tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6351777039278036182024-03-13T12:19:39.256-07:00Mama's Chaotic DramaJust Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-85512807342188512582016-01-21T12:06:00.000-08:002016-01-21T12:06:14.401-08:00The birth of a new blog...Just CRAPTASTIC!! I bored MYSELF! I KNOW it's bad when I read my own work and I'm about to fall asleep. Oh! My! Gosh!! Can I really expect my husband, whom I'm reading it to, or anyone else for that matter, to seriously enjoy this if I'm not? Um NO!<br />
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I sat there, at the table, reading my latest blog post to my oh so sweet husband. He listened kindly as I BORED THE CRAP OUT OF BOTH OF US! What am I doing? I've been writing because I feel like I should, not because I enjoy it. Duh! And I'm efficiently ruining my blog!<br />
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I LOVE to write! But when I'm not even enjoying my own work I need a change.<br />
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Oh yeah. Right here. Right now. The start of a brand new blog. A real blog about real things that REALLY happen. The nitty gritty of life. The ugly truth of the day to day. The moments when I feel like I'm going to rip my hair out of my head...piece by piece...<br />
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That's right. It'll be <a href="http://www.justcraptastic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Just Craptastic</a>!<br />
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Drawing his idea of Craptastic...</div>
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A pile of crap...hehehe...</div>
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Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-2440774527431578792016-01-20T08:34:00.000-08:002016-01-20T08:34:05.520-08:00Will I waste my time making a menu?Let's talk about menus. Some people are really good at coming up with meal ideas. They make a variety of meals and are very creative. I have not always done very well at that. In fact, one of my biggest annoyances is trying to come up with a dinner idea. I do believe I have even used the word "hate" in reference to coming up with dinner ideas. Gasp! It got to the point that when someone asked me, "What's for dinner?" I would get quite annoyed. Sigh. Not the best response. <div>
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Over the years I have gone back and forth with using a menu and not using one. My conclusion...I spend WAY too much money when I don't use a menu. Plus, when I spend the time to create one I reduce my stress...and I don't have to answer that pesky little question anymore. So...<div>
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What kind of menu do you use? </div>
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-Menu Cards: At one point I had a stack of menu cards. They were index cards that I cut in half. Each card had a meal on it. I would sort through these cards every other week and choose the meals I would make. That worked for a while, but then I got bored. What I didn't realize is that I needed more variety. With variety this idea can work.</div>
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-Meal Idea list: It's a fabulous idea to have a list of the meals that your family enjoys. I used to have a list on my cork board that was hanging in the laundry room. Why the laundry room? I didn't want the paper clutter in the kitchen. You could hang the lists and recipes on the inside of a cabinet door. Or put your list and recipes into a binder with your cook books. The list helped me with variety. I don't have it on paper now, but I have a running list in my notes app on my phone. That way, no matter where I am, I can always add to the list when I think of something. </div>
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-Calendar menu: You can purchase a planner to write your menu in or a wall calendar would work too. It's handy to have where the entire family can see it. You can also <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=blank+calendar+printable&safe=active&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS574US574&espv=2&biw=1242&bih=545&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjrIzc5bjKAhWC1h4KHX1SAJ0QsAQIGw&dpr=1.1" target="_blank">print free blank calendars</a> from the internet. I found a chalk board calendar at Walmart that I was going to use for a family calendar. It sat on my dresser for weeks before I decided I wanted to use it for a menu/meal calendar instead. I used command strips and stuck it on the front of the stainless refrigerator. It came with a chalk pencil and it has a little tray for the pencil in the frame. </div>
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At first I was writing in a meal for every night except one. After a few weeks we realized that we needed to have nights designated for left overs. Otherwise the fridge is busting at the seams with left over food. And then the food goes bad. And I hate wasting food. </div>
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Yesterday I filled out the calendar with a little help from my husband. I purposely left 3 days a week blank. If we don't make a meal one day I circle it so that I know that I can use that meal later. Some days we end up with no time to make dinner and everyone eats left overs, cereal, toast or nachos. I circle the meal or write it else where. Once the meal is used I put a line through it. </div>
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Once I get the month's menu filled out I start a grocery list. I check to see what ingredients we already have on hand and which ones we need. I make sure to put snacks, fruits, veggies and other necessities on the list as well. I also have some foods that come on a Subscribe & Save shipment each month from Amazon. A couple of the meals this month require chicken broth. I was starting to fret about the fact that the shipment won't come until the 1st of the month and my husband suggested we swap a couple meals around so that the meal requiring the broth would be made after the delivery. I had a "DUH" moment! Hahaha! I'm not sure why I didn't think of that, but he reminded me to simplify. Todd to the rescue! </div>
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When I plan ahead and take the time to create a menu and a detailed list of items needed I save my family hundreds of dollars each month. Yes, you read that right. Hundreds. But remember...we have 8 people to feed. No matter your family size you will save money by creating a menu and following it. </div>
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I also remind my kids that the food I buy has to last for a month...except for milk, eggs, cheese, bread, and fresh fruit and veggies. And when they're gone, they're gone. They won't get more until the next month. If I buy 10 bags of chips, which I don't, they would eat every one of them just because they are in the house. I buy 2 boxes of regular chocolate chip granola bars at the local whole sale club. That's 120 bars for the month. If I purchased more boxes they would eat them all, but there are plenty of them for the month when I buy just 2 boxes. </div>
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We've also found a way to use the calendar to mark the dates that my husband works. I write a small "w" in the bottom corner for "work". This way we can have the meals that he enjoys on the nights that he will be home, and make the meals he is less fond of on the nights that he works. </div>
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So, no, making a menu isn't a waste of your time. Time is money. And you'll save a bunch my writing out and sticking to a menu. What are your favorite meals?</div>
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#menu</div>
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Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-79810247292098465872016-01-19T08:17:00.000-08:002016-01-19T08:17:16.897-08:003 Elements of Weight LossWhen people make blanket statements like: When you exercise for 5 days a week at 30 minutes each day, you will lose weight. And you don't have to change your eating habits...<br />
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I know it won't work for everyone. For some metabolisms, merely exercising daily can cause weight loss. But I think that flew out the window along with my 20's. <br />
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I've learned a lot over the years. And I'm going to continue to learn more all the time. What I've learned about weight loss is you can't have weight loss with only exercise. There are 3 important elements of healthy weight loss:<br />
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#1- Sleep<br />
#2- Exercise<br />
#3- Eating healthy<br />
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Number 1:<br />
Don't expect to be able to endure a vigorous workout if you're tired. We need sleep. And I believe each person is a little different. I need about 8 hours each night to feel my best. My husband can get 6 hours and be just fine. After a couple of nights trying to function with only 6 hours of sleep...I crash...hard. <br />
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Make sure you go to bed early. And set your alarm. Too much sleep can have negative effects on your body similar to that of sleep deprivation. What are some of those effects you ask? Moodiness, irritability, quick to anger, sadness, tiredness, etc. There are a lot of them. A lack of sleep can lead to health problems as well.<br />
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Why is sleep so important? According to the <a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why" target="_blank">National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute</a>...<br />
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"Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.</div>
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The way you feel while you're awake depends in part on what happens while you're sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.</div>
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The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others."</div>
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So, take care of yourself and make sure you get your ZZZZ's!</div>
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Kids are so good a this!</div>
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Number 2: </div>
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Exercise! If you expect to see changes in your body, exercise is necessary. Not only does it boost your mood, but it decreases risks of health problems too. Exercise strengthens your muscles....not just your thighs and your tummy, but also your heart and lungs. </div>
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It's so important to do an exercise routine that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat. But remember...listen to your body. Find something that you enjoy and start moving! </div>
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Number 3:</div>
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Eat healthy. I have had to learn a great amount about foods and what is and is not healthy. Most Americans simply don't care. If it tastes good, they'll eat it. I used to do the same thing. Due to the food intolerances and allergies in my family I spent a lot of time researching foods. I've only scratched the surface! </div>
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Eat fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables every day. Add in lean meats, fish and nuts. Try eating raw nuts. They're yummy! I know some people can't stand them. If you need the ones with salt, find ones that contain nuts and salt. You don't need or want all the other junk in there. </div>
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Eat as healthy as you can. As you learn more about foods you can adjust your diet accordingly. </div>
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Oh. I said that nasty word. Diet. It has such a negative reputation. But all creatures have a "diet". Your diet is simply what you consume. And it's great and wonderful when we can adjust them to help us get healthier. </div>
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Combining these elements will help you lose weight in a healthy way. And you will feel great while you're doing it. </div>
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#3elementsofweightloss</div>
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#loseweight</div>
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#getenoughsleep</div>
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#eatinghealthy</div>
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#exercise</div>
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#iloveexercise</div>
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#fitandhealthy</div>
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Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-49536165727564818862016-01-11T16:24:00.002-08:002016-01-11T16:24:50.238-08:00A good day!Today turned out to be a pretty good day in many ways. Originally, today was going to be spent cleaning, tidying and organizing. I did do some of that. And we accomplished a lot, my husband and I. <br />
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In the morning my mom and I helped my grandmother take her car in for a repair. While we waited for it to be complete we went to Walmart and the local grocery store for a few items before heading back to my grandmother's apartment. Once the car was repaired we went and picked it up and we headed back home.<br />
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When I got home I found that my husband had been very busy cleaning and tidying our bedroom...or his side of the room anyway. I pulled him away and we worked together to clean and organize the little girls' bedroom. There was so much STUFF hiding and creeping in that room. It was scary! And we found the source of the smells. Ugh! <br />
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Beds are made. Extra blankets are folded. Stuffed animals are in their bin. Rugs are vacuumed. An over-the-door hanger is up and holding all of their dresses. (They used to be thrown into a plastic bin.) Dirty clothing was picked up and put into their laundry basket. All the toys were picked up and placed in their proper bins. Sigh! It feels so good to see it clean!<br />
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It's amazing how quickly a room can get OUT OF CONTROL! It only takes a few days and it's complete chaos...toys, books, blankets, pillows, dirty clothes, shoes, candy wrappers...the list goes on and on. And then it takes so much more time to tame it and clean it again. <br />
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I'm so thankful that the 4 year old is the baby...the last of the crew. There is an end in sight. Eventually I know she will pass the "dumping" phase. You mothers know what I mean! And I look forward to those days...all...the...time. <br />
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The next part of my day I had forgotten that I had planned. Thank goodness for notifications on my calendar! I was able to talk on the phone to a dear friend for a while. I don't do that often enough and I was reminded today just how much I enjoy talking with this friend. She always has great insight and so much knowledge and wisdom to share. Plus she makes me laugh. That's a great blessing!<br />
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Friends are so important. Each of the friends I have made in each place I have lived have helped contribute to the person I am today. I'm grateful for that! <br />
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At dinner time my dad and mom came down and brought us some homemade lobster stew. It was a great treat! Plus, the best part is getting to visit with my parents on a regular basis, since we moved back home. <br />
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Here I sit, with a smile on my face, truly appreciating the good day I've had. It has been simple. And it's the simple things that really make a difference. <br />
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Have a great night!!<br />
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<span id="goog_1787013725"></span><span id="goog_1787013726"></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvJ1hWljCg0" target="_blank">Check out this awesome song</a>!<br />
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#agreatdaytobealive<br />
#goodtobealive<br />
#smallandsimplethings<br />
#friends<br />
#dearsweetfriends<br />
#familyJust Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-38103450101376361842016-01-05T13:05:00.001-08:002016-01-05T13:05:14.861-08:00So, you want to save some money this year??I've been thinking a lot about all of these money saving challenges that have been floating around the web; on Facebook and Pinterest, etc. It's the start of the new year and everyone is trying to do better in many areas of life. Saving money seems to be a big area to focus on.<br />
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I even got a new 2016 calendar out with the intention of writing the amount I planned to spend each day or week on it. But before I started writing I wanted to be sure which plan or challenge I wanted to completely commit to for the year. <br />
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There's the Penny Challenge:<br />
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.01 on day 1<br />
.02 on day 2<br />
.10 on day 10<br />
1.00 on day 100<br />
3.65 on day 365<br />
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At the end of the challenge you will have saved $667.95. That's a nice chunk of change.<br />
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A friend of mine suggested that if you have more income in the beginning of the year you could switch this around and start on day one saving $3.65 and go backwards. Great idea!<br />
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The Dollar Challenge:<br />
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1.00 at week 1<br />
2.00 at week 2<br />
52.00 at week 52<br />
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By the end of the year you will have saved $1378.00. That's pretty sweet!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFH8X5UH5qerwuQqKNPe1Ff6cCLwUAlpar__XXHRh_lW59qtVdFtdTg0pqwm6vngtQlO4crZnHx1dRx-vrkADogWsSCPZI7T_DcZl2HqW_rWGLeHcXxmIXlvg_Uzp-uiXbbkQKTFas22k/s1600/IMG_4205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFH8X5UH5qerwuQqKNPe1Ff6cCLwUAlpar__XXHRh_lW59qtVdFtdTg0pqwm6vngtQlO4crZnHx1dRx-vrkADogWsSCPZI7T_DcZl2HqW_rWGLeHcXxmIXlvg_Uzp-uiXbbkQKTFas22k/s320/IMG_4205.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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As I started really looking closely at each of these challenges, I realized that the last few months you would have to save a substantial amount. That means that if you were doing the penny challenge, beginning in January, you would be trying to scrape together $108.50 during the month of December. If you're doing the Dollar Challenge you would have to scramble to come up with $202.00. You might have to jump several hurdles along with flying through a flaming hoop to get this done!<br />
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Now, I don't know about you, but when you're "poor" or don't have <u>any</u>, and I mean zero, extra money each month, this just isn't going to happen. There's no way to do it. There is no way on this beautiful planet to come up with that kind of money. Unless someone has come up with a way to grow money on trees. Point me in their direction, because, I want in! <br />
<br />
These money saving challenges all sound wonderful...in theory. <br />
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And I LOVE when "they" say something fits all budgets or is low cost. I don't know who "they" are, but "they" probably have more money than I do. Haha! Or a smaller number of dependents...<br />
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I decided I wanted to see just what I'd need to save each month if I wanted to have $1000 by the end of November. Can we all just laugh out loud for a minute please, because I only wish I could come up with this amount each month...extra...on top of bills and necessities. I would need to have approximately $90 each month to reach my $1000 goal. <br />
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Yes, I can laugh about it right now. It's far better to laugh than to worry and bemoan my situation. It is what it is. And I know it won't last forever. So, I try to see the positives. There are a lot of positives! <br />
<br />
Instead I've decided that I'm going to do my own money saving challenge that is something I can actually tackle. Plus, I realize that there are many many people, besides myself, in the world who simply don't have the kind of income that could accommodate these savings plans.<br />
<br />
I looked at my finances to see where our money is going. I searched for unnecessary spending. Once I found that and added it up I figured out how much money we could save each month. I've decided to save a certain amount from each paycheck. It may be small, but it'll be more than we had before. And THAT, my friends, is what really matters. <br />
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Whether I choose to save $5 each pay check or $20 from each check, at least I'll be saving. Even if the amount changes each time, I've made a decision to save, even a little, each month. <br />
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#thepennychallenge<br />
#thedollarchallenge<br />
#moneysavingideas<br />
#savingmoneywhenyourepoor<br />
#chooseyouramounttosave<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-53433501839444004382016-01-04T07:51:00.000-08:002016-01-04T07:54:48.683-08:00Remedies for what ails youThis frigid Monday morning, what is on my mind? How to combat the stomach bug when it attacks the entire household. <br />
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New Year's Eve ended with a big bang! Not exactly what we were expecting. Our youngest little girl started throwing up while we were watching a movie as a family. Thankfully there were several of us in the room so I had a lot of help. We had to pause the movie 4 or 5 times...I can't remember exactly. I started losing track. Poor thing was so sick. I ended up going to bed early and Todd slept next to her, on the floor, in the living room all night. She got sick a couple more times that night. I woke up and cleaned up the mess and washed blankets and pillows. <br />
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A few weeks ago our oldest daughter was sick with the same thing. She got sick on a Thursday. Was fine almost all day Friday and Saturday and then got sick again Saturday evening. So when littlest girl got sick again on Saturday, it wasn't a surprise. <br />
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Unfortunately our 4th son got hit with it Saturday night as well. Sunday morning I woke up to boy #3 all weak a shaky. He was so pale; ghostly white. He wanted to go lay on the couch and started walking toward the living room. I kept telling him he needed to sit down where he was for now. He didn't want to listen. I watched his body start to sway and his knees grew weaker. He start to sink and I caught him and slowly put him on the floor in the kitchen. Now, keep in mind that he's almost my height. And he not scrawny by any means. It was not an easy feat to get him to the floor. <br />
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He was determined to get to the couch to lay down. He got up again and I had to force him back to the floor, slowly, because he was still weak. I had Todd get up and help me get him to the bathroom. After a few minutes I brought him his pillow, in case he needed to lay down. I'm pretty sure he laid on his pillow, on the bathroom floor, for more than 2 hours. He never did throw up. I helped him to the kitchen table, since it's closer than the living room to the bathroom. He placed his pillow on the table and laid his head there for quite a while. <br />
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Eventually he ended up down in the family room. He stayed on the couch, with a bowl on the floor beside him, just in case. <br />
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I went to check on my sister because she was going to drive the healthy ones to church. Ha! Not quite! She had been up all night throwing up too. <br />
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The worst part was when Todd got up and got sick. Ugh!!!<br />
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When everyone is sick my mind starts running through all the natural remedies I have on hand...and the ones I wish I had. I got out my essential oils and my diffuser. I love my essential oils! I started out with doTerra and absolutely love their oils. But when you're on an extremely tight budget you can't always pay those kinds of prices. There are so many companies who have great products but are sold by Multi Level Marketing companies. Their prices are so jacked up that it's almost not worth spending your money on their products...unless you join their company and sell their products. doTerra and Young Living are both MLM's. I did a lot of research and found another brand I could be happy with: <a href="http://www.nativeamericannutritionals.com/" target="_blank">Native American Nutritionals</a>. They have wonderful oils. Even still, I felt like there had to be other companies that didn't charge an arm and a leg for their oils. After much research and reading many many reviews I decided to try <a href="http://www.edensgarden.com/" target="_blank">Eden's Garden</a>. <br />
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Since then I have stuck with Eden's Garden essential oils. I love them. They work just as well as the higher priced oils and are a fraction of the cost. Seriously. Why pay more?<br />
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For upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting, I recommend these oils:<br />
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Peppermint<br />
Ginger<br />
Lavender<br />
Roman Chamomile<br />
Anise Star<br />
Lemon<br />
<a href="http://www.edensgarden.com/products/restoration#.VoqQU8tViko" target="_blank">Digest Ease </a>** all time favorite for tummy troubles**<br />
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Rub a drop on your tummy and the bottoms of your feet. Don't forget to mix with a carrier oil so as not to burn your skin. <br />
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To help prevent sicknesses or shorten their duration I use one of these:<br />
<br />
OnGuard blend (doTerra)<br />
**Five Fighters blend (Eden's Garden)<br />
Thieves blend (Young Living)<br />
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If you don't have one these on hand you can make your own blend. I put 2 drops of each of the following oils into my diffuser:<br />
<br />
Lemon<br />
Eucalyptus<br />
Rosemary<br />
Cinnamon<br />
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You can also put a drop of each of these on the bottoms of your feet. <br />
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PLEASE remember to dilute your oils with a carrier oil. You can use fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, apricot oil, jojoba oil, and even extra virgin olive oil. Especially when using oils on small children, dilute them to about 5%. These oils are highly concentrated. <br />
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I also pulled out my homeopathic remedies to help soothe tummies and relieve pain since the pain relievers wouldn't stay down. Sepia 30C worked well for relieving some of the pain. Nux Vomica helped with the tummy. I use the Hyland's brand. This remedy helps with nausea, and vomiting. I'm pretty sure it's one of the reasons that my 3rd son didn't throw up. And why my husband didn't get sick more than once. Follow packaging instructions and dissolve three tablets under tongue. <br />
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Now that some of us are beginning to feel better...we are feeling the need for an electrolyte drink. The problem with most of those is that they are full of sugars and artificial colors. So, instead, I'm going to make one similar to the recipe I found <a href="http://wellnessmama.com/2575/natural-sports-drink/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I figure, if I can fix it at home, or make it at home, that's what I'll do. Happy first week of 2016! May you all be happy, healthy and successful in your endeavors.<br />
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#essentialoils<br />
#iloveessentialoils<br />
#edensgarden<br />
#naturalremedies<br />
#iloveedensgarden<br />
#startthenewyearoffright<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-40351383719802558442015-12-31T14:45:00.001-08:002015-12-31T14:45:46.185-08:00Take care of our aging family members<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm sitting here at the kitchen table. My new mug is beside me, filled with hot chocolate. As I sipped it's chocolaty goodness I pondered the day. Our plans originally for today were to go out to lunch and a movie...the 3 generations of us...my grandmother, my mother, my sister and me. My grandmother has been sick for the last couple of weeks. So when I called to check up on her to make sure she was up for the trip to lunch and movies she sounded hesitant. She really didn't feel well. But she was ready to go out if we were still going. My sister, who is pretty quick on her feet, made the executive decision that we would bring our grandmother lunch and play games with her at her apartment. Gramma loves to play games. So that's what we did!<div>
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We gathered the materials for our lunch and drove to her house. We enjoyed our lunch together and then played two games of Yatzee. That was a lot of fun. Most of us hadn't played it in a long, long time. It took a while to really get the hang of it. My sister smoked us the first game. We had some good laughs.</div>
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We finished that and Gramma asked us what game we wanted to play next. She really didn't want us to leave quite yet. We decided on playing a round of Golf. It's a lot of fun! My mom kicked our bumms! </div>
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I think the best part of the day was being able to brighten my grandmother's day. She lives alone. She enjoys her independence. She also really enjoys having company. She would have had us stay for another hour or two, but we needed to get back home. </div>
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It made me realize how much just calling her each day is important. She still needs to feel needed. She needs to feel loved. She needs to know that she's not forgotten. She needs to know that we care. It's so important to take care of our aging family members. And not only are we taking care of her but we are creating memories and bonds that weren't there before. We are getting blessed by our time spent with her as much as she is blessed by us being there. </div>
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And as this is New Year's Eve I think it's a wonderful time to add this to my goals for the new year. What's are some of your goals for the year? Post them in the comments. </div>
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#newyearsresolutions</div>
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#takecareofouragingfamilymembers</div>
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#threegenerations</div>
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#spenttimetogether</div>
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#familytimeisimportant</div>
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#weloveplayinggames</div>
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#familytime</div>
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#iamamormon</div>
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#iamlds</div>
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Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-19906398144042923622015-12-30T11:22:00.001-08:002015-12-30T11:22:23.408-08:00Embrace the phase you're inA recent comment sparked the idea for this blog post. Each of us is in a different phase of life. Some are single. Some are newly weds. Others are brand new moms, while some are seasoned parents. Over the passing years we each go through phases. Children go through them too. I've heard many people say, "Oh, it's just a phase. It'll pass." And for some phases, it's a good thing they don't last! Haha!<br />
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There were moments when I felt like I could take on the world. I had so much energy and drive to get things done. It was fantastic! <br />
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With more children comes more responsibility; more laundry, more dishes, more chores, more doctor's appointments, more phone calls, and on and on and on. When I had just 4 children I had life by the reins. My house was always clean and organized. I had time to clean and de-clutter as well as spend time with my good friends. We had plenty of play dates. It was great!<br />
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I have a friend who once made a comment that still makes me chuckle. She thought that I cleaned the house especially for her. When she'd come over it was clean. All the time. And then she popped in a couple of times unannounced and realized that my house was still clean. It was just something I did. Every day. Oh how I miss those days!!! I miss the time to clean and organize. <br />
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When baby #5 came along my desire to keep my house perfectly clean started to fade some. Plus, I simply could not keep up with everything. <br />
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Fast forward to now. #5 is seven years old now. #6 is four years old. And I have even less time. Not only that, but with all the moving and having to live with family while we get ourselves back on our feet, we have much less space for all our things. <br />
<br />
I thought maybe things would get easier over the years but they really haven't. As the kids get older they get more involved with other activities and are more active in general. There is more to clean. More to cook. More phone calls to make. Teenagers to keep track of. And still a toddler who loves to dump all the toys out all over the floor and walk away. <br />
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We are finding ways to organize in the spaces we have. We are finding a schedule. And we are starting to find free time once in a while. We are finding joy in the small things.<br />
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My youngest has many food allergies and sensitivities to dyes in foods, hand lotions, clothing, soaps, play dough, and more. There are times when I need something for her that is simply cheaper to make by myself. The hair serum that I posted was not just for me, but also for her. While I enjoy and prefer using things that are all natural, her little body requires it. It's kind of a bonus for me. I guess you could say it's a blessing in disguise. <br />
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So, what ever phase you're in, embrace it. Enjoy it. Stop and smell the roses once in a while. Appreciate the new skills you may be gaining out of necessity. They are little blessings. And remember not to compare yourself to anyone else. I have caught myself comparing what I could do to other moms, in the past, and have realized how destructive that can be. Allow yourself to see just how amazing you are.<br />
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Some moms have brand new babies who need them all the time. Embrace it. Enjoy the time to sit and hold the sweet baby. <br />
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Others have a perfectly clean home. Enjoy every clean surface. Stop and sit and feel the peace that can come from order. <br />
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Some of us have toddlers who are needy. Embrace it. Hold them. Play with them. Laugh with them. Because you never know how long this phase will last. <br />
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This is what I'm going to do: embrace this phase and make it an amazing phase of my life. <br />
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#embracethisphase<br />
#embracelife<br />
#enjoyyourlife<br />
#findjoyinlife<br />
#littleblessings<br />
#wearesoblessed<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-6084736745783816712015-12-23T14:20:00.000-08:002015-12-23T14:20:01.878-08:00Hair SerumI am plagued with dry, frizzy hair that I affectionately refer to as fuzz head. Yeah. It's not fun the humidity. My hair is fine and thick and dry. Every time I have moved to a different place I've had to adjust the products I put into my hair according to the atmosphere and hardness of the water. <br />
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Now that we're back in Maine I have to readjust again. I've had use BioSilk for a while and then switched to Paul Mitchell's smoothing serum in Texas. The other day I realized I'm almost out of my serum and needed to order some. Not only do I dislike the smell of BioSilk now, so it's not an option, but I also don't want to pay the price for the Paul Mitchell. <br />
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And when I want to try something new or try to make something more cost effective I head to Google and Pinterest. I found a couple of <a href="http://bodyunburdened.com/diy-all-natural-hair-serum-for-frizzy-hair/" target="_blank">recipes</a> for hair serum along with some really helpful websites on essential oils that are good for your hair. <br />
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This <a href="http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/essential-oils-for-hair.html" target="_blank">website</a> was great and has a list of essential oils that work well for each hair type. There is a lady at church who is allergic to all mint, lavender, rosemary and eucalyptus. Finding an oil that would be safe to wear at church was my goal. <br />
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Great information from Experience Essential Oils site for each hair type:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Oils for
Normal Hair<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Normal hair
is neither greasy nor dry, has not been permed or colored, holds its style and
is usually shiny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">These oils
are best for normal hair:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lavender
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rosemary
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lemon
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Geranium
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Cedarwood
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thyme
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Clary Sage
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The best
base or carrier oils to use are jojoba, almond or borage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Oils for Dry
Hair<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Dry hair
looks dull, tangles easily and can become easily split at the ends. Therefore,
we want essential oils for hair that stimulate the sebaceous glands in the
scalp to produce more oil!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Use these
oils:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lavender
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rosemary
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Sandalwood
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Geranium
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The top base
or carrier oils to use are almond, sesame, jojoba, borage, cocoa butter or
avocado.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Oils for
Oily Hair<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Oily hair
looks greasy and these oils are are best for oily hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lavender
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rosemary
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lemon
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Peppermint
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Cypress
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The top base
or carrier oils are sesame, jojoba and borage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Other Hair
Challenges? Need to Cleanse the Hair?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri Light', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">No problem,
here are my recommendations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Use a
cleansing shampoo or cleansing oils first before you start. This will remove
the buildup of chlorine, grease and chemicals in your hair and scalp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Pick several
essential oils for hair to use for shampooing and/or make a blend with the base
oil. (You may have to experiment with several oils until you find what you
like)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Use until
you feel there is improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Start to
include or use oils that support healthy hair next.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I use a
KidScents Natural Essential Oil Shampoo with lemon, tangerine, and MSM for gentle
cleansing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Oils for
Occasional Flakiness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Essential
oils may be very effective in minimizing occasional flakiness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Here are
some others:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Rosemary
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Melaleucca
alternifolia Essential Oil or Tea Tree oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lemon
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lavender Essential
Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Cedarwood
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thyme
Essential Oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The top base
or carrier oils to use are jojoba and borage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
I ordered some ingredients that should work for my hair type on Amazon. I love Amazon. It makes me happy! And saves me so much money!!! All of the ingredients have arrived! So today I made my serum. <br />
<br />
Castor oil<br />
10 drops Geranium Essential oil<br />
1/2 tsp Almond oil<br />
1/2 tsp Jojoba Oil<br />
2 oz dark amber glass bottle<br />
<br />
If you are able to use lavender and rosemary oils they are highly recommended for dry hair. You can add them into this recipe. Just add a few drops of each when you add the geranium. <br />
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Pour 1/2 tsp Almond oil, 1/2 tsp Jojoba oil, and 10 drops of Geranium oil into the bottle. Using a funnel slowly pour castor oil into bottle until just before the neck, leaving room for the dropper to be inserted. Place dropper on the top and close bottle. Tip bottle back and forth to incorporate. </div>
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After a shower my hair is a tangled mess since I ran out of my good conditioner. No worries...I have ordered a bottle and it's on its way. Plus, this hair serum should help quite a bit too. </div>
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Add 6 drops (if you have shorter hair than mine you'll want to decrease the amount) to your hand and rub your hands together before applying to your hair. Less is more. Start with less and if you need more add another drop. </div>
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You don't want a lot because it'll make your hair look greasy. Not exactly a desirable look. ;) </div>
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I am excited to have a natural hair serum that will not only smell good but help my hair to to healthier and stronger. Plus I've eliminated the nasty chemicals and alcohol,which probably don't help the dryness of my hair. </div>
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I'd love to hear your thoughts/comments. If you try it, I'd love to know how it worked for you. Happy DIY ing! </div>
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#iloveamazon</div>
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#iloveessentialoils</div>
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#naturalhairserum</div>
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#nastychemicals</div>
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#dryhair</div>
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#hairrepair</div>
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#diyhairserum</div>
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-4044341413796434442015-12-22T09:32:00.000-08:002015-12-23T07:19:33.635-08:00Exercise. You CAN do it!As a teenager and young adult I did not do much for formal exercising. In fact, I was pretty sure I would never need it. Ever. Or maybe I just hoped I wouldn't need it. I had my first baby and bounced back fairly well. Second baby produced similar results. And then the third baby came. I lost some of the weight but never got back to pre-pregnant weight. When baby number 4 came my weight didn't get any better. It wasn't until I hit my 30's and had my 5th baby that reality really set in. My mom had struggled with her weight, but I just thought it would never happen to me. I was somehow immune right? I'm not sure why I thought that way, but I did. <br />
<br />
6 weeks after baby number 5 arrived I realized that the weight wasn't coming off...at all. In fact I was gaining every week. I was breast feeding and watching my food intake. That should fix it! Right?? Wrong!<br />
<br />
So I began to diet and exercise on a regular basis. It was hard. I had to make the time to do it. That was really hard. And many days the internal battle almost defeated me. I hated to exercise, but I liked how I felt when I was finished. The battle waged on...almost daily. It was rough, but as soon as I started seeing the weight come off, I knew it was exactly what I needed to do. I became a little bit stronger....most days.<br />
<br />
I started out with a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/walkathomemedia" target="_blank">Leslie Sansone</a> workout. I loved the 2 mile walk with weights. It was enough to give me a good workout and wasn't so hard that I couldn't finish. I gradually worked up to the 3 mile walk. Over time I got bored doing the same thing every day. I could practically do it in my sleep! I began adding more workout DVD's to my collection. Most of them were Leslie Sansone. I thoroughly enjoyed her easy to follow moves and I was getting results. <br />
<br />
There came a time when my body became used to doing the same exercise moves all the time and I was barely breaking a sweat. It's an amazing feeling to see your body improve physically. And I knew that I could continue my improvement. <br />
<br />
That's when I added in some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cathe-Friedrichs-Kick-Max-DVD/dp/B0008IV4HC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450883848&sr=8-1&keywords=cathe+friedrich+kick+max" target="_blank">Cathe Friedrich</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Winner-Losing--Cardio-Kickbox/dp/B000B7PNHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450883935&sr=8-1&keywords=jillian+michaels+cardio+kickbox" target="_blank">Jillian Michaels</a>. At first I thought I was going to die! I was breathing hard, panting like a dog, and sweating profusely. I had to pause the DVD's several times to catch my breath before continuing on. But I pushed on. I did a little more each day. Then each week. <br />
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Fast forward to today. I rarely pull out my Leslie Sansone DVD's anymore. Once in a while I will pull out an oldie but goodie and walk along with Leslie and her crew. Today was one of those days. Yesterday I did a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. Today my body needed a bit of a break. I chose the 30 Day Burn. Although, instead of simply walking along, I jogged during almost all of the walking segments. I increased the "skaters" to a higher impact movement with more jumping. I used my arms more and really focused on tightening my abs. That's the wonderful thing about exercising at home; you can make the workout your own. If you don't feel like doing "kick backs" then do "knee lifts" instead. Jog instead of walking. <br />
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Looking back over the years I can see that I have improved. I've gotten stronger and healthier. We each need to start where we are. Choose a level of exercise that is right for you. Start at a level that will allow you to get a good workout and raise your heart rate. Remember to listen to your body. Everybody's body is different. And that's okay! Find a workout routine that you enjoy and start moving. <br />
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Something that I have learned over the years is that it's important to change things up....muscle confusion. If you always do the same routine your muscles will get used to it and after a while you won't get the results that you want to anymore. When I try a new workout I will do it once or twice in the same week. On the other days I will do whatever workout I am in the mood for that day. Kickboxing one day. Jogging another day. HIIT the next. I find that by switching things up my body isn't getting accustomed to the same movements every day. I'm not getting used to my workouts and therefore they, the workouts, aren't getting too easy too quickly. <br />
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I've also realized that "muscle confusion" also causes sore muscles more regularly. I'm usually sore at least once a week, if not more. To me, it's a good sore. It tells me that I'm working hard and that I'm being successful in strengthening my body.<br />
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Don't know where to start? At <a href="http://www.collagevideo.com/" target="_blank">Collage Video</a> they not only sell DVD's, but also allow you to watch a clip of the DVD to be sure you'll actually like it. I have gotten too many workout DVD's that I ended up hating and giving away. It was a waste of money. I began going to this site and watching the clips before ordering a new DVD. I purchased some directly from them and also from Amazon. <br />
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If you don't want to spend any money, finding free workouts is easy now too! I use YouTube all the time! I haven't had to buy a new workout DVD for quite a while. I've used <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/KozakSportsPerform" target="_blank">HASfit</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/FitnessBlender" target="_blank">FitnessBlender</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTT4W8ygJ7w" target="_blank">Jillian Michaels</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/jessicasmithtv" target="_blank">Jessica Smith TV</a> the most. <br />
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My favorite is Jessica Smith TV right now. She has so many different workouts and usually shows both low impact and high impact. She has some beginner videos and some advanced ones too. <br />
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Something I love about the HASfit workouts is that they always have a motivational quote at the beginning and end. Here are some of my favorites for your enjoyment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpphBJ9THPF13SPubUBwjX9eYnIc96ErR-T07y1zVuaOCYmHixWAL9xAAbEywwn6yExV2dm0PKmsoT_jIVeas_KoSlqDx0Kaj9Rd2gay2bjrJehXxxk1i0khC-dIU7HE6H0U3SS3R3ukN/s1600/HASfit+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpphBJ9THPF13SPubUBwjX9eYnIc96ErR-T07y1zVuaOCYmHixWAL9xAAbEywwn6yExV2dm0PKmsoT_jIVeas_KoSlqDx0Kaj9Rd2gay2bjrJehXxxk1i0khC-dIU7HE6H0U3SS3R3ukN/s1600/HASfit+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t0iVgdrNE58F7EAdk8IYqxJwQEOhMf3f5qprRqlb4Qu8lpT4lHqPgK1HdOmymc6jZQCzJ67jYv7Lofkx5NiBj-CFJ0nTuirpW-7dinbgHGC1nR0VddS8_dmP_0twPfF9_5aBxgi9mErq/s1600/hasfit+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t0iVgdrNE58F7EAdk8IYqxJwQEOhMf3f5qprRqlb4Qu8lpT4lHqPgK1HdOmymc6jZQCzJ67jYv7Lofkx5NiBj-CFJ0nTuirpW-7dinbgHGC1nR0VddS8_dmP_0twPfF9_5aBxgi9mErq/s1600/hasfit+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjXUI9q1KGIvFNVOXC7wQljS5ovShBrmOBJ7tgadLmDZrD46tfX6UB-XJi7cfvH8RLqVG2TvhAZwk-UpBiZiObeYvMEVN5FMr5pmWGrIjTD_LODcaIr_kxfS6TpfWSAB8Hs6T9pCSa_1p/s1600/hasfit+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjXUI9q1KGIvFNVOXC7wQljS5ovShBrmOBJ7tgadLmDZrD46tfX6UB-XJi7cfvH8RLqVG2TvhAZwk-UpBiZiObeYvMEVN5FMr5pmWGrIjTD_LODcaIr_kxfS6TpfWSAB8Hs6T9pCSa_1p/s1600/hasfit+5.jpg" /></a></div>
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And last but not least...my favorite one:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkoigyi4sg47tvwyl4FCB9WQXXt76SLxeyU8JajMjx8cmggYfzUi6bHvwLwE9bInIq03DeRGfPdrQWcqtZOjmgVocp3mfP4hkGgjVOq-yUfPoJC0A8ZMbQdAj5-KhRuY0EoQ7rEHHimE1/s1600/hasfit+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkoigyi4sg47tvwyl4FCB9WQXXt76SLxeyU8JajMjx8cmggYfzUi6bHvwLwE9bInIq03DeRGfPdrQWcqtZOjmgVocp3mfP4hkGgjVOq-yUfPoJC0A8ZMbQdAj5-KhRuY0EoQ7rEHHimE1/s1600/hasfit+7.jpg" /></a></div>
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In all cases, listen to your body. That doesn't mean you should make excuses for not exercising, though. Be honest with yourself. Take care of yourself. Be patient with yourself. You'll see results in no time!<br />
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#lesliesansone<br />
#walkawaythepounds<br />
#jillianmichaels<br />
#jessicasmithtv<br />
#ilovetoexercise<br />
#listentoyourbody<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-55370358557728936592015-12-18T15:38:00.001-08:002015-12-18T15:38:41.884-08:00Sick, just sickMy eyes popped open and I bolted upright in bed. I paused for a moment and listened closely for the sound that had woken me up. There it was again. I sprang from my bed and raced to the room of my 7 year old daughter. I dragged her limp, tired, partially awake, heaving body carefully to the floor and in front of the bowl. The first few times this happened tonight, she didn't quite make it into the bowl. I leaned my tired head on the side of the bunk bed, tried to steady my breathing from jumping out of bed, and closed my eyes while she continued to be sick. <br />
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Twice around 8:00 pm. Once in the 9:00 hour. Three times in the 11:00 pm hour. The bright red numbers on the digital clock began to blend and blur. 3:00...4:00...<br />
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At 4:30, as I just began to calm my racing heart and slow my mind down again, my sweet night in shining armor entered the room, just arriving home after a 10 hour shift at work. I asked him if he would be willing to get the boys up for early morning seminary at 4:55 am so that I could...hopefully...get some sleep in before I had to be up at 6:15. <br />
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Mommy...mommy...MOMMY!! I jumped out of bed again and ran to her side. She wasn't sick this time. Thankfully. Just awake. She asked what the noise was that she could hear from upstairs. I wanted to get mad. But I didn't. My body was so exhausted. I answered her question and told her go back to sleep. I settled back into my soft comforter.<br />
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Mommy...mommy... This time I wasn't quite asleep and jumped up before too much screaming escaped her lips. I didn't want the 4 year old to wake up just yet. I entered her room and all she wanted was a drink. I got her some water and again told her to go back to sleep. I'm not sure how my feet carried me to my room again, but they did.<br />
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I slowly crawled back into bed. Sigh. Only a few more minutes of sleep left. The alarm blared and I'm pretty sure I whined, almost on the verge of tears, but moved my tired body through the house to wake up the next child for school. <br />
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Time to make breakfast. I got out the eggs and cheese. I went to grab the bread. The loaf was gone. I wanted to cry. Back down the stairs I trudged to the extra fridge to get another loaf. <br />
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The next alarm went off to remind me to wake up the boy #4. Thankfully he could get himself ready on his own. I laid down on the couch and closed my eyes. The sick little girl walked into the room, with her bowl...just in case, and grabbed a blanket before climbing onto the other couch. <br />
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Finally, after getting all the kids out the door and putting a show on for the "sicko" to watch, I went back to my bed. I couldn't get warm. My feet were so cold. My sweatshirt wasn't warm enough anymore. I sat up and put on warm socks and laid back down. <br />
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The phone call from the doctor's office to reschedule our appointment woke me up completely. I decided I'd just have to be awake. <br />
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In the afternoon I crashed...hard. I sat on the couch, in between two little girls, and fell asleep. Sort of. In between the littlest girl touching my face, kissing my face or putting her face in front of mine and saying, "Mom!" several times, I slept a little. The the sick child decided she felt better and got up to play. Then all the quiet flew right out the window. <br />
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#thejoysofmotherhood<br />
#ineedsomesleep<br />
#howmanytimescanapersonpuke<br />
#sick, just sick<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-73608498516461293602015-12-16T12:48:00.001-08:002015-12-16T12:53:03.614-08:00Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...This morning was a little crazy. Probably because I tried to squeeze too many things into a short amount of time. I do that. A lot. It's a bad habit. But really I think that time has just sped up. I used to get a lot more accomplished in an allotted amount of time. I have found that, as of late, I am unable to get as much done as I used to. It could be the slew of kids I have. I could be that I've just slowed down. But, no, I don't think so. <br />
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We missed the bus, but it all worked out because I had plans to take my grandmother to the store and help her find Christmas gifts for my kids. I dropped my 4 year old off at my mom's house and took my 7 year old to school. Funny, because my 11 year old didn't want to wait for us he walked to the bus stop instead of riding with me. So he got on the bus this morning. <br />
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After picking up my grandmother and heading toward the store I got a text message from my sister. I knew it was from her because I assigned her number a specific ring tone. I looked at it quickly and found that it was a picture. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RWu2xM24xQH2h7HJ9JXMMNFj-fbw_fBxFkQZxPTLaW3VOG35q7frjpy67s3XA4tU0-BJ9Cn8qLvXPvslOXEcBzFEh1TzXeSys3tU4KQm5Mvy_ZGoKduzDUsqC7hYm8gWGaqtdt7dgCN0/s1600/IMG_4133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RWu2xM24xQH2h7HJ9JXMMNFj-fbw_fBxFkQZxPTLaW3VOG35q7frjpy67s3XA4tU0-BJ9Cn8qLvXPvslOXEcBzFEh1TzXeSys3tU4KQm5Mvy_ZGoKduzDUsqC7hYm8gWGaqtdt7dgCN0/s320/IMG_4133.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Um yeah! The Christmas tree fell. So I called her to find out what happened. It just fell. The cats don't play with it. And the dog was in the kennel. Maybe the evil tree fairies knocked it down....just kidding. <br />
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I think it was about an hour later that I got a text from Todd with this picture. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSOYLXVCoGBVsGPzhyphenhyphen5TidTfHETr9NmbliLMv1FwrW7eM_L1hi2spocZNY2fW7lcFZs33rLCc0sac9vHF_5ILmFNpM_SO-dtLYKLzidYjGkGkp5y3sUQzOinsyRJnphEGTKeQR8w7YlT5/s1600/IMG_4134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSOYLXVCoGBVsGPzhyphenhyphen5TidTfHETr9NmbliLMv1FwrW7eM_L1hi2spocZNY2fW7lcFZs33rLCc0sac9vHF_5ILmFNpM_SO-dtLYKLzidYjGkGkp5y3sUQzOinsyRJnphEGTKeQR8w7YlT5/s320/IMG_4134.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Yeah the tree fell over. Haha! He had no idea that my sister was at home sick today....and getting woken up by a falling tree. He slept right through it. They cleaned it up and stood it up and it tried to fall over at least 2 or 3 more times before they got it to stay. <br />
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I guess this is a good reason to have plastic or unbreakable ornaments...for that occasion when your tree falls down....for no apparent reason. I could possibly think that it was those creepy elves on the shelf...but we don't have them. Because they are seriously creepy and get into trouble. <br />
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Later, Todd and I were downstairs talking about Christmas and I hear a loud bang. I thought the little girl had slammed a door or dropped something heavy onto the floor. I ran up the stairs and just as I got up there my sister began calling to me. The tree was on the floor again. Seriously!?!?<br />
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What a weird tree. I guess when you get really tall trees they tend to tip. Haha! Note to self. Get a smaller tree next year.<br />
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As he was standing the tree up, and I was picking up broken glass, another ornament fell off the tree and hit the hearth and shattered. Yep. I jumped. Holy cow. <br />
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More ornaments got crushed and the garland is a mess. As I vacuumed the small pieces of glass along with pine needles from the carpet, I giggled. Little girl was SO dramatic about the tree being ruined and Christmas being ruined. Um, yeah. She's 4. I'm in for it. Haha! <br />
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The tree is now propped into a corner...for now...until my dad comes to the rescue with some fishing line. And then the tree has to be redecorated. We could make this a new family tradition; decorate the tree multiple times a year. <br />
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Hopefully the tree will stay up until Christmas now. That would be a Christmas miracle. :)<br />
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#thechristmastreetippedover<br />
#christmastree<br />
#ohchristmastree<br />
#christmastreefell<br />
#thechristmastreefellovertwice<br />
#maybeitwasthosecreepyelvesontheshelf<br />
<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-28118392972795875312015-12-14T16:06:00.002-08:002015-12-14T16:06:33.032-08:00Over Indulgence...Oh my goodness. Trying to keep my weight down and treats around the holidays simply aren't mixing well this year. Some years I feel like a ROCK STAR and abstain from over eating. And usually being gluten free and dairy free helps me to say NO to most foods. But considering the fact that I have learned how to make delicious gluten free, dairy free foods...I'm in trouble. Big trouble!<br />
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Party mix is something we keep in the house from Thanksgiving all the way through until New Year's Eve. And last week I just HAD to make sugar cookies. Oh my! What is wrong with me!! And Cassie and I ate most of them ourselves. I should have shared a LOT more. So, Friday, we had brownies for the church Christmas party...yumm-O! I ate too many...BUT they're SO good! Do you see my dilemma???<br />
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I have a friend who is on a Paleo diet...among other allergies...and I decided I wanted to make a treat she could eat too. Of COURSE I had to taste test those cookies. My self-control must have disappeared. Flew right out that big open window! And then on Sunday we celebrated our 3rd son's 14th birthday....with chocolate cake and peanut butter frosting. My stomach is not quite right tonight. It could possibly be the two large pieces of cake I ate...<br />
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Today I had sugar cookies with icing. Notice that's plural. I didn't stop at just one, but I should have. I just had my kids finish them off. Sigh!! Then I made them polish off the cake. Phew! THAT is way too much temptation. It's just SO delicious!! After all that...I still ate a brownie after supper. Blah!! The kids will have to eat those too. Ugh. And I made party mix today...which I snacked on this afternoon. I wasn't really hungry at supper...but I ate a plate anyway...yikes. Wise choices...where are thou?<br />
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I know better than this, and yet there are times where I find myself unable to restrain my hand from grabbing those treats. The best way for me to combat this is to get rid of all treats. Sad face....<br />
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Every week day I exercise...I purposely KICK MY BUM...yes some days I actually do butt kickers...and then I follow my workout with a healthy breakfast. Fruits, veggies, protein...<br />
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But for some reason when I hit late afternoon and supper time I lose my will power. I need to regain my desire to be healthy. I need to remind myself that I'm worth it. I FEEL better when I keep the weight off. I feel better when I eat right.<br />
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I think I know what my New Year's resolution is going to be this year....<br />
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What's your New Year's resolution going to be? <br />
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#newyearsresolution<br />
#weightloss<br />
#dietingishard<br />
#eatinghealthy<br />
#healthyfoods<br />
#fitandhealthy<br />
#ilovetoworkout<br />
#ilovetoexercise<br />
<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-22946230809030354962015-12-11T19:38:00.000-08:002015-12-11T19:38:08.983-08:00Christmas is getting closer!It's been a couple of days. Oops! I have planned to write every weekday, but somehow life just gets so crazy and it doesn't always happen. And today, the only reason I am at my laptop is because it's Friday and I don't have to be in bed by 9 pm to be able to get my boys up for seminary at 4:50 am. Yay for Saturday!!<br />
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Tonight was our church Christmas party. It was fun. Relaxed. The kids had a blast. The food was good. Of course. Where else can the kids load their plates up with mounds of food, that will never fit into their stomachs, and get away with it? They all do it. Unless their parents are seriously watching their every move. One child, a friend at church, piled three large pieces of ham on his second helping along with several sweets. I told him he better eat every piece of ham. Haha! The sweets were gone, but the ham was not. Eyes are MUCH bigger than stomachs!<br />
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The little ones raced up and down the hallway...over and over again. Even after being told to walk many, many times. After a while I just gave up. <br />
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There was some entertainment. And close to the end, a friend and her brother were going back and forth about whether or not to sing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer". Me, being me, said, "Yeah, you should totally do it!" What was I thinking. The next thing you know, I'm being roped into singing with them...on this very rusty, unpracticed, song. Oh well. It was fun!<br />
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Then we sang some Christmas hymns together and Santa came in. I was SHOCKED when my shy little 4 year old ran right up to Santa and gave him a big hug. So CUTE! And then she climbed right on his lap and got a gift. The rest of the kids gathered around watching, hoping to be next. I organized them a little bit and helped them form more of a line so they could each have their chance to sit on Santa's knee. Even my quiet, timid 7 year old went right up and sat on his lap. And, of course, my ornery 11 year old sat on his lap too. What a stinker!!<br />
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#christmasisalmosthere<br />
#christmastime<br />
#sittingonsantasknee<br />
#churchchristmasparty<br />
#ldswardchristmasparty<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-31650053449244584482015-12-08T12:39:00.000-08:002015-12-08T12:39:04.005-08:00It's a MOOSE!!! Today was an absolutely crazy day. Crazy in a...very active toddler kind of way. Crazy in an...I'm about to pull my hair out kind of way. Crazy in an...I'm trying desperately not to lose my temper kind of way. <div>
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And I am finally sitting at the table and can breathe a sigh of relief. Sigh!!! It's over! Could you hear that from your house? Oh boy!</div>
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This morning had an altered schedule and caused me to have ALL five children getting ready for school at the same time. Plus a 4 year old...insert big cheesie grin...at 6:30 in the morning. So happy!</div>
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We were all ready to leave and go to the eye doctor by 8:05am, which was a complete miracle. On our way to the eye doctor I saw the road sign that I've been wanting to take a picture of since we moved back here. I was running early so I pulled over to the side of the road and hopped out. I was SO happy with myself. Haha! It wasn't until just now...as I was uploading the pictures...that I noticed that someone had added some extra parts to the sign. I can't believe I didn't notice that when I took the picture! Todd and I got a good chuckle out of it. But... Um...I can't upload THAT! Although some people might find it humorous, some may be offended. </div>
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Thankfully...I have a few photo editing tricks up my sleeve. </div>
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So here is the road sign...edited version of course...it makes me laugh a little every time I see one. Why? Because it's something you only see in places like New England. It's NOT something I ever saw in Missouri or Texas. And it's part of home. It makes me smile. I love it!</div>
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Don't mind my puffy tired face. I should have taken a picture of the kids...but that would have required getting them out of the car, posing them, and re-buckling. That just wasn't worth it. LOL!</div>
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The road sign I didn't have time to take was a snowmobile crossing sign. </div>
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What is something that makes your home state unique? Post it in the comments.</div>
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#maine</div>
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#mainethewaylifeshouldbe</div>
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#thewaylifeshouldbe</div>
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#onlyinmaine</div>
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#toddlers</div>
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#thejoyofchildren</div>
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Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-47702223945875830172015-12-07T13:43:00.001-08:002015-12-07T13:43:21.564-08:00Oh! No!Oh Holy Hannah!<br />
Today started out as a nice day. It was warmer outside. The sun was shining. And all I needed to do was fold my mountain of clean laundry while waiting for the propane company to come out and check on a possible leak. <br />
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I somehow, miraculously, convinced my 4 year old that she could let ME pick a show to watch while I folded laundry. A Christmas miracle. Haha! So, there I sat, folding laundry, and watching a cheesie Christmas show on Netflix. <br />
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My husband woke up, he works nights and sleeps mornings, and we began talking. Somewhere in all the talking my sweet 4 year old left the room. Now, normally that wouldn't be a big deal. She will either go find the kindle and start playing a game or watching a show OR she will go find her toys and play happily. Either way, the quiet was wonderful. Sigh!<br />
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All of the sudden she appears in the doorway...C...O...V...E...R...E...D... in poop. Both Todd and I exclaimed, "OH! NO!"<br />
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Oh yeah. Poop! All the way to her little knees. I don't think I've seen my husband jump and run that quickly in a while! <br />
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She had taken off her dirty pull-up and attempted to clean herself up. Todd followed her to her bedroom where he found a pile of dirty wipes on the floor in front of her dresser. EWWW! So Gross! The entire family room and bedroom spelled so thick and strong. Oh yuck. Now THAT was just Craptastic!! <br />
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It took two of us to get her...and the floor...cleaned up. Yes, ladies and gents...I do believe we will be starting to potty train this one very soon!<br />
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I guess our day was just NOT exciting enough for her. She had to liven it up! Or stink it up, I guess!<br />
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And then, the propane guys came to look at our system and check for a leak that we were SURE is there. We couldn't find it before. And they couldn't find a leak either. Well, that's because there was NO leak. The awful smell, that truly smelled like propane, rotten eggs, etc, was not propane at all. Get this...It was the dead deer carcass that SOMEONE forgot to discard a few days ago. It smelled so awful. On Saturday, when we smelled the "propane" smell... it was strong. After we shut the propane off and opened the windows I saw the a tote that I didn't recognize in the basement. Being the inquisitive one that I am...I opened the lid and got BLASTED with rotten meat smell. I closed the lid as fast as I could possibly slam it down, but it didn't do any good. The smell was out. It it was FOUL! To think that THAT was the cause of the nasty odor the entire time. Oh my!<br />
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We all had a good laugh about that one! <br />
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#craptastic<br />
#poopeverywhere<br />
#itsapoopykindofday<br />
#propaneleak<br />
#propaneleakthatsnotaleak<br />
#deaddeer<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-61775858340121772022015-12-04T13:55:00.000-08:002015-12-04T13:55:27.528-08:00Blessings raining downI’m sitting here with tears rolling down my face. Thankful for some pretty wonderful blessings. Things that may seem small, but are huge right now.<br />
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It’s amazing and wonderful how Heavenly father blesses us. When we need it most He is raining down blessings upon our heads. If we just take the time to see the blessings we will be in awe of His love and goodness. <br />
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He blesses us through the kindness of others. <br />
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He allows us to repay those acts of kindness with what little we have and then He adds too that. <br />
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It’s amazing when you can really see it. <br />
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How has He blessed your life?<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-45843747077723052372015-12-03T15:31:00.002-08:002015-12-03T15:31:56.385-08:00Country girl livin' in the city...I missed blogging yesterday. I do believe I was on the phone and taking care of other essentials for several hours. Oh the life of a mom! Plus having a lovely cold doesn't help my motivation any. <div>
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I finally found some motivation and had a thought while driving. I am a country girl. I grew up in a small town. I use to think I would always live in the country. That I would never leave. </div>
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And then I left. I moved to Kansas City, on the Missouri side. </div>
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I didn't know that it was important to lock my doors for several months after we moved into our little apartment. In the country you don't need to lock your doors. One day someone mentioned to me that I should really be locking my door and so I started locking it. Not very long after that a man tried to get into our apartment. He banged on my door. Jiggled the lock. And eventually went away. </div>
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That scared me enough to remember to dead bolt my doors every day...all the time. </div>
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Then there was the day that there was a double homicide at our complex. The man who killed his wife and brother forced his way into another woman's apartment to use the phone. Needless to say we moved to another apartment complex about a month later. </div>
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When you live in the city you learn rather quickly which areas are not safe. Which areas you should avoid at night. And where you need to go in pairs. Sometimes you can see it. You can sense it. Feel it. </div>
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I learned to make eye contact with people and smile as I walked by. Which is extremely hard when you're an introvert! The only down side to making eye contact is sometimes you get unwanted attention. Haha! I had one guy, on hospital hill, turn around after I walked by and asked me if I had a man. I smiled and said, "Yes I do. But thank you!" Now THAT is something I never had to do in a small country town. </div>
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Now that I'm back in the country I still lock my doors. It's a habit. But the safety I feel has dramatically increased. I still look people in the eye. It's a good habit. </div>
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I loved the convenience of city living. Everything is close by. So much at your fingertips. But I missed the beauty of the country. I missed the hard work that has to get done in the country. There is SO much more that needs to get done in the country. And I love it. But I'm weird. Haha! I love keeping busy. </div>
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I love that in the small town everyone knows each other. They know each other by name. They are friendly with one another. They build relationships of trust by treating one another well. Yes, I know this happens in some places in the city too. But it happens more often in the country. It's a culture. </div>
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It's amazing the things I had to get used to in the city, ways I had to adapt, that now I can let go of. But one thing is for sure. I'm more comfortable here in the country than I've been in years. </div>
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You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl!</div>
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#youcanttakethecountryoutofthegirl #countryliving #smalltownsarethebest #whereeverybodyknowsyourname </div>
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Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-56348529450510526782015-12-01T16:05:00.000-08:002015-12-01T16:05:18.243-08:00RandomnessI'm sitting here, on my laptop, on Facebook. Getting sucked into the never-ending posts and comments. Getting lost in the funny banter,back and forth. Laughing at the memes. Realizing that this must be THE TIME to be on Facebook because there are so many of my friends commenting, posting and liking right now. I'm usually not on the computer at this time of night. I'm usually busy finishing up dinner. <br />
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It's hilarious, sometimes, the conversations that happen on Facebook. For instance: A friend posted and asked a question about how many days in a row one should wear the same pair jeans. Haha! Several people weighed in. I even joined them. Apparently, according to one person, you're not supposed to even wash jeans very often. They are made to be worn multiple times without washing in between. Um yeah. Well, I usually wear the same pair all week long. Unless I spill something on them. If they look dirty or feel dirty they go in the wash. <br />
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I tell my kids to wear their jeans for more than one day in a row. Most of them don't. One of them does though. To the point that I have to make him wash them. That's when they stink. Gross boy stink. Haha!<br />
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It was great for a laugh. Sometimes we need that. Mindless silly stuff that makes us laugh. <br />
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What made you laugh most recently? Post in the comments. <br />
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#randomness #sillyfacebookbanter #laughingisgoodforthesoul #howlongdoyouwearyourjeansJust Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-44042312640369063622015-11-30T15:35:00.001-08:002015-11-30T15:35:44.633-08:00The Magic of ChristmasChildren can see the magic in the world around them. Things that we, adults, have seen a million times and now take for granted are new and wonderful for children. They appreciate the little things. <br />
The stars are amazing and sparkly. They cause "oooh's and aaaah's". The moon is beautiful and bright. The trees are so big and tall. The rocks are fun to climb on. Falling leaves become a pile to jump into. Animals are amazing creatures. Toys come to life in their imagination. <br />
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An empty box becomes so many different things; a time machine, a car, a space ship, a boat, a box to hide in. <br />
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Jumping on the trampoline is like flying, soaring through the air like a bird.<br />
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The tooth fairy is mysterious as it sneaks in while they sleep to leave money for lost teeth. <br />
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The Christmas tree is awesome. The smell of fir needles. The sparkling lights on the Christmas tree. The intricate ornaments adorning it's branches. Tinsel.<br />
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White fluffy snow falling from the sky is joyous. Sledding. Snowmen. Snow forts. Ice skating. <br />
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There are so many treats to eat. It's like living in a candy shop. Candy canes. Christmas cookies. Popcorn balls. Party mix. Gingerbread men. Gingerbread houses. Chocolates shaped like Santa. Hot chocolate. Ribbon Candy. Egg nog. Muddy Buddies. Pizzelle Italian cookies.<br />
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Santa slides down the chimney with a red pack stuffed full of toys. Christmas morning. Bright wrapping paper. Excited squeals.<br />
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Laughter. <br />
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Christmas: a time to enjoy the abundance of magic in life. Enjoy every moment. <br />
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#magicofchristmas<br />
#christmasthroughachildseyes<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-17497744464322316372015-11-30T14:33:00.000-08:002015-11-30T14:33:54.746-08:00It's Christmas Time!Thanksgiving turkey sits cold in the fridge. <br />
Gravy is congealed in the bowl. <br />
Mashed potatoes are in a lump and the squash is all squished. <br />
Half eaten pies clutter the counter. <br />
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Bellies are full. <br />
Naps are in order.<br />
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Visiting and conversation abound.<br />
An uncle is sitting on the couch with nieces and nephews surrounding.<br />
He entertains with his voice and guitar. <br />
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The men are all happy.<br />
Feel the buzz in the air.<br />
Their hunting adventures a success.<br />
Blessings are pouring down.<br />
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Christmas music is playing.<br />
Happy and sweet.<br />
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A Christmas wreath adorns the front door.<br />
Soon the tree will be in it's place<br />
Covered in ornaments, tinsel and lights<br />
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Black Friday madness is avoided.<br />
A sigh of relief!<br />
Shopping for special gifts.<br />
Finding the perfect one.<br />
Merry Christmas greets young and old.<br />
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Cookie dough is rolled.<br />
The oven is baking.<br />
Treats for one and all.<br />
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We think of each other with love.<br />
Family and friends gather around us.<br />
Christmas carolers spread cheer.<br />
Christmas spirit surrounds. <br />
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The joy of Christmas swirls, spins and envelopes<br />
Like the swirling and swarming of snow on the wind.<br />
Spinning and encircling each one. <br />
Filling us all with Christlike love and kindness. <br />
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Merry Christmas to everyone!<br />
<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-45489094305971430552015-11-27T15:04:00.000-08:002015-11-30T14:53:45.870-08:00Little BlessingsOne of the "foods" that we have found that our youngest little girl cannot have or eat is anything containing petroleum. Yeah. That's right. It's in foods. Scary right!<br />
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Food dyes are petroleum based. Preservatives TBHQ and BHT are both petroleum based as well. I am so thankful for a friend who forwarded a blog, a story about a mom who's child had a problem with food coloring and also preservatives. It was fascinating to me. And gave me an answer I had been praying for. They were the last ingredients we had to remove from our daughter's diet. <br />
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Here is an interesting <a href="http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-food-additives" target="_blank">site</a>. I can't believe the FDA still allows artificial colors in our foods. Don't get me started!<br />
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We love Chex Mix at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. This year I tried making it with the Crispix cereal and not only did it burn, which has never happened to me before, it tasted odd. My sister bought some Chex cereal today and, Low and Behold, they changed their ingredients! There is no longer BHT in the Corn Chex cereal! I am so excited!! They are using Vitamin E as a preservative instead. Which is what they use to preserve the Honey Nut Cheerios too. <br />
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Someone is listening. And for that I am Thankful! So, just a little blessing in our lives today. We can have Corn Chex again!! Yay!<br />
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Happy Day!<br />
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#cornchex #glutenfreedyefreebhtfree<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-5568674710444623142015-11-25T10:06:00.003-08:002015-11-30T14:54:19.844-08:00The joy of childhoodWe celebrated our youngest child's birthday last night with family. Our sweet four year old requested balloons, chocolate chip cake, chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream. Wish granted! She is at a stage where she loves EVERYTHING! She would be happy with matchbox cars. She is so easy to please. She loves the Mylar balloons filled with helium that she can carry around the house. She loves the cute little candles on the cake. She loves blowing out the candles to make a wish. <br />
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When she is happy...she is so very happy!<br />
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The BEST part of the evening was that she was so excited to open each gift. Everyone enjoyed watching her open her gifts. It was very entertaining. Papa, Gramma, Great Gramma, siblings and Aunt were all taken with her. She was precious! We were all chuckling at her cuteness.<br />
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She exclaimed in her cute little girl voice, "Thank you sooooo much!" She gasped in surprise at the Care Bear in the box. She hugged each toy. She squealed in delight, "It's just what I always wanted!" She was so happy that she even hugged each card. She wanted each toy opened right away, but we reminded her to wait until she opened all of her gifts. <br />
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Yeah. It was adorable! <br />
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And then she, her sister and her Daddy played with the new toys together. It was comical and awesome. But their Daddy is hilarious sometimes! They have the best Daddy in the entire world. I may be just a little biased. ;) #bestdaddyintheworld<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-29618574747143393992015-11-24T11:44:00.001-08:002015-11-24T11:44:37.570-08:00The gratitude challengeToday I am taking the gratitude challenge found on <a href="http://www.scottmooreyoga.com/blog/2015/11/23/for-the-love" target="_blank">Scott Moore's</a> page and posted on facebook by my older sister, Dawn. <br />
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I love my absolutely wonderful, sweet, kind, goofy, silly, helpful and amazing husband. There aren't enough words to describe the love that I have for this awesome man. I love that our love has grown in a way that I could never have imagined it. He is my best friend. He is my confident. He is my sidekick. He is my handyman...when he knows how to fix things. Haha. He is the most amazing dad. His love for me is surprising, as he sees my faults and shortcomings. He is forgiving and simply the perfect match for me. <br />
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I love my Dad. I love that he took the time to cultivate a great love of nature in each of us girls. I love that he is a jack of all trades kind of guy. He almost always knows how to fix everything. I love that he would do just about anything for just about anyone. I love how he taught us to serve others. I love that he taught us to appreciate our talents. I love how he loves my kids. I love that he has a love of learning and reading. <br />
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I love my Mom. I love that she loves us kids with everything she has, and then some. I love that she taught me how to be a good mom and to put my children first. I love that she laughs with us. I love that when she is tired you can get her laughing so hard she's got tears running down her face and can't stop. I love that she is my friend. I love that she listens to me. I love that she has been my shoulder to cry on. I love that she is there to listen to my successes. I love how she loves my children. <br />
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I love that I grew up in a home with only sisters and that we had to do hard work because there were no brothers to do it for us. I love the value of hard work. I love that my sisters and I can have fun together. And even though our beliefs may be different and our lifestyles may be different we love each other.<br />
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I love my kids. I love that each one of my 6 children is unique. I love that each of them has their own talents. I love that the oldest is such an amazing and talented artist like my oldest sister, Yvette. I love that he is a good, kind, and thoughtful person. I love that my 2nd son is so full of life and love. I love that he can make friends with just about anyone. I love that he smiles so much. I love that my 3rd son has Autism, because without he wouldn't quite be the same. I love that he is funny and makes us laugh. I love that he is a rule follower. I love that he loves his siblings. I love that my 4th son is so athletic and loves almost any sport that he tries. I love that he is so full of energy and loves to be out doors. I love that he can be thoughtful, kind and helpful. I love my oldest daughter who is my first curly girl. I love that she loves to snuggle and loves to laugh. I love that she loves to play pretend with her sister. I love my youngest little girl. I love that she is my second curly girl. I love that she is so silly and happy and sweet. I love that she makes everyone smile. <br />
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I love family, near and far away. I love friends who have become family but who have no blood relation...but we've unofficially adopted them. <br />
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I love the Holidays. I love baking. I love making goodies for people. I love to see the smile spread across their face when they taste something yummy that I made for them. I love the joy and magic of Christmas. I love the spirit of Christmas that many people have. <br />
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I love snow. I love seeing the white flakes falling from the sky for the first time each year. It makes me smile every time. I love making snow men, and snow forts, and snowballs, and sledding, and shoveling. I love watching my cold breath at it turns to ice in the air. I love laying on the snow and looking up at the stars. I love how winter is magical. <br />
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I love having the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the guiding light in my life. Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-635177703927803618.post-8775489318177347582015-11-23T08:39:00.001-08:002015-11-23T08:40:38.039-08:00Some days are just roughBefore I ever was married or had a family I had this idea in my head of what it was going to be like to have a family. It was magical. It was wonderful. And there was a lot of joy and laughter all the time. It was a fairy tale. And it was not very realistic.<br />
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I met my knight in shining armor and what could be better. Nothing. Right? Then we had our first child. And we were so happy. Until that little tiny bundle started screaming all the time. And some days I wondered what I had gotten myself into. <br />
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There have been many days over the past 17 1/2 years when I have questioned my decision to have a family. Of course those doubts usually float away almost as quickly as they come. I know in my heart that this is exactly what I was meant to do and where I was meant to be. There is so much joy. Happiness. Laughter. Smiles. And love. There are days that it really is a fairy tale. <br />
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Recently I have been really struggling with my seven year old daughter. She is a sweet and wonderful angel at school, on the bus, and at church. Almost as soon as she walks through the door she begins growling at everyone. Stomping her feet. Screaming bloody murder at them when things don't go her way. And throwing huge temper tantrums that I would expect from my 4 year old.<br />
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The mornings are unbelievably rough. I've tried so many different things to try to get her to be more pleasant and happy. I've played soft music. I've rubbed her back. I've snuggled with her. I talked calmly while she whines and gets angry at me. This morning after 25 minutes of trying desperately to get her to get dressed, I finally yelled. <br />
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I absolutely hate when this happens. As soon as I allow myself to give away my control, to the unseen evil one, I know I've made a mistake. I feel awful. And I dislike it. <br />
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This morning I ended up in tears. I want so badly for her to make good choices. I want her to be happy. And yet so many mornings have ended with me blowing my top and getting angry. <br />
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I've been pondering and praying daily about this. But this morning's prayers were different. I was desperate as I plead with my Heavenly Father for ideas. For solutions. For guidance and answers.<br />
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And when I was weighed down in my sorrow at allowing myself to make poor choices, I picked up my sleepy four year old and she sweetly said, "I missed you mommy," as she snuggled into my shoulder and sucked her thumb, while rubbing the edge of my t-shirt. And then I was reminded of the sweet blessings that come from having a family. <br />
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There are many blessed moments when it is like a fairy tale...for a short while. And it's those moments I cling to when I'm struggling to remember why I chose to be a mom. It's the good times that help us make it through the hard times. <br />
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A thought came to me after praying today. It was this: I should try to involve my 7 year old in helping me bake or cook. So, with Thanksgiving coming this week I think it's a perfect time to allow her to spend some time helping in the kitchen. I'm thankful for prayer and for a loving Father in Heaven who sends us guidance. <br />
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And so to start my day off with a bit of a boost I listened to Rachel Platten's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo1VInw-SKc" target="_blank">Fight Song</a> up loud while I did my planks. It helps me remember that I CAN DO THIS!! <br />
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Have a beautiful day!<br />
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<br />Just Craptastic...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10738830013830839397noreply@blogger.com1