April 30, 2009

I've updated my "What's For Dinner" section throughout May 5th (cinco de mayo) and my daily to-dos. Today is shopping day for me. I spent almost 3 full hours at Walmart! It was so worth it though. Thanks to taking my time to search for the best deals at other stores, I got 2 entire carts full of groceries (so full I had to walk slowly so things wouldn't fall from the carts) and I only spent $167. Now that is budgeting! Woohoo! Deals were so good that I stocked up on things that I don't normally buy. Might as well while it's dirt cheap.
Today was Ian's day off so to thank him for watching Aiden while I enjoyed taking my time to shop (for once) I came home and cooked up some chicken, shredded it, added miracle whip and cheese and slapped it all on some bread with pesto for some tasty lunch sandwiches. Afterwards we enjoyed a little bit of pudding. Aiden ate green beans blended with carrots and baby cereal, 4 oz of cow's milk, and 8 oz of 100% mixed fruit juice. He usually doesn't get 2 bottles of tasty fluids with his day time meals. Normally he only gets juice or water but he only had 3oz of milk for breakfast so I figured if he was still hungry, he could have more.

I've started organizing my home office for my skin care business. There is so much to do! I have a whole living room full of inventory that I need to organize and get put away until I hold my next skin care class or make over. I love treating other women to a spa-like day and making them feel pretty. I'm glad I got into this business.

It's not on my to-do list for today but I think if I have time I am going to wash all of the base boards in the house. It's best to stay on top of it so you don't end up renting a power chisel to get the grime off.

Recipes to come for meals on the list, so stay tuned!

On Track Tuesday

Good morning everyone! Feel like you've kind of fallen off track with your house work? Me too. I have had so much going on lately that I just feel like I've letting my poor house go and gain a few pounds. (yes my house is a female) Today, once my errands are finished, I'm going to play catch-up. Normally you read that I am cleaning the master bath. Since Aiden isn't old enough to use his for anything other than bath time, our upstairs bathroom is fairly unused and doesn't require much/any cleaning... or so I thought. I went up to give him a bath after one of his "I-like-to-suck-on-cereal-until-it-becomes-a-sticky-pile-of-goo-and-then-smear-it-everywhere-i-can-reach" ordeals and I was horrified at the condition of his bathroom. The tub has the ever-dreaded ring, the toilet is getting one too somehow, and there is... stuff on everything. What kind of stuff? I can't even identify it. We had our air ducts cleaned last week and apperently when they pull off the vents to clean them out, "stuff" goes everywhere and the man who was kind enough to clean ours was not kind enough to clean up after himself. That bathroom is top cleaning priority today. As is sweeping which I am cursed to do twice a day until I can get my hands on some sort of area rug.
So grab your cleaners and buckets and lets kill this filthy enemy once and for all (or at least for today.)

Cheers.

Welcome to a New Week!

Good morning everyone! I hope you all had a fun weekend. Hubby is fried from a day out in the sun and burned pretty badly so he decided to stay home today. I surprised him with homemade french toast, eggs, and sausage for breakfast. Now time to get some cleaning done!

All About Aiden... and Other Things

Yesterday Ian, Aiden, and I spent a few hours outside landscaping our back yard. Aiden and I sunburned. Even Ian got a bit pink. Our retaining wall is coming along nicely though. We even went on a happy family outing to Home Depot (which we love) to shop for future investments and little things that we could use now. Home Depot is our sweet spot. I do feel bad about Aiden's sunburn though. It isn't bad; he's just a bit pink, but normally I do my best to shield him from anything that could be bad for him. I guess it'll build character like so many other things often do. I've even taken him completely off formula and I am so glad I did. For some reason, when he had formula he was always hungry. Now that I've switched him to only solids and 2 daily bottles of cows milk, he is only wanting 3 to 4 meals a day. And he seems happier, more playful, and just better off in general. He even takes fewer naps which is nice because now I can spend more time with him.
His vocabulary has expanded exponentially this month too. He can say "baba" "dada" and "feet" (mama is a work in progress) as well as wave hello and bye-bye. He enjoys watching tv with us and is even learning to feed himself off of a "big boy" (toddler) spoon. He seems to be growing up so fast.

Today I have an 11am business meeting. I'm excited about it because I have already been mentioned at the Mary Kay Texas Conference (which is a huge honor) and I am really going places with this company. I wish I would have tried something like this before. The secret is to sell what there will always be a demand for. The good thing about selling beauty products is even if the economy crashes and burns, women and teens everywhere will still want to look beautiful so they will never stop buying. It's become a necessity, like food.

Well, I had better get my morning routine finished. Have a great day everyone!

A Quick Blog Before Work...

My homemade pizza turned out quite tasty! It was a fun lunch to make for Aiden and myself. Ian got home at 5pm yesterday so I gave him what was left; much to his approval. Last night for dinner we finally did get to our Chicken Alfredo, but I didn't post a recipe since it is similar to spaghetti in the fact that everyone surely already has a recipe for it that they love. If you "need" the recipe from me, just ask. There is a recipe posted for tonight's dinner.

I noticed I have been slacking off a little bit when it comes to crossing out the things I've done throughout the day so I'll have to work on that. Today, my house will be left alone for a majority of the day since I'll be working in Phoenix. Saturdays are my big work days (not that I'm complaining) and I generally leave early in the morning and don't get back until dusk or later.

I think I'm going to start a show & tell day for my readers. One of the other bloggers that I follow has a sort of show and tell on Fridays to show what cool antique she has obtained that week. I do love antiques, however I don't always aquire new things on a weekly basis. So I may hold mine only once a month. I'll think about it and let you know. Have a great day readers!

House Hunting?

Hello everyone! Has the economy got you down? Well what better time to celebrate? Buy a house! Houses will never be this easily attained ever again.

The house you see pictured here is in my neighborhood and is going for $89,000. It's fairly turn-key which means it doesn't need any major work and is move-in ready. The kitchen is gorgeous and the rooms are huge; but this is common for all the houses like this in our neighborhood.

This second house is only $64k!

Anyone considering buying a house should seriously check out El Mirage. The realtor we used even offers a bonus program for new buyers. Just let me know if you would like his number. Happy house hunting!

Good morning everyone. Yesterday I kind of did a little bit of slacking off as far as housework is concerned; however, I replaced it with something much more important - quality family time. Ian, Aiden, and I spent the whole day together just enjoying the day. Also, whatever ailment plagued Aiden is now residing within me somewhere and I am miserably sick. I didn't even make our chicken alfredo for dinner.
"Oh my goodness, you ate fast food?!"
Heavens no. We had leftover sweet sausage white chili. I may not have revealed this about myself but when cooking for Ian and myself, I generally cook enough for six people. Many times we have leftovers which make a great breakfast or packable lunch for Ian.

I am still sick today but I will do my best to catch up. No, the house does not look like a disaster zone. It could use a light sweep, vacuum, and mop. I also have quite a bit of laundry folding to do.

So I'm off to play catch-up!

Wake Up & Smell Your House

...only take the time to enjoy it! I was recently asked about non-chemical ways to freshen the air in rooms that weren't close enough for heavenly kitchen aromas to reach. There are so many natural tricks to try. Here are just a few ideas for you:


Simmer your Way to Freshness
You can use a simmering potpourri crock that is available at craft stores, and even Wal-Mart! Fill it half-full with water and add a few cloves, a couple dashes of cinnamon, and a few drops of extract (vanilla, orange, lemon, etc). Citrus peels are another great ingredient. You could also use a sliced apple with a few cinnamon sticks to create an apple pie scent. Plug in the crock and you have a warm comfortable smell drifting throughout your home that isn't overly pungent like some of those expensive wall-outlet units. (Just be careful to watch your water level of your crockpot as the heat will cause evaporation. You don't want this to run dry.) If you don't have a potpourri crock, any crockpot will do. You may also simmer homemade scents in a small saucepan on the stove. However, a crockpot you can plug into any outlet in any room of the house.
To quickly get rid of odors (especially fish), simply heat some white vinegar on the stove (DON'T boil!), and after about 30 minutes, remove it. The slight vinegar smell dissipates quickly and takes any odors with it.

Homemade Sprays & Tricks
Mix 1/4 cup baking soda with water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray. The baking soda absorbs the odor. You can also add a little scent if you want. (vanilla extract. It smells great and drives men wild for some reason)
Spray undiluted white vinegar in the air. The vinegar smell evaporates very quickly taking odors with it.
Place a bowl of vinegar on the counter and let it sit for a few hours.
Dampen a towel with vinegar and wave it through the air
Fill a parmesan cheese shaker with baking soda. (spray it with a little of your favorite purfume.) Sprinkle over carpets and let it sit as long as possible (Overnight is best). Vacuum. Add table salt to the baking soda, but it is not necessary. The salt absorbs moisture and acts as an abrasive. It really makes the carpet look better than vacuuming without it.

Dryer Sheets
If you use dryer sheets, you could put them in the vents, in drawers, or other unseen areas. They will freshen the air as it comes into the room. You can put them in fresh or after they've been through the dryer.

Candles
If you burn scented candles, save any wax bits left over and add them to a wax potpourri burner. If you mix scented and unscented, they will last longer.

Other Ideas
-You can put fancy soaps in your drawers to freshen your clothes. You can also do this with the
scented perfume ads from magazines.
-Open a window as air inside is usually more polluted than air outside.
-Put essential oils in a light bulb ring. You could also add them to a vaporizer.
-Dilute your essential oils (or old perfumes) in a spray bottle, put on the finest setting, and mist your rooms with it. This also works on sheets, pillowcases, and towels.
-Put a drop of a very inexpensive "perfume" on a light bulb in each room. Jasmine-scented is a personal fave.
-Also, if there is an "odor" I want to remove, I pour a little white vinegar on an old washrag and wipe the walls down lightly with it. As soon as it's dry, the place smells clean and "sweet" without the perfume.
-For the bathroom, dampen a cotton swab with your favorite perfume or cologne and swab the inside of a toilet paper roll. Each time the toilet paper is rolled, a fresh scent will fill the room.
-Another way to purify the air is to dampen a cotton ball with pure vanilla extract, place in a dish and set in odorous area of the house. A dish with three cotton balls is great for the living room. A room in which heavy smoking occurs might require another dish.

Make Scented Rocks
Scented rocks make a great air freshener. Mix 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon of a favorite essential oil and 2/3 cup boiling water and a few drops of a food coloring to create a desired shade. Blend all ingredients, form into balls, and allow to dry.

Scented Rocks Revisited
Here's an easy recipe. (It's also a fun craft for kids!) Make a small amount of Plaster of Paris, but use liquid potpourri instead of water. You can buy inexpensive candy molds at many stores. Pour the liquid POP into the molds and let it dry completely. Pop them out and you have scented rocks of a sort.

The "Smelly Jelly" Answer
Smelly Jelly
2 cups Concentrated Potpourri Liquid
4 envelops Knox gelatin
1 tablespoon salt (to deter molding)
Heat 1 cup potpourri until almost boiling. Remove from heat. Add 4 envelopes Knox Gelatin and 1 tablespoon salt. Stir until dissolved. Add remaining 1 cup potpourri. Pour into clean jars and allow to set. If in a hurry, lightly cover and refrigerate them to speed the process.
I add food coloring if I don't like the color. This can be put in a vase, and as it starts to set, place artificial flowers in the vase. The flowers seem to be real because they have a smell.


Give one or more of these a try and let me know how you like them!

My hearth bread loaves turned out perfect yesterday! What's best is for a few hours after I had finished my baking, my whole house smelled like warm baked bread! Today is going to be a laid back day for me. Cleaning never gets a break because it's counterpart - getting dirty - never takes a break. Today I'll clean the bathrooms, dust, and clean the fridge.

I also need to call DES today about my insurance. It seems they only decided to cover me through May which is not sufficient since Ambria is due in August. Hopefully they will approve the extention. Have a great day everyone!

Tuesday's Troubles

Tonight on the menu is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and cauliflower. Unfortunately, due to a horrible miscalculation (on my part) my potatoes have expired. I usually buy baby golden potatoes from the store when I go shopping. They are cleaner and generally keep in the pantry longer than russets. During my last shopping endeavor, the only potatoes available were 5-10lb bags of russet potatoes so that is what I got stuck with. I was not about to change my whole menu around just because my favorites were not in stock. Well that was a week ago. Today when I pulled out the potatoes to prewash them, I noticed fat roots on them. No biggie? Just cut them off? Ok... well the first one I pulled out was soft, so I threw it away. The next potato was actually oozing. That killed it for me. I threw out the whole bag. Sadly, now I have to used boxed potatoes for tonights meal.

No! It does NOT taste the same!

Granted, I can improve the bland flavor with spices and cream and butter, but it just wont be as good as the homemade stuff. I wish I had time to just make a quick stop at the store to buy new potatoes, but my day is packed. I'll have to go get more by tomorrow though so I can make a stop while on my other errands.

I'm sure you may have noticed that I've changed my morning to-do list. I've made it a list as a morning routine. I've also included any daily to-do's that will change from day-to-day. The day-to-day things will be crossed out as I complete them, however the morning routine will remain uncrossed since I do these things every morning.

What do you do as part of your morning routine?

Home Improvement

Now that all of our credit cards are paid off, our home improvement has begun! We went out and bought 6 brand new ceiling fans from Home Depot today. The mattress we wanted was $3000 so we are going to wait and buy that last just to make sure we can afford all of the other upgrades we want. Next comes the home theater with surround sound and recessed lighting throughout the house! We will be installing it this week. How exciting!

I spent 3 hours at the doctor's office with Aiden today and 4 hours shopping for fans and flat screens and wasn't able to get to my floors today. :( That's ok, I'll give them an extra special treatment tomorrow. Tonight for dinner is Pizzawiches! Yummy! Look for the recipe link in the "What's For Dinner" section of my blog!

"M" is for Monday, Mary Kay, & most importantly: MONEY

What a slow paced, lazy Monday. Ian was "given" the day off since he was late (again) for work. So he is still sleeping. It's 8:20 am as I type this out (since I am adding this first paragraph to what I had posted earlier this morning) and even Aiden is still asleep. He never sleeps past 7 so I had to go upstairs just to make sure he was still breathing. He was. Poor little guy is still sick so maybe that's why he's so tired lately. I really don't know what to do with myself since I can't get my day going as usual. Ian has a sore throat so he didn't want coffee. Everyone is asleep so I can't make breakfast. My dishes and laundry are all done from yesterday. All I have left is to spend time on the computer for now and for some reason it feels wrong. I feel like I should be doing something more important. I guess I'll printout some fliers to promote my new business.

I have to admit, I was terrified to my bones about working out in society again. What if I don't make any money working for myself? What if I don't reach my goals and ultimately let myself down? Will I still have time for my most important job: my family?

I had so many concerns and was starting to feel like I had made the wrong decision. I know there are a lot of work from home jobs out there. Some of them are successful - but most fail. I didn't want to be a part of the negative statistics. Yesterday I sat down during Aiden's first nap and organized everything I had been given as part of my starter kit and then I practiced my presentation. I was exceptional as a public speaker at my last job so that was not an issue for me. A little more confident, I called my sister and asked if she would like to host a party for me to practice. Mary Kay provided me with tons of samples and a whole kit for giving free facials so I had the means, just not the experience. She agreed and I drove to Phoenix (again) to practice.

*On a side note: MK enables me to be my own business so I can write off gas, business dinners, cell phone bill, office supplies, any work clothes I purchase, and my expenses to buy my products.

I ran my whole presentation and tried all of my products on her and she was in love. My step sister Sammie was there too, with her friend Lilia, as was my mom and grandmother. All-in-all... I made $200 on my first day as a Mary Kay consultant! The best part? It only took me an hour for the free facials and my presentation. $200 per hour is great in my book. So, with a little new-found confidence under my belt, I decided to be bold and see who else would be interested in hostessing a Mary Kay party (if you hostess it, I can give out $25 worth of free product to you) and just like that - I have 2 appointments set for May. Each girl who is hostessing is going to be bringing 3-4 friends along so my potential income is great! I am so excited about this opportunity. We don't need the extra money but I think it will be nice to buy Ian his birthday and Christmas presents with my own earned money; not his.

Onto my usual blog stuff:

Last night we were invited to stay at my Mom's house for Steak and Au Gratin Potatoes so needless to say, I once again did not get to make dinner. I know most people would love that but I enjoy cooking. It's somewhat of an outlet for me. I can disappear into my kitchen and dissolve into my own little world of cookware and spices. I truly love it. "Well why don't you become a Chef?" Simple. If I HAVE to cook (things I am forced to cook vs. the things I like to cook) I'm afraid I would eventually come to resent cooking. As it stands now, I don't have to cook; I get to cook. I can choose my favorite ingredients, spices, consistencies. All of that freedom would potentially be taken away from me if I choose to become a chef.
Tonight I will be cooking though. I am determined! So to anyone wanting to make dinner plans with us: unless you will be dining at our house, it will have to wait. On the menu: Pizzawiches! I'll post a link with the recipe before tonight!

Have a great Monday today!

Mary Kay - Let's Play!

Unfortunately I did not get to all of my to-do's yesterday. I spent all day (9am-10:30pm) in Phoenix. 9am-1pm I spent getting everything ready for the Mary Kay party that I was hostessing. 1:30pm-5ish was the party; and 5:30-9:30pm we were at Brix Wine Spot to support my father-in-law, Thom. He was playing live with the band. Afterwards we went and picked up our son at my mother's house and headed home. We didn't get in the door until a little after 11pm so I didn't get to making my apricot kielbasa. :( I think I'll rearrange the menu a bit today. Don't worry, I'll keep all the same meals on there; I'll just put them in a differen't order. What can I say? I'm unpredictable.

During the party yesterday I made the decision to sell Mary Kay products part time. I love their line and even if I don't sell anything, I can't be fired. Either way, I win! So if anyone is interested in hostessing a party and inviting a couple friends over for me to practice playing with free make-up and beauty products, just let me know! It'll be good experience for me and you will be able to hang out with your lady friends, kids, and in some cases - even a few guy friends. My start up fee was only $100 so there's no major loss if everything falls through. If anything it will give me more incentive to spend quality time with my friends and make new friends. Help me make this a fun learning experience for everyone!

My morning started around 4am today so I'll finish my morning to-do's early and bake some bread pudding. Hubby is addicted to that stuff! With him around, a whole batch only lasts a day or two, at most.

For today, once to-do's are done, go to church; out to breakfast; bake something that makes the house smell great - Just enjoy your morning. Afterwards, let's spend the day cleaning out our vehicle. I'm not talking about a full on overhaul. Simply throw out the trash, bring in any belongings and give it the once-over with a vacuum. If you are really feeling up to it, you can wipe your car down with your favorite interior polish or even just a damp cloth; but, this isn't necessary.

Have a great Sunday!

Girl's Day Out

Today I will be hosting a Mary Kay Make-up Party in Phoenix. If you need the address, just let me know. A consultant will be bringing products for us all to play with and if you like anything, you are welcome to buy it. It all takes place at 1:30pm sharp and I will be providing snacks and drinks.

I know I'm not hosting it at my house, but there is still so much to do! Unfortunately I won't be able to finish my morning to-do's at my house because I need to make sure the party location is in great shape and stocked up with munchies for us. I did some laundry today already so that is out of the way at least. I update my checklist every single day so you are able to see the things I get to, and the things I don't.

I better get some things done! Hope to see you there!

Spaghetti Dinner

So I didn't post a link for my spaghetti meal tonight. I did this mostly because spaghetti is so universal that everyone generally has a recipe that they like. I will post a few step by step pictures just to give you something to look at. :)

The first picture is what the end product was; spaghetti with meatballs, steamed vegetables and a spicy chipotle cheesy garlic bread. I went a little nuts with the bread. I guess I just couldn't contain myself when I got ahold of my spices. Fret not, though. Your mouth won't complain, it'll enjoy the party.

On to the spaghetti! I always start with the meatballs because they take the longest. Of course I bake mine (you can even microwave most recipes) and I just used my simple meal maker meatball recipe. Once the meatballs finished, I set them aside and boiled some water to which I added garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Thus, enter my pasta. For spaghetti sauce you can use a store-bought can which is on sale this week at wal-mart for $1.08 for a large 6 serving can, or you can make your own which is what I tend to do since I am so picky about my sauces. You can use tomato puree or tomato sauce and simply season to taste. As a rule of thumb the first 2 spices I always add to homemade spaghetti sauce are 1) Italian Seasoning and 2) Garlic Powder.

Once the pasta noodles finished I strained them and quickly added a splash of extra virgin olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking together and a touch of spices. While my sauce simmered, I steamed up some veggies in butter and added rosemary. Usually I use garlic instead but with garlic bread and garlic powder in my pasta water, I didn't want to over-do it. Either way, the aromatics were amazing. For the garlic bread I cut a loaf of french bread in half and buttered it with a mix of melted butter, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Then I topped it with mozzarella cheese and toasted it in the oven. Bon Apetit! A lovely meal for you and your family at an unbeatable price!

Even with this full plate, hubby enjoyed it so much he finished off everything that was left on the stove. So needless to say, we have no leftovers. Which is fine. The more dinner he eats, the more I know he enjoyed it. It's weird, as easy as spaghetti is, we don't eat it often. I think I'll start cooking it twice a month (since it's cheap) instead of once every 4 months.

Anyway, on to dessert. Like I mentioned in my previous post, we finished off the rest of the cake so I was at a loss for tonights tasty delight. I purchased 5lbs of red delicious apples to make baby food with 2 weeks ago and never used them all and decided not to let them go to waste. I ended up making homemade apple crisp. It turned out ok. I've never made it before. Here is the result:

I may have cut my apples a little on the thin side but all in all, it was a great first attempt. And as an added bonus, my whole house now smells like apple crisp! (free air freshener!)

I better get back to TV time with hubby. This is really our only quality alone time since he works long hours. I'll post again tomorrow. Goodnight everyone!

T.G.I.F!

Dinner was decent last night. I couldn't decide on a dressing so I scrapped the tossed veggie salad for a convenient can of mixed vegetables. I decided to do some dinner rolls too. For dessert, we finished off the last of our Ginger-Spice Cake and a scoop of ice cream. I guess that means I'll being doing a bit of baking either today or tomorrow. Here is our meal (without the dessert pictured) from last night:

TGIF has a dual meaning today:

1) Thank God It's Friday
2) Totally Going In Fashion

Where are we going? Anywhere! Make sure to finish your morning to-do's and then bundle the kids up (and dogs, depending on where you choose to go) and enjoy the late morning/afternoon. Just make sure to pamper yourself a little before you leave the house. Take a few extra minutes to do your hair and slap on some mascara. Change out of those pajamas and find a good looking pair of jeans. You'll feel so much better about yourself.
"But I don't know where to go"
-It doesn't matter! Go anywhere. If you have a pet with you, try just taking a nice long walk around the neighborhood and enjoying the view or go to the park (or even a dog park since they are usually on a regular park.) If you don't have pets with you, there are so many places to go! Go to the mall (one of my favorites since I can walk all day and just window shop,) or an outdoor gallery/artshow/festival, the zoo, a photo studio to update pictures, fair, or even just a walk around your neighborhood Target or Wal-Mart! In any case, make sure to pack plenty of food and snacks. I always pack cheerios, crackers, juice, and water along with my son's normal food. (Sometimes I'll even pack a nutrigrain bar for myself!) To make it more enjoyable, invite a fellow mom and her pack of young ones to come along for a few hours.

After your fun outing make it a point to make sure your floors are in tip top shape! If your morning routine doesn't include sweeping/vacuuming and mopping. Do so now. Also take 5 minutes to speed dust the house (just the visible stuff!) Then enjoy an activity of your choice!

Have fun!

For SAHMs Everywhere

I was browsing the internet (since my house is clean and dinner is still 30 minutes off) and I came across this little clip from another woman's blog. I loved it and decided to share it with all of you.....



"You are so lucky you get to take rest, sleep, eat or watch tv all day" or "You're so lucky!" or "You can do whatever you want all day." Rest? Man, I can't remember when I could use a bathroom with the door closed. Keeping a pair ofeyes everywhere while you clean, cook, entertain and get no bonus,raise, time-off or rewards is a bit of a tricky and consuming task. Apparently some spouses are guilty of this too. I still remember being asked a few years ago, just after I resigned to take care of Jia, "How was my vacation?" Grrrr.... Yes, that person is still alive and I hope reading this.
"I could never JUST be a stay-at-home-mom, how do you do it?"Mmm,.. I don't know, I guess you would have to be crazy or maybe JUST a supermom/superdad. It takes a lot of strength to swap financial autonomy and adult conversations for being a prime caretaker 24/7 and still make dopey faces as needed.
"I work AND take care of my children." Yes, of course you do, with a lil help from your childcare option.
"Oh!"This is the response to being asked what I do and responding SAHM. It is always a total conversation ender with eyes already scanning around for someone more interesting to talk to.
"You are so lucky you can afford to stay at home." aka "You must be rich if you can stay home."Lucky, are you kidding? We constantly keep re-juggling figures to try and make it work and debate about having two incomes. Very often sacrificing little pleasures and on the constant lookout for bargains. Honest truth is now that I am trying to re-enter the job field and arranging care and all other sundries, I cannot believe how expensive the work I do is. According to Salary.com, if paid, Stay at Home Moms would earn $134,121 annually.
"What do you do all day?" or "What do you do with him/her all day?" or "What do you do with all that time?" or "Don't you get bored?"Oh, nothing. We place them in front of the tv and let them eat cheetos and wash it down with sodawhile we catch up on the latest gossip with the other SAHMs or watchsoaps on tv with the kids. Don't worry, we make sure to clean up in time at end of day so as not to leave evidence behind.
"I'll bet your house is really clean."What are you smoking? Your socks? Ever tried to clean a home with toddlers underfoot?
"You stay at home because you are lazy." That's right because I guess the children get dressed, fed, cleaned,entertained, carried, disciplined, etc all by themselves, right?
"You are sponging off your husband!" Totally, and Man what a wonderful sponge my husband makes.
"You are teaching your kids that a woman's place is at home."No, I am teaching my child that a woman has a right to do what she wants, irrespective of the pressure she gets from society.
"Women should have lives of their own"You didn't really think I was living your life, right? Whose life is it anyway?
"You're a SAHM? Good for you!" (Said in a condescending tone.)Why is it that comment "Good for you." always gives me the creepies? Maybe if people just said "Good" or "Great" it would be fine, but somehow the "for you" part kind of sounds like it is just good for you but not me.
"Oh, so you don't work" Ok, the next time I hear that someone is going to get hurt. Enough said!

This is not a reflection of attitudes of Working Moms (WOHMs) but of the few ignorant or careless individuals who give a bad reputation to all hardworking moms, whether inside the home or out. I invite comments, whether you agree or not.

Finally on track..

All of our April bills are just about paid. Just three to go. I really am proud of the excel sheet I've put together to manage my bills. It's been so helpful for me and has enabled me to save more than we ever would have been able to. If you'd like a copy, just let me know and I'll help you sort your finances too! Who would have known that just by keeping track of everything, you'd save time, money, and confusion! I've incorporated a few money saving techniques from some of the professionals to help me get a better grip on things. Hopefully it can help you as much as it's helped me.

Tonight for dinner, the Casey family is having unstuffed bell pepper soup (I've already posted the recipe) with a nice hearty side of tossed veggies. They will be chilled and served as a salad (without the lettuce part) with a tasty dressing to top it off. I'm not sure which I'll try. I only have italian; ranch; and a sweet, fruity salad dressing. For dessert I have some leftover Ginger-Spice Cake that I made earlier this week. Yum!

Home Again

Just incase you have not yet noticed, each main course that I have planned in the "What's For Dinner" list on the left side of my blog I will try to always post my personal recipe for the food. If there is no link, that probably means it's something I haven't made before and don't want to endorse something that turns out to be a complete disaster. I will only post a link for the meal that is being served that night. Not for any meals that are later in the week/month. If you absolutely need one then just email me and I'll send it to you.

Dinner turned out so delicious last night! The chicken could not have been more perfect! None of the cheese leaked out (like it usually does) and the ends of the chicken stayed together exactly the way I had hoped. My pasta was good too. I decided to add garlic into my cream sauce instead of my usual parmesan cream. I think it was a wise choice. I ended up adding some tomato sauce to the squash and zucchini. my s/z mix was so tender and well seasoned. I really couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out. Unless it was able to cook itself. :)

In other news, our ultra sound went great and we got some wonderful pictures to brag about! Now time to catch up on my to-dos for the day!

New Microwave!

My chicken cordon bleu is baking, zucchini/squash is cut and marinating (i'll fry it up a few minutes before the chicken is done,) my sauce to top the chicken is simmering, and my pasta is boiling. I thought about using asparagus instead of the squash and zucchini but this was easier and I truly detest the smell of asparagus.

In other news: I am so excited! I finally got a microwave! Now I can cut some of my cooking time in half (during lunch time.) All dinner meals are cooked exclusively on the stove or in the oven. Breakfast is 50/50. Hubby got home early tonight so we went shopping at Home Depot to get estimates on prices for our new granite countertops. Looks like we can get exactly what we want for around $3,500. This is great news! There are just so many projects we'd like to work on; we need to prioritize. That way we don't leave anything only partly finished.

Wednesday Workout

Sorry there was no post for yesterday. I spent all day running errands and visiting the doctor's office. I am happy to report that I did at least get my morning routine and tidying up done. I'm running a little behind today, though. It's 8:15am and here's what I've completed so far:

Brew Coffee, Make Breakfast, Change and Feed Baby, Feed Dogs, Get Hubby off to Work, Sweep, Vacuum, and Tidy Office.

I've made progress but I still need to do a load of dishes, brush teeth and hair, fold some laundry, tidy the living room, tidy the kitchen, make the bed, and mop.

Today is also a day to focus on bedding. Time to go through the whole house, gather up all of the bedding and send it to the laundry room for a nice fluffy clean. This is also when I'll be flipping the mattress. I'm making it a priority to completely dust the entire house as well. Once that's finished, I'll be enjoying a wonderful clean home until about 1pm when I have to drive to Phoenix for another doctor's appointment.

Goodluck with your day!

Break Time

After so much deep cleaning and a holiday weekend, I'm feeling a little burnt out. Today I think I'll take a short nap and enjoy a little television. Hubby has class tonight so I'm on my own until 10:30 tonight which means I'll be looking forward to making something for dinner that doesn't take too long. Tonight's meal is Fiery Dragon Soup and Whole Wheat Rolls! There are some great discounts on groceries this week, too! I only spent $260 and I was able to buy enough to get us through a whole month of meals. This only goes to show that careful planning and budgeting really can pay off! Enjoy the rest of your day!

Welcome to a New Week

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Easter Weekend. Unless you had company over, your house should still be looking mighty divine. If you did have guests, don't worry. Spend 5 minutes in each room tidying up and all will be well again. Sweep/vacuum and mop the floors along with any daily chores such as laundry or dishes. Mondays and Tuesdays are the best days to get groceries so sit down, plan your meals for the week (or the next few weeks if you're feeling fiesty) and write out a detailed grocery list. http://www.couponsense.com/ can show you which stores in your neighborhood have the lowest prices this week on your everyday shopping needs. Make sure you write down the best price and the store offering it next to the item on your grocery list! Most of the ads come in my mailbox and I save them in a drawer (and throw them away after shopping.) You can also purchase a newspaper which has most of the deals and coupons in there as well. Doing this can save you 50-75% on your grocery bill! So don't blow it off.

Today is forcasted to be 61-82 degrees throughout the day so I think I'll spend some time doing a bit of light yardwork. Clean up after the dogs, water the grass and all the plants out front, clean the patios, etc... join me!

Day 4 - The Chambers...

Spring Cleaning Day 4 is all about bedrooms. Start by picking up and tidying. Clean fans and light fixtures, floor boards, wipe down walls, clean doors and knobs, clean light switches, and make the bed. Thoroughly clean both sides of windows and clean the mirror(s) if there are any in the room. Clean the carpets. Finally, vacuum and dust. For a little added something, try plugging in a great smelling air freshener or febreeze the upholstry. Do this in every bedroom. Then put your feet up and bask in your near-finished house!

Keep On Truckin!

Welcome to Spring Cleaning Day 3! How do you feel? Unaccomplished so far? Well today will definately have you feeling like it's all going to be worth it! Today we are cleaning living room and family room upholstry; which means we'll also be cleaning beneath the furniture. You know, that dark abyss which is never seen by human eyes unless you are moving to a new residence? Yeah. We're going there. While you're at it, you might as well sweep/vacuum/mop the whole room. It will only take an extra minute or two. Make sure to do the floors AFTER you've cleaned the upholstry because sometimes the cleaning solutions can make quite a mess. Once these things are done, wipe down any furniture, dust, and do the necessary cleaning. Remember to only work on your living room and family room today! If you only have one of these rooms in your house, you're in luck! You are getting off easy!

*Be sure to check out the what's for dinner section if you need any dinner ideas for tonight!

Has Your Spring Sprung?

How is the spring cleaning going? Hopefully you haven't lost all of your energy just yet! Today we are working on bathrooms, closets, and hallways!! Good luck everyone!

Spring... to Spring Cleaning!

Spring time is here and what better time to get that house deep cleaned. I'm not talking about making sure baseboards are clean and beneath the couch has been vacuumed. I'm talking about the furthest reaches, the darkest, grimiest corners in your house! So lets get to it!

It's easiest if you only do one room at a time to be sure you never get ahead of yourself. Also, make sure you don't begin spring cleaning until your usual cleaning routine has been completed.

Start in the kitchen.
-Clean out and organize all drawers and cupboards.
-Clean the fridge and freezer (don't foget to sweep and mop underneath the refrigerator)
-Clean the stove burners and oven
-Organize all cleaners beneath the sink
-Clean out/organize pantry items
-Thoroughly clean out the microwave with a vinegar solution
-Take down and clean light fixtures
-If applicable, clean the fan.


Good luck! More to come for Castle Spring Cleaning tomorrow!

Happy Tuesday!

Hello everyone! The new website is well into its development and shouldn't take too much longer. Make sure your morning routine is done by now (11am) and you are taking time to relax or work on a fun project. Midday routine starts between noon and 1pm.

Today lets focus on bathrooms. Here are your objectives:
-Wash down counters and mirrors
-Sweep/Mop
-Clean baseboards
-Wipe down switchplates
-Clean toilet
-Empty Trash

Now if you have been diligently spraying the tub/shower after each use, it should be clean and only need a quick wash where the soaps and shampoos sit.

You are done! Take another break.

Food For Thought...

Love is giving someone the ability to destroy you, but trusting them enough to not to. So where do you stand if you love someone and they destroy you anyway?

Upgrade, Upgrade, Upgrade!

As you all know, we live in a world of change and I must say, I thrive on it. I started an account on blogger.com to help others organize at least some of the chaos that is life and while setting everything up, I discovered that this web host limits me and the things I want to share with you all. With that said, after only a day of having this account, I am purchasing my own domain name with more customization. I hope to have my site up and running before next week. I can't wait!

Welcome!

Welcome to my newest endeavor, the blog! I intend on sharing my life with all of you and bringing you a little insight on the Casey Castle (my home,) the residents, and how it all stays afloat.

At some point in time, I plan on including schedules, menus, recipes, money saving tips, and activites somewhere on this website, so keep your eyes peeled!

The Family:
My husband Ian is self employed as a QC Supervisor for a subcontractor of DirecTV. The job is demanding but it provides us the means to pay bills and have fun.

Our son, Aiden, was born 09/17/2008 and never ceases to amaze us.

We are expecting our second child, a daughter, who is due to arrive in August 2009. We plan to name her Ambria.

Our family also includes our pets. We have 3 dogs (Maya, Jade, and Llama) and a cat (Tripper) who demand a lot of attention.

The Home:
In February 2009, we purchased our first house in El Mirage. It's a great starter home with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms where we plan on living and raising our children for the next few years. It was built in 2002 and is in great condition but it still has so much potential. We have plans to redesign the landscape in the back yard and add a garden, remodel our master bathroom, repaint all the upstairs bedrooms, build a new office upstairs, and install surround sound downstairs. We hope to get our work started sometime this summer.

How I Stay Sane:

Most of my sanity I comes from an unnatural amount of organization. From bills to menus to daily schedules (which vary by day) everything is generally pre-planned in my household. I will do my best to share with you the things I do to keep everything running smoothly.