Family Briefs

I’ve been on this de-cluttering kick lately - ravishing everything written on getting rid of clutter (Surely this absorption of “knowledge” isn’t a way of procrastinating the actually process of getting rid of stuff.).   So, when CSN contacted me to “pick something” from their online store to review, I found LOTS of things I’d like to clutter-up my home with.  I even found myself looking at their bedroom furniture sets . . . and I don’t even need one!

I mean, their inventory is so vast and extensive, I’ve had to take several weeks just to get my “want list” into a “need list” . . . o.k. well, a “must have” list would be more honest.  They have a TON of stores with every item imaginable.  Yes, EVERY ITEM!  And their stuff is so cool and fresh and NEAT!   The prices are very reasonable and there are lots of items with free shipping and great financing options!

Now to review, I’ll start with just a couple of doormats that I am in DESPERATE need of, and they have the best selection anywhere.  They have such a big selection that I’m having a hard time narrowing it down . . .

So, y’all get ready.  I’ve already started my Christmas shopping, and I think I just found the North Pole!  Do you think this will fit in Santa’s sleigh?

I follow most rules I’m given or imagine . . . except when it comes to eating. I like to eat what I want and when I want. A bowl of Rocky Road ice cream before bed fills my sweet dreams just fine.

So when the folks at underWAY and Smart for Life wanted me to participate in their blog tour, I was a little disappointed to receive instructions with their products. Granted, they were giving me directions on how to eat COOKIES, keeping track of anything more than my four kids is more than I can take on right now.

But they sent me FREE food and drinks to try, and I’m not one to waste ANYTHING if I can possibly help it. So, even if I don’t follow the directions, I can still get something out of it, right? Absolutely!

Now, the cookies were probably the biggest disappointment. If you’re expecting your grandmother’s homemade chocolate chip cookies, you will be sorely disappointed. Set your sites more toward a thick, dry protein bar and you’ll be much more satisfied. After the first cookie (and disappointment that they weren’t full of sugar), these cookies made the perfect little snack. These little treats made me feel fuller and want to snack less. In addition, eating one close to mealtime helped me eat a smaller meal.

The bagel bites and Smart Crunch snacks were pretty good too. I guess slathering French Onion dip on the bagel bites was against the rules, but they needed a little something more. ‘Course I’m used to chips and dip for a snack . . . a habit I could afford to change (which, by the way, is part of the idea behind Smart for Life - re-training your eating habits).

My favorite items that I received from underWAY and Smart for Life were the cupcakes and the Appetite Suppressing Beverage. The cupcakes had enough sweetness in them that they satisfied my dessert cravings after a meal (most of the time :).

The drinks were awesome! I am not a huge water drinker (which this diet really advocates, so I’m working on re-training on this habit), so I drink lots of flavored waters and other beverages like Lipton Green Tea, Sobiwater and Fuze. While those that I buy are low calorie, they do not suppress my appetite (in fact, they probably do the opposite). In one bottle of underWAY beverage, you get the equivalent of 9 grams of fiber in only 20 calories! You feel fuller and snack less. What’s more, the bottles are two servings, so I drank half between breakfast and lunch, and the other half between lunch and dinner WITHOUT SNACKING! Then I had a diet cookie before bed with a glass of milk!

So, while I’m not likely to jump onto the cookie diet bandwagon (’cause I’d just break the rules anyway), I really do like some of their products. I’m gonna go check out their website and see about some more underWAY beverages . . . and maybe try the Smart Dressings . . . and I definitely want to try the coffee creamer!  What looks good to you?  Order today, as they’re happy to offer you a special 10% discount code for underWAY and Smart for Life products. Please use MCUS10OFFUW for underWAY products at www.underWAY.com and MCUS10OFFSFL at www.smartforlife.com. These will go live July 2nd and expire August 30th.  Hurry!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of underWAY and Smart for Life and received samples of the products to review.

When I was given the opportunity to participate in a blog tour for the book, You’re Not the Boss of Me by Betsy Brown Braun, I was immediately interested.  The subtitle, “Brat-proofing your 4- to 12-year-old child” screamed out for me to jump in - with four kids, aged 3, 5, 7, and 10, I SO needed to read this book.   My 10-year-old thinks he knows more than God, and I’ve renamed my 3-year-old “Sassafras” because of her persistent sassy-ness!

Betsy Brown Braun offers pages of thoughtful parenting advice in easy-to-understand parenting language.  What she says really makes sense for the parenting issues we each face.   She begins with instructions on how to use the book (which I LOVE):  “begin with the chapter whose subject matter interests you the most . . . read the chapter, absorb the information . . . .work on that one trait until you feel comfortable  with the suggested techniques . . . you just can’t rush the parenting process, nor can you master it all in one sitting.”

I think we often read through parenting books, grabbing at whatever little tidbits we can to try to implement everything into our parenting to immediately make things better.  We become overwhelmed and frustrated.   When the newly-learned parenting techniques don’t work, we toss up our hands at “another failed attempt.”  Braun is wise to offer this advice in the preface to her book.

Each chapter begins with no-nonsense information about the particular skill you want to work on (empathy, responsibility, honesty, respect, etc.), including how children develop around this skill.  Then you’ll find a list of “Tips and Scripts” for working on a particular skill.    I LOVE this “quick reference” part of her book.  I can go back and remind myself of something with just the bold print of each tip or find the tip I need to work on and read the short paragraph relating to that specific tip.

For example, the chapter on respect (the chapter I started with)  includes tips and scripts such as:

• Substitute the word “respectful” for the word “appropriate”
• Allow your child to disagree with you
• Respond to rule- and limit- breaking calmly but with authority
• Saying nothing can be a powerful response
• Speak to the behavior, not the child
• and many more!

I have a feeling I will keep this book on my nightstand and refer to it on a daily basis!  There are so many realistic ideas and suggestions that it should be easy to find something that works for each of my four children, even Ms. Sassafras!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of HarperCollins and received a copy of You’re Not the Boss of Me to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

One of the toughest jobs parents have to face is the responsibility of saving up for the family. It can be a difficult lifestyle to adapt into especially for first-parents. There’s also the misconception that savings is only for the kids’ college education when in reality, you can apply this into so many things.

You and the family no longer have to skip another fun summer getaway if you have a travel savings on hand. Every once in a while you and your spouse can splurge on couples’ time if you have savings for dates. Your kids no longer have to experience the usual hand-me-downs if you have savings for their other necessities such as clothes and school supplies.

Log Your Monthly Expenses

Before you begin creating your savings project, it’s important to set realistic goals first. Make it a point to log down every expense you’ve had for the previous month until the present. Distinguish them between bills and personal expenses. From this list, you can begin trimming off those which you can actually do without.

You can also make some adjustments on some of the expenses you have like travel. If you think you spend too much for gas then if possible, take some days off from using the car and just take public transportation to work. If the kids get too much allowance because you allow them to buy food in the cafeteria, then give them home-made meals on some days.

Just remember that these changes do not have to be implemented right away. If other family members will be involved and are likely to get affected, then make the changes slowly and gradually. Also, let them know why such changes are to be done.

Include Yourself in the Expenses

Most parents forget this when planning for a savings. This does not mean splurging on the first pair of shoes that catches your eye nor finally buying that SUV you’ve been eyeing all these years. What this means is that you also give yourself some practical amount of expense every month so you don’t end up feeling deprived and at the most unprecedented time suddenly feel the urge to splurge.

You should also include here starting your own savings fund such as a retirement package or saving up for health insurance. Aside from you, your spouse and your kids will also benefit from these life-savings programs.

Always Pay Your Debt on Time

Do not miss out on monthly debts especially if they are charged to your credit. Most people end up being drowned in debt because of the interest that builds up from it. Another way to counter this problem is to use your credits wisely. If it helps, leave the credit cards someplace safe and uneasy to reach so you would not get tempted to use them.

As you create your monthly expense log, most of these debts would fall under the bills section. Keep in mind that the bills are equally important with the personal expenses, if not somewhat more important. If you can’t pay for the month, make sure you track the interest rates or find a way to make even staggered payments just so you can avoid tarnishing your credit history.

Savings Guide for Parents was originally posted on the SaveBrite.com blog

“My blog is carbon neutral” is an initiative, originally started in Germany by the “Make it Green” program, that has the goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They plant a tree for your blog and thereby neutralize your blog’s carbon footprint for the next 50 years! Everyone can make a small contribution to the environment. Every tree counts!

I try to recycle. I teach my children to recycle. I try to conserve energy and gas. I don’t really know whether my blog, limited traffic as it has :), has much of a carbon footprint or not, but I really like the idea of someone planting a tree on my behalf!

I always have great intentions to do all these wonderful Easter crafts with my children . . . and then reality hits me like a ton of bricks.  Not sure why this time of year things get crazy - it’s like Spring makes everyone want to schedule everything now before the end of the school year.

There might be hope for me yet this year!  I came across this little gem which offers several EASY options for fun, kid-friendly Easter projects that I already have items on hand for.  And any project that saves me a trip to Wal-Mart is a project worth doing!

So head over to Kids Craft Weekly and subscribe to her newsletter - then you can be crafty all the time!

We just got back from a whirlwind Spring Break road trip.  We stayed in New Orleans for a couple of days, drove on San Antonio, TX,  for six days, then headed back to New Orleans for an overnight stay, then back home.  Whew!  Where was the vacation???

If my husband had his druthers, we’d drive straight through and everyone just pee in a cup when needed.  Fortunately, my mother was along with us, so we got to stop every two-three hours.

While hubby gasses up the van, we back up the line to the restrooms.  While we’re standing there, the kids get the gimmies - they eyeball all the yummies surrounding them in the “quick mart.”   That’s why I keep a good supply of snacks in the car - makes it easier to say no.  It doesn’t reduce the whining, but I feel less guilt feeding them something!

A few years ago, I chose a kid-size shoe box with Buzz Lightyear on it to be our snack box.  Crackers and goldfish got smushed in a bag - how is it that everything on a trip eventually makes its way to the floor?  Anyhow, in a box the snacks remain in tact.  I choose from our variety of snacks at home and shove as many of them in the box as I can, knowing already that not everyone will be happy and whatever I choose, will not be fair to someone.  Who cares, right?

So when there get to be too many “he touched me’s,” “she’s leaning on me,” and “he’s breathing,” comments, I whip out the snacks.  Hubby was especially happy this time ’cause the guys at Jerky.com sent us some Spencer’s Beef Jerky samples to try out.  They have a couple of new flavors - Orange and Mango.  Both were labeled as “Sweet and spicy,” and I was only stupid brave enough to try a small bite of the Mango flavor.  Husband LOVED them.  Me?  Flavor was good, texture was good,  and the after-burner stayed with me through most of Texas.   Their beef jerky really is good . . . I just think I like the pineapple better :)  .  If you want to hear more about what my husband thought of the jerky, you can hear his upcoming podcast on the subject at Southeastern Backpackers.

So pack a snack box on your next trip.  When the kids start whining, you can tell them to “stuff it!”  Then head on over to We Are That Family for more Works For Me ideas!

I hate clearing books off the kids’ shelves, I mean they’re BOOKS!  You don’t throw out things that are GOOD for you, do you?  But the truth is, we simply have too many (’course, we have “too many” of a LOT of things).  Now that the youngest is 3, there are several books we can pass along to the library, other children we know, charitable organizations, or sell at the local consignment store.  It’s still hard to part with them . . . .

. . . but when I stumbled across this, my guilt went away!

From Unclutterer:

“My wife and I recently discovered the website One More Story. It is a great way to supplement your child’s book collection while increasing her reading comprehension and basic computing skills. The site has the equivalent of books on tape with highlighted words. The site also includes illustrations, sound effects, and music with certain stories. A demonstration is available for preview. “

They offer a number of ways to use their online library, and the annual subscription rate is only $44 - I spent more than that at the last school book fair!  And this website won’t clutter my house at all.  Check it out!

In light of the recent tragedy in Haiti and Chile, Sylvan Dell Publishing is doing its part to help parents and teachers educate children about earthquakes. For the entire month of March, the Panda’s Earthquake Escape eBook will be available on the Sylvan Dell Web site for free.

Pandas’ Earthquake Escape, written by Phyllis Perry and with stunning illustrations by Susan Detwiler, follows the adventures of a mother panda, LiLing, and her cub, Tengfei, for several days after the devastating earthquake that hit China two years ago. Perry’s story follows the two pandas’ quest to survive outside the comfort of their reserve.

The eBook features read-aloud, auto page flip, and selectable English and Spanish text and audio. This title is also available in hardcover and paperback. We hope this book is enjoyed and helps children understand world events around them.

Sometimes I give myself a hard time.  You see, ultimately I’m lazy.  There!  I said it.  Out loud.  Where others could hear it.  If I toss a piece of paper in the trashcan and it misses . . . I leave it if I’m in a hurry.  If the toilet paper roll runs out just before I’m crawling into bed at midnight . . . I let it wait until morning.

I don’t know if it’s having to prepare 80+ Valentines for school parties, washing a minimum of 3 outfits per day for my 3-year-old, or the not-so-simple act of just getting through the day sometimes  that makes me so completely tired.  I become lazy.

So every now and then, I have to try to outsmart myself so that things actually get done.  Without the intervention of others.   I’m lazy about my soap.  You know, you’re washing your hands and the soft soap squirter just kinda “farts” in your hand with that last little bit?  Well, I don’t have time to do anything about it now, so I’ll do it later (there’s that lazy side of me).  When, exactly, does later arrive?  I’ll let that soap dispenser “fart” in my hand several more times before I actually GO TO THE OTHER END OF THE HOUSE AND GET THE SOAP REFILL BOTTLE AND FILL THE THING UP!!!!!

So, I’ve purchased soap refills and placed under each sink in the house.    Whenever I clean a sink, guess what?  I go ahead and refill the soap dispenser.  I mean, I have the time right?   Not to mention saving a trip ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER END OF THE HOUSE  (a whole 25 feet away, mind you).

Like I said, I’m lazy.    But having the soap on hand with an easy refill system, means I can keep on being lazy and everyone can still wash their hands. Now, you don’t be lazy and head over here to find other great Works for Me Wednesday ideas!