Growing up I was never really taught the value in saving money for the future. I mean I knew it was a good idea to save for the future, I just never really was taught the particulars. I'm 36 years old and while I do have a Life Insurance Policy, I don't really have a plan for emergencies, retiring, weddings, colleges, etc. The Life Insurance I do have, I got out of panic after my first husband passed away. I did NOT want to leave my family high and dry if something happened to me. I wanted to make sure that my girls could have everything they needed if by chance something happened to me too. My first husband did NOT prepare very well for his death, he always made it seem like he did but he absolutely left us gasping for air. I made a vow to myself and for my girls that I would NOT do the same to them.

Wednesday I met with a Financial Advisor to start planning for Emergencies and Retirement. BIG TIME Adulting right there! I wish I had started this when I was younger, when I could make the MOST money and SAVE the most money, before I had dependents, a spouse, and a mortgage. I wish I had known how to make my money WORK for me so that I didn't have to work my life away. You know the phrase "Ignorance is Bliss"? Well, when it comes to your future and financial planning, Ignorance IS NOT Bliss. Thankfully, my Financial Advisor is a gem and believes that we can still make my dreams come true and thankfully I am starting now and not in my 50s. Better late then never I guess!

So, I guess the moral of the story and well the point of this random ranting is to get a financial advisor as soon as you are making money, and LEARN how to save and to make your money help you live comfortably in the future!

Have a great day dear followers!

Welcome to March!

When I think of March, I get a tingling hope of Spring. This past week has given us a glimpse of Spring with new life. Two of our does freshened, each with a healthy set of twins.

Mary cleaning one of her kids

Ruby cleaning one of her kids

 The first doe, Mary, one of my first two originals, freshened with a buck and doe. Ruby followed the next day with a beautiful set of twin does. Thankfully, I was able to be present for their births. Ruby did wonderful delivering her first doe, but the second one took her sweet time and then ended up being stuck in the wrong position. I had to reach in and rearrange her a bit so that she could make her grand entrance into the world. As nervous and impatient as I get around kidding season it also gives me feelings of joy, hope, wonder, amazement, and awe. I can't put into words how blessed I feel to witness these births and each time it is so special to me.

Mary and her kids

Ruby and her kids

I am eager to for Spring to get here, as we have decided to once again raise a small flock of chickens for eggs and this year will dabble in raising meat rabbits as well. Our garden last year produced so much that I had wished I knew how to can. This year my goal is to do some research and learn to can so I can save our harvest and lower our grocery bill. I am also very excited for the apple trees to fill once again. I found an awesome recipe for apple pie last year and it tasted especially divine using our very own apples. We also have a cherry tree, which I didn't take advantage of last year but I hope to figure out something to do with the cherries as well.


What are your plans for Spring? Leave me a comment and tell me all about it, plus I'd love some tips about raising rabbits!

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

It has been a month since I started my Cize & Shakeology Challenge Pack. I wasn't sure how it was going to go, I didn't know if I was doing the right thing, I felt guilty about taking care of me, but I was excited. I was excited I finally decided to take control of my life, my health, my fitness, for my family.

This excitement quickly diminished after the 2nd week. I was in pain. My body felt broken. I felt defeated. I didn't realize how much abuse I had put my body through until the pain came screaming back at me during each workout. I tried pressing on, no pain no gain right? But it got worse. I had to stop, I missed a day, then tried again... it was bearable so I did the workout again... next day I skipped... next day I skipped again... next day I could workout again. I felt like a failure like my body was completely betraying me. I wanted this to work so bad that failing this so soon was depressing.

It took me a couple days to realize that I wasn't failing. I was listening to my body and doing what I could. I was doing something, which was more than I had been for the past year. I was still drinking my Shakeology every day. I was still watching my portions every day, I just couldn't perform the workouts every day.

Thankfully, I had a check up with my doctor scheduled last week. I told him everything I was doing as well as my concerns. Evidently, exercise is the best thing I can do
right now. We discussed some options for the pain and I was sent home with a new outlook.

Failing would have been throwing in the towel and stopping everything. Failing would have been taking steps backwards instead of keeping the pace and trying to move forward. Failing would have been not seeking my doctor's advice. Failing would have been hiding behind the keyboard and keeping this confession to myself.

And despite it all when I stepped on the scale I was absolutely shocked that I had lost 10 pounds.10 pounds, just doing what I could do!

So today, this is my confession but it is also my hope that it becomes your inspiration. Keep it up and fight the fight. You are winning even when it feels like you are not. You are winning by just doing!

This experience has reminded me so much of what I need to do in my faith and my relationship with God. Some days I get so caught up in what I am not doing, what I should do, that I forget to remember what I have done and what I am capable of doing now even if there are things I can't do or that I don't know. God sees my efforts and knows my heart. I just have to keep up my fight for him and search for him.

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

Okay, so maybe I have left you all hanging a bit too long. I am so sorry about that. For those that are still here with me THANK YOU! I greatly appreciate your faith in me and my return. As the year is ending I have decided that I need some changes in 2016.

In my house the moral behind James 2:17 keeps popping up. Not just once but many times this past month the concept of "faith without works is dead" has been brought to my attention. I have faith in God that I can do anything with His help, if it is His will. I know that He only wants good for me. Good for me is... feeling good, having energy, being healthy, and helping my family financially. Even though I have faith I can have all these things I didn't really know what to do to achieve them therefore I was doing nothing.

I recently reconnected with a long time friend. Through her help and guidance I have found a program that will help me reach my goals. 2016 is my year! It is my year to renew my mind, my body, and my faith.

Sound like something you need? Want to know my secret?

I have decided to become a Beachbody Coach. I am plugged into a great group of Christians and I am ready to be healthy and full of energy again.

Want to learn more about Beachbody? Feel free to check out my site: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/coachkelc
Or shoot me an email at coachkelc at gmail.com

I am always looking for new friends to join my Beachbody Team! Keep coming back because I plan to show my progress here on the blog!

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

This past week was rough, not for me but for Big Sister. I got word Wednesday that their grandmother, my late husband's mother, had passed away. She is in school now, 1st grade, and I was unsure how she would take the news so I waited to tell her until Friday after school. I knew she would be upset, but I don't think I was ready for questions and her fears.

Let's rewind for some back story... When Little Sister was born, my mother-in-law had moved in to help with Big Sister while I adjusted to the new baby. She actually was there a couple months earlier because I had been put on bed rest. Even though it wasn't the plan to begin with, she ended up staying for a year. Big Sister got very attached to her and even after she moved back to her apartment, almost 3 hours away, the girls loved to visit and were always sad to leave when we had to return home. After my husband passed, she was diagnosed with cancer. She went through Chemo and beat it, however she during that time she also suffered from a busted ear drum. I can't even begin to imagine have to live in a state of constant dizziness. She went through Physical Therapy and did very well, at one point she was even back to driving again. She had a scare where they thought her cancer was back, but it wasn't, however she busted the other ear drum and was back to square one with the dizziness and Physical Therapy again. She was placed in a Nursing Home to go through through Physical Therapy again. This brings us up to recently. The girls went to visit her while she was in the nursing home, unfortunately while there she had difficulty breathing and was taken to the hospital. The girls were traumatized and Big Sister even asked her if she was going to die. They were able to visit her in the hospital when she was stable and doing much better. It reassured them a bit, but they were still upset to leave her.

Well, she got pneumonia and went down hill in the hospital. Next thing I hear is she wasn't going to make it through the day and then the call came in she had passed. I decided to tell the girls separately so that I could be able to comfort them completely without having to divide my attention between the two. Big Sister was the first to be told the news.  I began by telling her that her grandmother had done worse in the hospital and before I could even get the words out Big Sister asked if she was dead. I desperately wanted to say no but I couldn't lie, but I had to pause for a minute before I said yes. She cried and cried. Once I calmed her, it was time to tell Little Sister. I was surprised when I got absolutely no reaction from her. I don't know if she just doesn't know how to process death, her sister was 4 years old when their father passed and had emotions toward that but here she was 4 years old and nothing.

We went to the viewing and again Big Sister was just completely in tears. She didn't want to leave the casket. She kept saying "I didn't want this to happen" and "I will miss her." I was also very shocked at how curious she was about it, asking why she was cold and hard. Its like she was trying to figure out the difference between someone being alive and someone being dead. And then she asked me if I was going to die. I try really really hard not to lie or even tell a half truth when they ask the tough questions. I told her yes, one day I will, hopefully when I am very very old. She asked if she was going to die, again I gave her a similar response and explained that eventually everyone dies when God decides it is their time to go home to him. She has asked me several times more after the viewing if I am going to die, each time I hate to tell her yes but I give her the same answer. Little Sister, on the other hand, had no response to her grandmother. Not one tear, reaction, or questions. She seemed to just accept it or maybe she just hasn't processed it yet.

This morning going to school I sent a letter with her for her teacher. I don't really know how well she has processed everything and I don't know how it will affect her while she is away from me. I have heard about children having behavior issues, or bowel issues when going through a loss so I wanted her teacher to be prepared for anything. I do expect her to be emotional sometimes, she has such a big heart and just LOVES everyone. I always tell people she is so special and how I wish I was more like her. I am pretty sure that God gave her to me more so I could learn from her and not so much for her to learn from me.

Well, it is about that time. Time for Big Sis to get off the bus. This is where I must leave you for now. Hopefully, I can continue to write on a more regular basis. Until then, please stick with me dear followers!

So much has happened in the last year.  I don't know where to begin.

I started dating again. And I met someone. We plan on getting married. I will admit I was a little lost for a while after my husband passed. When I first started dating it was weird and it felt like I was cheating on him every time I went on a date. Kissing was also a little weird as well. I had been so used to kissing the same person for the last 10 years that I really wasn't sure how to do it anymore. It was like I was a school girl again, trying to figure out how to kiss.

It still is weird to think about being married again, but also a relief that I can share my life with someone again. I know that God is all one needs, but I also believe that God wants me to have a leader in my home to be a provider, a comforter, a friend, for me and a father to my girls. They love him, he is great with them, and he loves them as well. What more could I ask for?

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, we had to move from our farm. We had built a brand new house and moved in just 4 days before my husband passed away. It was hard for me to leave, the house was built FOR ME and everything it was, was for our family's future. But, now I know it was for the best. It was a move that needed to happen. My daughters are much happier at our new home and although we are currently renting and will possibly move again, we are in the right place this time. I feel at home here, in this area, in this community.

We moved back to the area where my mom and sister live. It has been amazing being close to them again. I didn't realize how much I missed my family until I came back to this area. The girls love playing with their cousins as well, its like they have been close and played together their whole lives. I think it is just amazing how resilient and go-with-the-flow kids can be.

There is so much more I need to add, and hopefully in the coming weeks I can start keeping this blog up a bit better than I had been!

So, if your still out there dear followers, please stay with me!

I'm surviving without him, I didn't think it was possible, but I am. It has been almost two months since my husband passed away suddenly. Everywhere I go I see things through new eyes. The way people react and interact and go about their lives seems so odd to me now. I'm not really sure how to explain this new enlightening, but its like I had been looking through a foggy glass for 29 years and then suddenly it was wiped clear and I can see things exactly how they are without the smoke and mirrors. Things that seemed so important no longer are, they seem like tiny distractions now. Songs and sayings have new meanings, they are more personal and reach me in a place I never knew.

I have been battling with my purpose a lot lately. Why am I here, what is my purpose, how do I find my purpose, how am I supposed to live, what does God want me to do? All these questions and more are constantly running rampant through my head. Do I wait, listen, run, what? I'm listening but I just don't hear anything. I feel this urgency but I have NO clue what to do about it. I don't feel lost, I just feel unknown. I know that sounds weird, to feel unknown, I am sure there is a technical term for it but for me, I feel unknown.

I'm just surviving.

Have wonderful night dear followers,
  

December is supposed to be a month of celebration, celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus and being Thankful for His Love and Salvation through Him. My birthday is also in December as well, which is always exciting. Instead of a month of celebration, I was thrown a huge curve ball. Nothing could have prepared me for this tragedy.

My husband had a heart attack and he died.

Yes, you read that correctly, he died. I am still in disbelief and each day I still expect for him to walk through the door, like he is coming home from work. Each night I realize my new reality, the reality that he is gone and won't be coming back.

Our daughters are 4 years old and 2 years old. The 2 year old has absolutely no concept of death and the fact that her Daddy died, she still looks for him and asks when he is coming home. I am sure this will last for a long while. My 4 year old doesn't really understand death but she does understand that Daddy can't come back. It is so hard to watch her each time she forgets and I have to remind her he is gone. Her eyes sadden, a frown covers her sweet smile, and then she cries. I tell her she is okay and that its okay to be sad because we miss him. She calms easily and then goes on playing.

At first I wondered how I could live without him. He was my best friend and my whole world. Then I wondered why. Why did this have to happen to him, to us, to our girls?

It's just not fair.

Who is a widow at 28 (well 29 now)?

I didn't eat for several days after he died. I didn't feel hungry and when I did eat, food tasted horrible. I am guessing it was some sort of side effect from shock. I immediately went into survival mode, trying to get a handle on accounting, when bills were due, ect. Since my husband took care of all this, it has been a new experience for me but not impossible to handle. My husband had told me time and time again that "even though bad things happen you have to continue taking care of your responsibilities." I guess he had learned this the hard way when his father passed years ago, so he always made sure this was ingrained in my head.

My husband was a brilliant man, I'm not saying it because he was my husband, he really was brilliant. As each day passes I remember things he taught me and I feel comforted, but at the same time, as each day passes I also realize just how much I tuned him out on certain things, things I wish I had paid more attention to while he was still here. I always thought we would have many many many years together, I never grasped the concept that time is short and every word spoken is SO important.

Daddy and Big Sister

I've been looking to God for a lot of guidance lately and sadly I have been in my Bible more than ever, since my husband passed. I regret this greatly because I think our marriage and our life would have been enriched so much more had I sought God's guidance more often. I do realize that I can not change the past, but I have committed myself to improving in the future. My daughter's deserve a mother who is actively and wholeheartedly seeking God.

My home was busy all of December. Until this tragedy hit, I never really had a grasp for how much love and support I really have in life. Our families and friends are awesome and have been here every step of the way to fill in the gaps when needed or just to be here for the girls and I. I am still in awe of the outpouring help, its just been amazing.

Daddy and Little Sister

Everyone keeps telling me to take one day at a time, and I am trying, but I can't help looking at the big picture and trying to prepare for the future. Every day is a challenge, it is hard, and I'm not going to lie, it has been a pain, especially around the farm. Since the funeral, it seems like something breaks or goes wrong EVERY single day. But every day there is SOMETHING that goes oh so right, and I just bask in the good moments and soak them up.

 So, please be patient with me dear followers while I figure out this new life, a life without my love, but a life that I am driven to do so much more with.



Have a wonderful night dear followers,

Finally the weather is consistent and warm! Thank God! However, with warm weather comes BUGS! All types of bugs seem to be crawling around everywhere, inside and outside. Our most recent experience with a bug was with a not so nice bug.

Today we went out to play and Big Sister was playing nicely in the playhouse when all of a sudden she screamed bloody murder. Unbeknownst to me a wasp mama had made a nest in the inside roof line of the girls' playhouse. I looked up to see a wasp buzzing around her then diving down to sting her again. I ran to get Big Sister out of the play house and then set her down on the picnic table to assess the damages. She was only stung once, on her shoulder blade, but it was red and starting to swell a bit. She isn't severely allergic to bees or wasps (this is the seconded time this year she has been stung) so I wasn't worried about a serious reaction, but it still hurt badly so I ran in to get some reinforcements. My "Go To" for stings is allergy medicine and baking soda. I measured out the allergy meds and gave it to her orally, just to be sure she didn't have a reaction to the venom from the sting. Next, I mixed up a paste with baking soda and water and spread it over the sting. Instant relief, and the screaming ceased and swelling started going down. I don't know WHO figured out baking soda has this amazing quality, but if I did I would go up and hug and kiss them and thank them a million times.

So, moral of the story. Bugs are everywhere, even ones that pack a big punch, or sting rather. Check your children's play equipment and make sure a bug hasn't taken up residence in their toys! I know that this will be on my spring/summer checklist for next year for sure!

Have you encountered a not so friendly bug this yet this year?

Have a wonderful day dear followers and stay safe!
 





Disclaimer: Please note that I am not a doctor, so please check with your doctor before administering any medications to your children in the even of a insect sting or bite.

I am not going to lie... being a Mom is not exactly what I thought it was going to be. I guess I should have listened when I was younger. It really is harder than everyone thinks it is, except Moms, they already know. I struggle a lot with lack of independence. I was fairly independent growing up, I had a small group of friends that I hung out with every so often, but for the most part I was content doing things I liked to do, when I wanted, whether someone was there doing it with me or not.

The transition from that to Motherhood had been challenging. I have days where I seriously consider locking myself in my room and letting the girls have their way with the house so I can just be me. But, I am more responsible than that. There are days where I just don't want to be touched anymore, and when I get jumped on for the thousandth time that day or another elbow to my boob, I want to scream! But, I don't.

Then there are times like now. The girls are happy and content, playing together with a hose in the backyard. The smiles on their faces and the sweetness of their laughter just takes me away to someplace I never knew before I became a Mom. They don't have a care in the world, and it makes me feel good.

I know God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but sometimes I seriously doubt my abilities at this whole "Mom" thing. I am guessing I am not alone. All I can do is pray that God leads me in  the way He wants me to go, for my daughters, and hope I don't screw them up too bad  if I take a wrong turn now and again.

There is a wonderful verse in the Bible, that helps me get through just about anything that gets tossed my way. I may have posted this before, but I will do it again, and again because it is just that awesome. It is from Philippians 4:13 "For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

I have to believe that being a Mom is what God wanted for me and that because He wanted it, I can do anything and get through anything that challenges me as a Mom.

So there you have it. My revelation of the day! Aren't you glad you stopped by?

What are your biggest challenges as a Mom or a parent?

Have a wonderful day dear followers,

The fields are growing thick with grass and the weather is staying consistently warm. I am so very glad that Spring has finally decided to arrive! I know that the girls are loving it too, since we can go outside pretty regular now. They love playing outside and visiting the horses. A lot has been going on at the farm and I figured that I would give an update, since I can't remember the last time I did one.

We tore down the little red barn next to the house, it was a sad sad sight, but it had to come down before it fell down and hurt someone. The good news is that we salvaged some of the exterior red pieces of wood and decorated the office and med room in the main barn with it. It looks amazing and so rustic!

We still have several really nice horses that are looking for homes. We adopt anywhere in the US, so if you are looking for a horse to love, check out some of ours, here.

The goats are no longer coming into the house at night. They are outside 24/7, doing great, and enjoy it. The girls and I take them for walks as often as we can. They are both learning to walk on a leash, I hope to take them to a couple shows in June, but we will see if I can get them ready in time. I have no idea what I am doing so we will either rock the show or at least provide the entertainment.


Speaking of the goats, I decided to name my little hobby farm Twinkle Little Farm. Big Sister is learning Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Old McDonald and sometimes mixes up the words. She was singing one day and said "Twinkle Little Farm" and I just fell in love with it. So, because my daughters were such a big part of my decision to get goats and more specifically Nigerian Dwarf Goats, I decided that it was only right that the girls be a part of naming the farm.

My geese decided they wanted to sit on their eggs, so I let them. I wasn't sure if they would actually hatch, but I figured I would let them try. Well, Mr. Goose is fertile and all my Girly Geese are great brooders because I now have three little goslings under a heat lamp on my porch. I was afraid they would get snatched by wildlife so I decided they were safer on the porch then outside with mom. There probably should have been 6 of them, but 2 were either squished or attacked by the geese and the one egg was busted before it was baking. The girls love playing with the goslings, Little Sister is a little too rough and I really have to watch so she doesn't squeeze their little necks too hard. Big Sister is great with them and I am pretty sure they love her too, or at least think she is "Mom."

We are still working on the new house, it seems to be taking FOREVER! I never knew how hard it was to find GOOD Contractors and good construction workers. I hope and pray we are in the house by Big Sister's 4th Birthday. Most of the drywall in the new section is in, so God willing I will be choosing paint next week. Any suggestions?

Wow, if I were a super blogger, I probably would have been able to split this post into several, but that is not how I roll, hehe!

God Bless and have a wonderful day dear followers!

This April my husband and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary.  I decided that I wanted to do something special, so I decided to take him to the track to watch drag racing. Before I met him he had raced an Alcohol Funny Car and was pretty good at it. I knew he would enjoy being at a track again so I started making plans for our weekend, a month in advance. I was very please with myself, I was able to keep it secret all the way up until the week of the races.

We were in the car and he told me he had to go to Lafayette Monday (the Monday after our weekend) to help his brother-in-law and wanted to leave on Sunday! Oh no! He had no idea we were already going to be close to Lafayette. I had to rat myself out. He was still suprised, but I didn't get the raction I was looking for. I wanted the stunned and shocked look when we showed up at the track on Saturday.

We had a great weekend and it was just what we needed. He works very very hard both at his Batterer's Intervention program and at the farm. And I, well as much as I love my children, being a stay at home mom isn't my most favorite job in the world (Gasp, I know), so I was ready for a break as well.

Since that weekend, it seems like we have all been living in the fast lane! My husband has had to go out of town to teach a couple extra classes and was a witness in court. And, Little Sister gave me a scare that landed her in observation at the hospital over night. All the extra happenings coupled with every day farm life just makes my head want to spin. Hopefully, the rest of May won't be quite so busy, but I am not going to bet on it, but I am glad I have God to help me get through it!

Enjoy your weekend dear followers!

Please give a warm welcome to my new babies!

Hello Dearest Followers!

Earth Day is April 22 and in Celebration of Earth Day, JAWS (Just Add Water System) Cleaners are doing a BOGO at ALL Marsh stores from April 18-30! So, mark your calendars and stock up on this awesome eco-friendly cleaner!

But that's not all JAWS is doing to celebrate Earth Day, JAWS would like to give one of Rural Mama's Sandbox readers a FREE Sample Pack of JAWS Cleaning Products!

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Have a wonderful evening dear followers,

I have never really been "into" Valentine's Day. Growing up my Mom would always get us something special and it was nice, but I never really had too many high expectations, even after I married my husband. This morning didn't exactly get me all that excited about the day, if anything I kind of dreaded it.
I woke up to the sound of the girls running around the living room, then I heard it. The worse phrase ever, "Mommy, Sissy pooped on the floor, Mommy Sissy pooped on my bed,"
I jolted up stairs thoughts racing through my head, "Please don't sit on the couch, please don't sit on the couch."
The girls came running up to me with grins on their faces, Little Sister completely naked. "Mommy Sissy pooped on my bed."
I went into their room to find a pile on the floor, thank God it they don't have carpet and it misses the rug, and streaks of poop all over Big Sisters bed. I turned and grabbed Little Sister and took her to the bathroom to clean up. Afterwards, I stripped Big Sister's bed and cleaned up the mess on the floor.
"Wonderful, great start to Valentine's Day." I thought in my head.
The rest of the morning did go rather smoothly and after we went to the Library, I had a brilliant idea! We could meet Daddy for lunch! I stopped into the Dollar Store and bought a couple roses for the girls to give him. He was glowing as the girls gave him the Valentines that they had made at the Library and Big Sister handed him the roses. Score one point for Mama, it was awesome. We ate at the mall, the girls rode the carousel, and then I took them to play in the play zone at the mall. Overall, a pretty awesome Valentine's Day, one that I will remember for a long time, especially the look on Daddy's Face!
I hope you all had a Blessed Valentine's Day!

Good night dear followers,

Lately, I've found myself reading a lot. During my Middle School years, I used to read all the time, but then as I became intrenched in High School activities my zeal for reading somewhat faded. Well, I guess that zeal is back because I feel the need, the need, to read. (Yes, I am totally cheesy and heard Tom Cruise's voice from Top Gun in my head as I wrote that.) I've kind of been out of the loop for so long that I have had to kind of pick randomly and see what I like and don't like as an adult. I like to read a variety books, but what I really love are blogs. They have a sense of realness and I can relate to a lot of what is written. Do I believe EVERYTHING I read? No. Does it give me sense that I'm not alone and that some of my antics as a wife/mother are... "normal"... sure.

Recently, I was asked to review a book called Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire from the series Life Well Blogged by Abbey Fatica and Monica Merrill Mylet. This book is a compilation of blog articles and just one book in the trilogy that takes you into the lives of several bloggers from all walks of life. I love the diversity in the book. Each of the bloggers is unique and special and it pours out from every page.

Growing up I always wondered what the holidays were like for other families. Did everyone do things they way we did? If I could be a fly on their wall, what would I see? Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire takes you through the four seasons and gives you a glimpse of what life in like during the holidays in different homes. As you will quickly figure out, the holidays are packed with the good, the bad, and the hilarious!

 A couple of my favorite stories from Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire include one from Thanksgiving and Christmas. An Offer He Can Not Refuse, Maybe, We'll See by Lauren Gallagher from the blog Filing Jointly...Finally got my side splitting. Evidently, Lauren's significant other is not too fond of Christmas. She cleverly uses the 'Twas The Night Before Christmas theme to approach the issue and gives her sweetie a alternative that you won't want to miss. It also helps that there is a photo included at the end, I was chuckling until I got to the photo, I lost it at the photo.

Another one of my favorites was How Could Christmas be Christmas Without a Santa Pig? by Michelle from the blog The Hubby Diaries. She has several cute stories in the Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire book, but this one is my favorite! If you are like me, you are thinking, "What is a Santa Pig?" Michelle takes you through her husbands obsession over a light up pig on a restaurant near where they live. Her tolerance and love for her husband is clear until the end, which you will love. (There is a picture at the end of this one too, hehe)

As with anything there is both the good and... the bad. The downside to Holly Daze: Underachiever Extraordinaire is that a good majority of the stories have curse words in them. They were edited to have a * through the words, so if your "Little Reader" in the family picks it up, they may not have clue what it is supposed to be, so that is nice. Or when you see the * you can just skip over the word entirely.

Overall, I thought that it was a cute book with entertaining and funny stories that show that your "average" family have not so "average" happenings during the holidays. 

Click here to see what My Rating means! 
Cost: $2.99 for Kindle or Nook Versions or $9.99 for paperback. A portion of the proceeds will be donated directly to the Superstorm Sandy relief efforts.
Where to Buy: Amazon.com 
Check out the other two books in the trilogy: No Laughing Allowed, To Bliss and Back
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Have a wonderful evening dear followers!

I was going through my past posts and realized it has been almost a WHOLE year since I gave an update on Big Sister's Speech Therapy progress! I feel so horrible, I had wanted to document it on the blog, but have failed miserably. I guess I will give you the "quick" version. If you want to know where we left off, you can read the last post, here. Or you can read the complete series by going here.

We continued home visits with the Speech Therapist until Big Sister turned 3 years old, which was in June 2012. The program she was in only went until 3 years old and then they transferred her to the school system. I was thoroughly impressed with Big Sister's progress and her therapist was just AMAZING. I couldn't have ask for more from them and Big Sister learned more than I could even have imagined.

Big Sister's first day of "School"

There was a break from the end of her home Therapy sessions until the beginning of her sessions at our local Elementary School in September. The new Therapy is 30 minutes once a week instead of one hour once a week. The School would provide transportation, but I decided to opt out because I just don't think she is old enough to be riding on a bus. So, every week, once a week, I drive her to school and then take Little Sister to a store in town, while we wait for Big Sister's session to end. Her therapy is one on one with the Speech Therapist and not in a classroom full of kids, which I like.

One morning when we were pulling into the parking lot at the school, Big Sister blurted out "My friends! I get to play with my friends." My heart sank, she was looking out her window at all the children playing on the playground. It made me so sad to have to tell her "No, we are going to go see your teacher." It was at that point when I realized she knew what friends are and that she wanted to have friends. So, that night I searched the internet trying to find local places to take her where there would be kids her age. I found that our local library had a Toddler Story Time and that it has just started the previous week. I went in and asked about the Toddler Story Time and they allowed us to join in the next week. Big Sister, Little Sister, and I both thoroughly enjoy our time at the library and it has even given me an excuse to make time to read for me again. I would encourage all Moms to look into the programs at your local library, you never know what amazing FREE programs are available in your area!

Playing with the block table at the library.

 Between School and Toddler Story Time, Big Sister has made GREAT progress. She is now saying 5-7 word sentences that I can actually understand. She still has issues at times where she will drop the end of a word when she rushes, but her teacher is working on that. I am always amazed at what comes out of her mouth as well as relieved that I can understand her and communicate with her better. Her speech improvements have even helped Little Sister's speech as well. I am always amazed at how many words she picks up from her Big Sister. Little Sister will actually say 3-4 word sentences already.

Kids are just amazing! Which skill did you love to watch your little one achieve the most?

Have a wonderful day dear followers!

We were in Menards looking at Corner Showers for our Master Bathroom one Sunday. We happen to pass by a toilet with a bidet attached to the top. My husband admired it for a moment and then we moved on. Big Sister was walking with us and without missing a beat started pulling down her pants and said "I have to go potty." My husband and I turned around,  looked at each other, then ran and reached for Big Sister as panic ran through our veins. We got to her before she sat down and christened Menard's display, but boy was my adrenaline pumping. I had seen things like this on TV and in movies, but never expected for it to happen to me! Thank God we caught her when we did because I had NO idea what we would have done if we hadn't. I guess this just goes to show how unpredictable children can be and it will give us a nice story to embarrass her with when she is older!

Anyone have a similar experience with your child? Did you catch them in time? If not, WHAT did you do?

Have a Blessed day dear followers!

 Well, I've got it. I've come down with the bug. The Gardening Bug has started to infect my home again this year. Without even realizing it, I've been online researching flowers, shrubs, and trees to plant up at the new house! New house? Yes, we are in the process of remodeling a Repossessed Modular. The idea of a new house was hatched while I was pregnant with Little Sister and we wanted to have something to move into by the time she was rolling over. Well, plans don't exactly go as planned and here we are in January 2013 and still not moved in. The modular was so low priced that we couldn't resist and building a new house from scratch was way too expensive. The "New house" has been a work in progress since September 2011. We had to wipe out a bunch of nice trees to get the thing up on the hill and now it is disgustingly bare around the house. It needs some color, it needs some landscaping, it needs SOMETHING! So, while infected with the bug, I will be searching for plants to beautify my new space!

If you have any suggestions for plants that will weather well on a sandy hill, please feel free to comment! I need all the help I can get!


Have a wonderful day dear followers!

New Year's means new experiences and new adventures! I was in Rural King on Thursday, Jan. 3rd getting layer feed for my chickens and decided to just stroll though the aisles, looking at random stuff since the girls were being good and sitting nicely in the cart. I made it down the aisle with cleaning supplies when I can across the bars of Fels-Naptha Heavy Duty Laundry Bar Soap. I remembered reading a blog post about a homemade laundry detergent recipe that used Fels-Naptha so I grabbed several bars. I tried remembering what else was on the ingredient list and pulled Borax and Washing Soda off the shelf as well.
When I got them home, I was excited to make up a batch of Homemade Laundry Detergent. I searched the internet for recipes that used all the ingredients. I came across the Living On A Dime blog. I scrolled through and read her instructions, seemed easy enough to me so I got to work on making the detergent. This is the first time I have attempted anything like this, so I was both excited and unsure of what to expect. I was praying that it turned out right.

This batch didn't have the honey like consistency that the recipe suggests that it would, I think it may have something to do with the fact that I changed the temperature several times because I got it too hot and it boiled over once, hehe. 
The Homemade Laundry Detergent recipe made 2 1/2 bottles of my regular laundry detergent and cost only a few dollars per bottle to make as well! What a deal!

I've been using this detergent since then and I have to admit that I LOVE it! I love the smell and I love how clean and fresh my clothes come out! This may be something I will be sticking with from now on! Whahoo!

Has anyone else tried Homemade Laundry Detergent? Do you use the same recipe that I found on the Living On A Dime blog or do you use a different recipe? If you use a different one, please share yours in the comment, I would LOVE to try it out!

Have a lovely day dear followers!