef). In my search I have discovered many benefits to switching to this instead of grain-fed.
When you feed your family grass-fed beef, you can feel quite confident that you are doing the best you can to dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, many of the health concerns you may have regarding the quality of the beef you consume. Grass-fed beef are not given antibiotics or hormones from start to finish.
I then search for some places that I could purchase these meats in bulk. I found a few places around the area where I live, but in the back of my head I was thinking... how do I know it's really organic? Later that night I was talking to my cousin on the phone and I told her all the things we have been trying to do to be greener and how I really wanted to switch the meats we are currently eating. I was presently surprised when she told me that her husband’s family raised organic meats. So I will be giving them a call as soon as my freezer is empty to stock up on some healthier meats. I never really thought about what goes into animals before getting to the markets, until recently.
E-coli : A study by Cornell University has determined that grass-fed animals have far fewer E. coli (approx. 300 times less) than their grain fed counterparts. Also in the same study, the amount of E. coli they do have is much less likely to survive our first line defense against infection, stomach acid. This is because feeding cattle grain makes their digestive tract abnormally acid, and over time, the 'bad E. coli' has become acid-resistant. So if we ingest them in our food a large number of them can potentially survive our stomach acid and go on to grow in our gut, causing an infection. Since the Cornell study in 1998 many groups have tried to contest the results. A study by the USDA Meat and Animal Research Center in Lincoln Nebraska (2000) has confirmed the Cornell research.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." -- Aristotle

Organic Foods

I have been doing a lot of research on Organic Foods and have decided that I will try a few new products each time I purchase groceries.

Last week I stopped at my local People Food Co-op. I purchased some organic fruit, spaghetti sauce, pasta noodles, and apple sauce.

I made organic lasagna and I have to say the sauce alone with the noodles tasted so much fresher then the Prego sauce and noodles I normally buy.

If you are unfamiliar Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance our environmental quality for future generations. Organic meats, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. A product can be labeled "organic" after given Governmental approval certifier inspects the farm where the products are grown. The USDA at this time makes no claim that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious, but looking at the facts.
Would you rather have something pure or nature.... or exposed with chemical you don't know what would do to your body?

Fact... it's a personal choice.

Rental Property

I'll start out by saying this is a great way to earn equity and sometimes cash flow right away, but it's not always that easy.

My husband and I have very different management styles when it comes to managing our rental properties. I would say I'm stricter, and he is very laid back.

Well this year we decided that he would pretty much manage them alone and I would do the financial responsibilities once rent was paid. This has helped with our different view points. For Christmas this past year he decided it would be a good gesture to send both families a gift card to Festival Foods. I was not necessarily for this since they both owed us a few months rent. He did it anyway and I tried to bit my tongue... which was very hard.

Come mid-January.... they both sent really nice person Thank-you notes alone with rent paid in FULL. I have to tell you I was so shocked that his gesture paid off I didn't know what to do with myself.

Organic Housekeeping

I have received the Organic Housekeeping book that I recently ordered. I have finished a few chapters and have to say I agree with a lot of thing in this book.
Since reading this I have decided to give my mom most of my old cleaning products and have switched a home made vinegar base cleaner. To tone down the vinegar smell I add a little fresh citrus to the mixture. The cleaner works great and I have to say I love. I have very strong allergies and with all the chemicals in store bought cleaners, it's just simply NOT GOOD for anyone. It's also safe for younger children to be around.

Check out the book!

Jack Johnson

In my household we love Jack... and have him playing on the iPod often. Even more than his music Jack Johnson is very eco-friendly, which is great to see.

Well Jack recently created a "green" building complete with solar panels for power. The wall insulation made from 100-percent post-consumer waste (cotton from blue-jean scraps) and roof shingles made from recycled material.
Here is an article about the eco-friendly studio:
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2008/01/29/jack-johnsons-new-eco-friendly-jams-to-hit-next-week/

Jack Johnson's new video:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20176513,00.html

5 cents

So I went to Festival the other afternoon to pick up some flowers and a few groceries. I had my own bag which I unfolded right before paying. The cashier asks, "Do you have your own bags?" Yes, I said. Ok... and he gave me a 5 cent discount. I know 5 cents is not much, but just think of all the times you go to the store 5 cent could add up over a life time. Plus the big thing is that you are saving on the environment. Which makes one feel good!

Quote

"If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything." Ellen Sandbeck

The Automatice Millionaire

So yesterday my husband, daughter Bailey and I went to Barns and Noble for some coffee and shopping. We each decided we would get a book. Isaac's was involving history. I don't remember the name, since I was never a big fan of history. Bailey's was Quack Quack. A fuzzy book with different animals and how they feel when you pet them. Mine was The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach. I have wanted this book for several years now and finally made my purchase. I am happy to say that I finished this book yesterday. It was a good read that kept my attention. I highly recommend this book to everyone and will probably start giving it as part of wedding gifts because I believe it will really help anyone. The first thing I did after completing it was to up my 401k contribution from 8% to 10%. This is one of the first steps to Paying Yourself first and that is just what I did. My husband’s employer puts a little over 10% into a 401K plan for him without him contributing a dime. I need to get in there!! Anyway we are setting ourselves up for a great life when we retire.

I'm not cheap!

So being frugal is often seen as cheap, as statement below in its definition.
I did not always consider myself fugal, but do now. I don't just buy clearance items. Although I do like a good clearance buy, I think first. "Would I buy this item if it was full price?" If yes, then it's in the cart. Toiletries, cleaning products, and some home accent items are a few of the clearance things I will purchase. I use to purchase some clothing on clearance, but stay away from that now. Those items tend to have less quality and don't last as long. I love Banana Republic, but they are pricey, so I now shop the outlet. In Wisconsin Dells they have a Tanger Outlet mall, which happens to have a Banana Republic store among other great stores. I only pay about half the price that I would at the regular stores and still get the great quality. Now I buy the clothing I need, which lasts longer but a bit more expensive. Overtime I do believe this will save money.

Frugality defined

Also known as thrift or thriftiness, often confused with cheapness or miserliness, is a traitional value, life style, or belief system, in which individuals practice both restraint in the acquiring of and resourceful use of economic goods and services in order to achieve lasting and more fulfilling goals. In a money-based economy, frugality emphasizes economical use of money in meeting long term personal, familial, and communal desires.

Definition provided by Wikipedia... The Free Encyclopedia.

That movie...

So yesterday Kyle from IT was at my desk to help with some computer issues I was having. He said, " You know that movie with Meg Gibson and the field with alliens and then water with cups all over." I said, " Yeah." Not sure the name of this movie, but I knew what he was talking about.
Look at your desk. Wow! I had styrofoam cups filled with water everywhere. I probably had about 9 cups total. What a waste!!
These are cups that are placed by our water cooler for you to use. They are just so darn handy. I didn't always use them. I previously have a plastic glass I drank water from, but it busted. So for about 6 months I have been using the stryrofroam. Until today.... I am happy to say I brought in another glass and will be using that from here on out.

Organic Housekeeping

So I was just on one of my favorite sites http://www.thenest.com/ Money Matters board and was recommended this book:
Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity (Hardcover) by Ellen Sandbeck (Author)

So I just made an online purchase for this at http://www.amazon.com/. I could of probably purchased this at a store, but I have to say I love online shopping. I never usually pay for shipping and one less trip for a busy mom is totally worth it! Plus a shopping trip to purchase a book eventually leads to purchasing several unnecessary items.

Another book that seemed to be interesting was Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles, so I decided to pick that up as well. I'll post reviews of the two after receiving and review each for a period of time.

Just opened an ING orange savings account

I just opened an ING savings account a week ago and have to say the interest rates beats all the brick and mortar banks in my area. I have been looking into ING for awhile now and decided to go for it. I wasn't sure about the whole online only, but so far so good. It's super easy to navigate the site and set up automatice transfers.

I opened the account with a referral and as long as I deposited $250 upon opening. ING gave me a $25 referral bonus.

I have had to call Customer Service once to get something updated and it was great service. You can e-mail me at ikenik8@aol.com if you need a referral!

We plan on using this savings account for specifically vacation money and you can't find that interest rate at most banks.

Our Money Mistake

One thing that I totally regret is that we ended up selling our first home.
We put a lot of heart into that house and I believe it would of been a better decide to keep it and rent it out then to have sold it.

The area where the house is located is on another busy street and is oh so changing. There are new business going in and the downtown area expanding north. If I could go back I would still own it, but at the same time it was nice to have some extra cash to refurnish our new home.

So owners of the Charming Yellow House with much character, let me know when you are ready to move!!

First step to Green living

A few months ago we switch out most of our light bulbs to the energy efficient compact fluorescent. They use less energy and are suppose to last 7 times as long. (One of these bulbs burnt out within a month. We'll just call that a defective bulb for now.)
I'm happy to say we did notice about a $15 difference in our electric bill. I'm not sure if the light bulbs were the only fact or if other things came into play also.

Although this is only one thing at least it's a start and we hope to add more to this overtime.

Coupon Clipping

Like I stated earlier I was never one to shop around or coupon clip.

Over the last year I have really gotten into this. I think it all started with our New Parenting classes that we took at the hospital before we had our first child. We received so many free samples along with coupons. We were told how expensive it was to have a child. I cut every coupon and placed them in an envelop. I would check to see once a week what these coupons expiration dates were and use them before they had expired. I had quit a stock of diapers, misc. baby toiletries, and food before our daughter Bailey arrived.
I continued to do this with everything I bought. We received the daily newspaper, which I would look in Sunday's and clip the items I needed.
Before you knew it I was saving a $1 here and $2 there.

I then added on online coupons. Some sites I love are:

http://www.afullcup.com/upload/cmps_index.php?page=coupon_generator

http://www.redplum.com/

http://www.everydaysaver.com/?gclid=CLj0lcyg2YwCFQKsIgodZlNzEA

One of the best deals I have received:
Target at one time had a coupon $1 off the purchase of two Gerber items. I was able to purchase baby food for as little as $.02 a container. Yes, that's right $.02. I totally stocked up on as many as I could for that price. Now that is saving money!!