Cyber Monday Deals

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Of course I am putting in a plug for my business here too… shop at my Avon store today and receive free shipping on any order! Just use the code: FSANY

Gymboree has free shipping on all orders today plus lots of markdowns! Normally you have to spend $100 to get the free shipping. I keep telling myself that my children do.not.need.clothing…

Get 50 free 4×8 photo cards from seehere.com and just pay shipping. Today only, promo code: freebies4mom-1109

20% off free shipping at Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic! (Repeating: my kids do not need any clothes… oh but I might get some maternity stuff!)

If you cloth diaper or use natural products, Cotton Babies (local here) has 20% off and free shipping on select Flip, BumGenius, and Econombum products. I am buying a pack of XS and Small all in ones for this new baby!

There are specials on breeches and other riding items at The Equestrian Corner. I used to dream about marrying a cowboy, for real. And living on a farm. Yikes…. that’s a long way from where I am now!!

Amazon has lots of Cyber Monday Deals. And I know people are shopping there because my Amazon stuff has sold like crazy yesterday and today!

Any great deals you want to share with me?

I am so thankful

Filed Under Posing for Pictures, Thoughts, Two and a half years old | 2 Comments

for this girl.

By the way…

Filed Under Second Pregnancy, Symptoms | 1 Comment

My ankles are swollen. 25 weeks, almost 26 but who’s counting?

It’s been happening off and on for a few weeks but starting to be more of a regular occurrence. That and the heartburn in the evenings. If I try to lean over to bathe Bailey, I throw up in my mouth.

Random Cute and Funny Faces!

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Took a few pictures around the house/during dinner the other day. Since I’ve been grouchy, and looking at pics of Bailey always cheers me up, I thought I would share a few-

Starting Jonathon’s Christmas List

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So far on his list? Gift cards to his favorite electronics store, a Logo flash drive, and a new hard drive. Oh and I think some more memory for one of his ten or so computers. Hmmm pretty sure this is the same list that we had last year, too. Can’t he just ask for a sweater and some dvd’s? And the thing that really sucks is that his birthday is also in December so I have to come up with twice as many gifts. Although for his birthday he might not be getting anything- since he never ended up giving me a birthday present AT ALL this year. Seriously.

Works For Me Wednesday- Breathing Machine

Filed Under Asthma, Two and a half years old, Works For Me Wednesday | 2 Comments

When we first got Bailey’s “breathing machine” (a.k.a. nebulizer) she was NOT a fan. It’s noisy and requires her to sit still- two things she does not like at all. So what we quickly learned? It’s easier to make it into a fun event. She gets to pick a favorite show to watch while we do her machine, and then when she is done she can put a sticker on the machine. Sometimes she doesn’t even care about that part anymore, but it helped a lot in the beginning. I have also gotten great advice from other moms of asthma kids- ordering a special fish-shaped mask, putting stickers on the mask, using just the tube under their nose… but for us it really comes down to just having fun with it. Bailey is very strong willed- so if she thinks that SHE was the one who wanted to do the breathing treatment it is just fine. It all comes down to making everyday events fun for her.

For more Works For Me Wednesday, visit We are that family!

Total Money Makeover

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I feel like I have been missing from here lately… and missing from my (two) regular boards that I post on. Jonathon and I are trying to get some finance issues straightened out- with medical bills, creating a better savings account, adding to our investments, etc. So I signed up for Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover and it has changed my whole way of thinking. I am seriously addicted now and I also spend a TON of time reading the forums there. If you are interested in paying off debt or managing your money better you should check it out. It is so worth doing. Or feel free to ask me any questions!

Online Degrees Like Crazy

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I didn’t realize how many people actually forgo the traditional college experience and get an online degree! It seems like I keep meeting more people who have done this or are working on it right now. Several people in my Avon downline have gotten degrees online from different schools like Western Governors University.

I know it is a lot less expensive and offers more flexibility so it is appealing to the “non-traditional” type students and those with children or full-time jobs. I just always wonder if employers look at that kind of degree with the same respect as one earned at a traditional university. Or do they just see that the job candidate has a degree in a related field and not research where it’s from? Or are the online degree programs more well respected than I realize? I have to admit the idea is kind of appealing to me.

I’m not sure if I will ever go back to school (my degree is in public relations and marketing) but time constraints/family time would be one of the main reasons that I wouldn’t go back. So this seems like a good alternative for those situations. Jonathon’s degree is in MIS (management info systems) but he has also met some people who have gotten an online IT degree.

Little Cupcake Cutie

Filed Under Posing for Pictures, Two and a half years old | 2 Comments

This is what happens when a two year old doesn’t want to cooperate with picture taking…

But then when you offer her a piece of candy if she goes along with it…

It works wonders. Sometimes, we resort to bribery at our house. Whatever. Later that day she was in a funny mood and found a pair of Daddy’s earphones.

Wordless Wednesday- Funny Feet

Filed Under Two and a half years old, Wordless Wednesday | 2 Comments

See, kids this age don’t need ipods or other expensive gifts and toys. They are perfectly content to play with random household objects. Or in the case of my child, gloves. She is thrilled if you give her any sort of accessories, shoes, clothes etc to play dress up with. Just look at that expression on her face! She had these on for at least twenty minutes that night as she paraded around the house.

Oops and now this is not so wordless anymore

Not just a fluke

Filed Under Are you kidding me?, Diapers/Potty, Two and a half years old | 1 Comment

Today I jumped in the shower while Bailey was having a snack and watching tv. We were getting ready to go to gymnastics. She still had her pajamas on. As I was finishing my shower she came into the bathroom. She was like “Look Mom!” and through the steamy shower glass I see this brown thing in her hand… I bet you know where this is going…

After I calmed down we flushed it, washed her hands, and I went in the living room to find her jammy pants and diaper on the floor. Thankfully there were no other “remnants” anywhere. Someone needs to start wearing a onesie, I think.

Tuesday Toot- Should I Even be Proud?

Filed Under Are you kidding me?, Diapers/Potty, Second Pregnancy, Sleep, Tuesday Toot, Two and a half years old | 3 Comments

So I’m supposed to talk about an accomplishment, something I’m proud of, etc.

Should I mention that I functioned all day on just three hours of sleep (thank you horrible gas pains, I thought I was in labor! I have honestly never felt anything quite like this. Jonathon finally went to the store at 2 a.m. to get me Gas-X.)

Or that I cleaned poop out of Bailey’s bed this morning? After listening to her yell “Mom! Come in here! You hear me? I need you to come in!” I thought she just woke up early and told her to go back to sleep. So I finally sent Jonathon in and he’s like “Help! There’s poop!” So I go in and she says, “Look at all the poops in my bed! There’s poops in my own bed!” And those little turdlets were all lined up and arranged. Nice.

Or should I tell you that I worked doing childcare this morning at church and I wish that my old co-teacher was still in my room with me? Long morning.

Or maybe I should just tell you that Bailey and I both got to take a three hour nap this afternoon

Pregnancy- Baby Boy- 23 Weeks

Filed Under Being a Mom, Daddy, Nursery, Second Pregnancy, Siblings, Symptoms | 2 Comments

I feel like I need to take a minute and write down some notes about this pregnancy. At some point I should probably take a belly picture, too. I was so good about all of this with my first pregnancy. I hate it, but this baby already is having to share my time with his sister. And trying to keep up with a busy two year old, plus working on my Avon business, doesn’t leave me a lot of time for writing down details about my belly growth! I feel like I am doing such an injustice to this baby. Someone with multiple children please tell me you have felt the same way.

Anyway. I will be 23 weeks as of this weekend. The time is flying by so fast. I am more than halfway there. We have the bedding and most of the room decor stuff, thanks to a great sale and my mom spotting it for me! We have moved the crib and changing table into my office but haven’t really moved any office stuff out yet. I am dreading having my office downstairs with Jonathon’s because I won’t be able to just run in and out to check email etc all the time. We need to get the downstairs set up as more of a playroom for the kids.

I am feeling REALLY good right now. At about 20 weeks my heartburn was horrible but it has actually subsided a bit. Or maybe I am being more careful about what I eat. It only comes in the evening and is usually fixable with a Tums or two at this point. I had a few days of swelling back in mid October and had to put my feet up, but I haven’t swelled at all lately either. I feel this baby move a lot. That is definitely my favorite part of pregnancy. It seems like every time I eat something he wakes up and kicks around. Jonathon says that’s because boys love to eat! Speaking of Jonathon, he has started to take a slight interest in patting or kissing my belly every once in a while. Okay like maybe once a week, but it’s really sweet! Neither of us really talk to the baby at all. We didn’t with Bailey either… to me it just feels awkward.

Every time anyone asks me how I feel I tell them I am GREAT! If this was the only part of pregnancy and I could skip the sickness in the beginning, the first trimester worry, and the feeling huge/swollen/uncomfortable at the end I think I wouldn’t mind being pregnant twenty times. I also have more energy right now than I did even a few weeks ago. It’s hard to believe that in three or four weeks I will be in the third trimester. I guess that means I should hurry up and get some things done now, before my energy dwindles again.

Some fun news- we THINK we have a name for Baby Boy. We are both pretty much decided on it but it’s not officially official yet. I’m not sure whether I will share this one or wait and surprise you all. The idea of a surprise seems kind of exciting. Our family and good friends will know but maybe not the internet, at least not yet. And since we just started working on the nursery, here’s a little glimpse:

Handbags- Worth Reading!!

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This was sent to me in an email but I think it’s worth sharing. I was absolutely disgusted when I read this, and it makes me think about how I always drop my purse on my kitchen countertop when I get home. Not anymore!

Have you ever noticed girls who set their handbags on public toilet floors,
then go directly to their dining tables and set it on the table?
Happens a lot! It’s not always the ‘restaurant food’ that causes stomach
distress. Sometimes ‘what you don’t know will hurt you!’

Read on………….
Mom got so upset when guests came in the door and plopped their handbags
down on the counter where she was cooking or setting up food. She always
said that handbags are really dirty, because of where they have been.
It’s something just about every woman carries with them. While we may know
what’s inside our handbags, do you have any idea what’s on the outside?

Women carry handbags everywhere; from the office to public toilets to the
floor of the car. Most women won’t be caught without their handbags, but did
you ever stop to think about where your handbag goes during the day.
‘I drive a school bus, so my handbag has been on the floor of the bus a
lot,’ says one woman. ‘On the floor of my car, and in toilets.’
‘I put my handbag in grocery shopping carts and on the floor of the toilet,’
says another woman ‘and of course in my home which should be clean.’
We decided to find out if handbags harbor a lot of bacteria. We learned how
to test them at Nelson Laboratories in Salt Lake , and then we set out to
test the average woman’s handbag.
Most women told us they didn’t stop to think about what was on the bottom of
their handbag. Most said at home they usually set their handbags on top of
kitchen tables and counters where food is prepared.
Most of the ladies we talked to told us they wouldn’t be surprised if their
handbags were at least a little bit dirty.
It turns out handbags are so surprisingly dirty, even the microbiologist who
tested them was shocked.

Microbiologist Amy Karen of Nelson Labs says nearly all of the handbags
tested were not only high in bacteria, but high in harmful kinds of
bacteria. Pseudomonas can cause eye infections, staphylococcus aurous can
cause serious skin infections, and salmonella and e-coli found on the
handbags could make people very sick.
In one sampling, four out of five handbags tested positive for salmonella,
and that’s not the worst of it. ‘There is fecal contamination on the
handbags’ says Amy. Leather or vinyl handbags tended to be cleaner than
cloth handbags, and lifestyle seemed to play a role. People with kids tended
to have dirtier handbags than those without, with one exception.
The handbag of one single woman who frequented nightclubs had one of the
worst contaminations of all. ‘Some type of feces, or possibly vomit’ says Amy.

So the moral of this story is that your handbag won’t kill you, but it does
have the potential to make you very sick if you keep it on places where you
eat. Use hooks to hang your handbag at home and in toilets, and don’t put it
on your desk, a restaurant table, or on your kitchen counter top.
Experts say you should think of your handbag the same way you would a pair
of shoes. ‘If you think about putting a pair of shoes on your counter tops,
that’s the same thing you’re doing when you put your handbag on the counter
tops.’

Your handbag has gone where individuals before you have walked, sat,
sneezed, coughed, spat, urinated, emptied bowels, etc!
Do you really want to bring that home with you?
The microbiologists at Nelson also said cleaning a handbag will help. Wash
cloth handbags and use leather cleaner to clean the bottom of leather
handbags.
THIS IS WORTH SHARING!!! PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR GRANDMOTHERS, MOMS,
DAUGHTERS, GRANDDAUGHTERS AND GIRLFRIENDS !! !!

Happy Halloween 2009

Filed Under Talking, This Rocks, Two and a half years old | 1 Comment

My blog needed an update and now it’s letting me post again. This thing is finicky. Thank you, Jonathon, for being my own personal tech support.

Just a few pics from before trick or treating on Saturday.

Bailey had the greatest time. She did a wonderful job of saying trick or treat, and thank you, and wishing everyone a happy Halloween. At one point someone asked her if she was a princess. She said, “No, I’m Bellay. I wear a princess costume.” (Yes, it has become Bellay instead of Beelay. Really, she doesn’t have to hurry and get all grown up on me. Soon she’ll be pronouncing her name so that people can actually understand and my heart just might break!)

We were out for almost two hours! We kept offering to let her “Come home, watch Barney, and eat all the candy” but she kept saying, “No thank you Mommy. I do more tricker treats. I want more candy in my puckin.” Finally when we had her coat on, hood up, and she was starting to stumble from exhaustion, daddy carried her home!

We tried to stop by the neighbor’s firepit gathering but she was like, “I too scary for fire!” I think we’ve done a good job warning her about the dangers of fire… now she probably won’t want to sit around a fire until she’s about 16 though. Oops. Daddy took her home and played for a while and I got to stay and socialize with our neighbors. I picked up a new Avon customer and recruited someone to start selling while I was there. Plus, it was fun and I don’t talk to the neighbors nearly enough.