Better late than never

We had high hopes for Christmas. Our game plan had been to load everyone up on Christmas afternoon and drive down to see my parents. My sisters were both going to be there, as well as my grandmother. We had made both a pumpkin and pecan pie.

However ... 30 minutes before we planned to leave, Turtle threw up EVERYWHERE. We had originally thought it might be from the excitement and too much candy. So, Jeremy loaded the other three kids up and headed down while I stayed home with the littlest (just in case). 1/2 way into the journey ... Monkey threw up (right after commenting that her tummy wasn't feeling so hot). They turned around and came home ... Christmas was off. For the next FIVE days I was cleaning puke and poop. Merry Christmas *not*

Rotating sickies left enough non-sickies to kill all but 2 slices of pie off by Saturday night

This left us with a dilemma. We still had gifts for my family and they still had gifts for us. We needed to reschedule Christmas ... but when?! Schedules for everyone is just INSANE, so getting everyone back together was going to be impossible ... or was it?

Enter technology!!  January 7, my dad had to be up in Kansas City for a follow-up health appointment and my sister miraculously had the day off. My other sister also happened to have a block of time when she could get on FaceTime and we could do Christmas together! Woot!! *before I continue, please note that the smaller photos are taken from my father's camera. They have been left in a very small format and copyrighted since they are NOT taken by me.*

With FaceTime going, we started on the presents. I am not going to show all of them, but a few of them have a story that just need to be shared.

Turtle had a hard time concentrating ... but there was one toy that had her zoned for quite a bit!

Oh - let's not forget where those matching headbands came from ...

You have the Doc McStuffins outfits. Each girl got their own costume and they both came with headbands, ear scopes, and a bandaid. We wouldn't open the costume part, but we let the girls have the accessories. Monkey has since called the outfit her Doctor Who costume because he's the cool doctor.

Bullfrog has only a few interests when it comes to "toys." They are Bayblades, Transformers, Cars/Vehicles, and LEGOs. He LOVES LEGOs. Of course he got a package for Christmas and we joked that it wouldn't take him long to put it together ... it didn't ... only 90 minutes.

All of the children were given new shoes for Christmas ... and every child wore their new shoes to dinner and home. Peanut was given some elastic ties from "Santa" to put on her shoes so she wouldn't have to wear laces. I have to admit ... I REALLY want a pair of Converse shoes now (although I have always loved Converse).

Finally ... we can't have Christmas without smelling the color purple. We got our customary K-State bowl shirts that fit wonderfully and are beautiful. It was such a bittersweet game, but the boys showed fight and came back from a HORRIFIC first half to only lose by 5. Either way, "Santa" gave me a special present in my stocking that I fell in love with. This meal will be fun!

After we finished presents and cleaned up, it was time for us to head to dinner. I was in the middle of a Clean Eating challenge so I knew it was going to be interesting. I spent the day making sure I knew what I could and couldn't eat. I discovered that Golden Corral has a LOT of clean food and I managed to have 2 plates of food, plus a small dessert plate, and kept it under 1000 calories!!

Absolutely no sacrificing on flavor of the food either. My second plate had more carrots, more asparagus, and a few sweet potato fries (more than a few but 3/4 of them were stolen by Turtle).

Have you ever had a time when holidays don't go according to plan? How have you turned it around? Let me know in the comments below ... especially if you have ever used Skype or FaceTime to make a family holiday complete.

Such excitement in this house!

We absolutely love the new year here in this house. It brings about a fresh start and school restarting. HOWEVER, it also brings about PARTIES. My family hits party mode mid-October and we don't end that mode until the beginning of April. It's CRAZY.

In October, we got to enjoy my birthday with those who were closest to me (and celebrate birthdays). We then celebrated Halloween with Trunk or Treat at church and trick or treating around the neighborhood.

In November, we held a Creeper party for Bullfrog who turned 10 and then had a great Thanksgiving.

This was the second year that we didn't do much for Turtle's birthday, but she didn't care. We did hold a celebratory dinner for my friend.  We would have done Christmas as well ... but we all got the stomach bug. We were sick from Christmas day to the Sunday after (which caused us to miss my husband's work party as well).

Now that it is January ... we have a whole new set of parties to throw! So, what's on the agenda?

January 17 - Family Christmas Party

January 24 - HousePary Reynolds Make Meal Magic

February 21 - Peanut's 12th Birthday (Chinese New Year theme)

February 28 - DisneySide Party

I am unbelievably excited. I have been working on re-arranging my apartment for about 2 weeks now. It isn't easy when your husband works 80 hours a week and you are parenting 4 children ... all home for winter break. Over the next few weeks, I plan to give sneak peeks on what our plans are and things that are coming together.

While all this partying is going on ... you may wonder about my huge 2015 goal of becoming fit. Well ... I am still watching what I am eating and controlling the portions. I have also started another blog where I will dive deeper into my Path to Health, and hope you follow along there as well!

Let me know in  the comments below what your agenda looks like for January and February ... OR if you have any suggestions to add to the parties I have listed!!

Black Friday has passed ... Bring on Cyber Monday!

Black Friday was INSANE ... there were deals to be had everywhere. People fought over flat screen televisions and the bumper carts game was a guarantee. I was one of MANY work from home moms that held online deals. I raved about them here on my blog, on Facebook, and Twitter. I'm sorry if you missed out of them. Some places even had deals going into today.

The best part about Black Friday is the Cyber Monday that follows. The deals aren't always as great, but it really depends on what you are after and how much time you have. Most Cyber Monday deals are ALL day so you don't have to be awake at 3am to catch them. Even better ... you can shop from work or from home in your pajamas.

So, what should you expect with Cyber Monday? Let's talk.

Mabel's Labels is actually having a Cyber Monday sale starting TODAY (11/29) and going through TUESDAY (12/2)! You will be able to get the following deals:

• 30% off Skinny Minis & Tag Mates
• 40% off Sticky Labels & Shoe Labels
• 50% off Scan & Stores and Wash Aways

Shop Tea’s Cyber Monday Sale! Get 30% off all Tea Collection styles + totally free shipping with code MONDAY! No minimum purchase required.
You read that right ... 30% off EVERYTHING and you do not need ANY coupons or minimum purchase! Tack on free shipping with the code MONDAY and you are good to go. Great deals!

I am holding a Cyber Monday deal with my Mary Kay business. The deals are great and they are for ALL day so you don't have to wake early. You will not see the discount upon putting them in the cart. I add that at the end before invoicing you. Let me know how I can help you get some extra deals and possibly stuff a few stockings! ALL orders over $75 will get FREE shipping!

Teavana is one of my FAVORITE places to shop for tea. I love their Spiced Apple Cider, which is a Rooibos blend. However, they have a great selection for Black, Green, White, and Oolong teas. They are offering a Cyber Monday deal for $25 off a $60 order when you use the code CYBER14.

OMG! The Children's Place has a GREAT deal going on for Cyber Monday! The Cyber Monday Sale just got BIGGER! 50% off EVERYTHING + take an EXTRA 20% off when you spend $40 or more + FREE SHIPPING on EVERY ORDER with promocode: 338DA6. They also are offering discounts on their winter clothing! 60% off Glacier Fleece and Cold Weather Accessories!!

Are you like me and have a body with curves? If you have not already discovered Lane Bryant, now is the time! They are doing a blanket discount on EVERYTHING! Save 50% off everything today!! Use Coupon Code: CYBERCHICLB

Yup, I have posted about this on my Facebook page first because yeah, it is an AWESOME deal for women. Like one you should NOT PASS UP! Payless Shoes is basically giving you 75% off ALL dress shoes! All Women's Dress shoes are 50% off!! PLUS save an additional 25% off with coupon code: ZZCYBER

Do you still have gifts for those Disney lovers in your life? Check out the Cyber Monday deals from the Disney Store! The Disney Store is having a fabulous sale today! Save 25% off $100 or more Save 20% off $75 or more Save 15% off $50 or more! Receive Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more! Use Coupon Code: CYBER

Nordstrom has everything 30-50% off today! Catch it while it's hot!!

Starbucks has a couple of AMAZING Cyber Monday Deals!! Our favorite are the Verismo Machines! 50% off PLUS get a free box of Espresso roast capsules! Link has been added to Landing Page Links! Also, take $25 off orders of $70 or more PLUS get Free Shipping!! No Coupon Code is needed!! These machines are starting to sell out fast!

Mini in the Box has every possible stocking stuffer you need for tech lovers. On Cyber Monday, save up to 80% PLUS Receive up to $100 in Rewards!!

Another store that is offering discounts regardless of the amount you buy is Lands' End. Save 40% off EVERYTHING plus FREE Shipping with NO MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED!! Use code: CYBER and PIN: 1234

Are you getting back into working out and not wanting to spend much on equipment or accessories? GAIAM has you covered with their sales and FREE shipping! Save an additional 20% off everything PLUS Free shipping! Save up to 80%!!!! You can get Studio socks for less than $10!!

You still have time to save on personalized gifts from I See Me! Save $5 on your order of $25 or more- Use Code CYBER5 Save $10 on your order of $50 or more- Use Code CYBER10 Save $15 AND get Free Shipping on your order of $75 or more- Use Code CYBER15

Tackling Mount Washmore with a Review

Well, did you survive Thanksgiving & Black Friday? I think I can mark mine down as JUST BARELY. Friday night ended on a great note, but the week was SO crazy. I literally started thinking about how long it will be until we are empty nesters ... which is sad since that is like 16 years down the road. LOL

Part of the reason for the craziness is that we decided that this week would be when we move everyone around again. While we were given permission to have the parent's bedroom in the basement by the state over a year ago ... our apartment complex did not want a bedroom in the basement. We were looking at getting a sleeper sofa for the living room, but we just could not find a style that we liked. THEN there was the discussion of having to open it and close it daily ... yeah, just icky.

We struck a compromise with Peanut. She has had her own room for over a year now and is seriously OCD about the state of her stuff. However, we were going to have to put the little girls in the same room. Since we were moving our bed out of the basement, we decided to section off a part of the basement just for her stuff. She literally will only have her bed in the room with the girls.

What this meant was Bullfrog & Peanut had to switch rooms ... then we had to move the little girls upstairs. FINALLY, we had to move our room upstairs and clean the basement. With Jeremy working Monday and Tuesday ... and today being Black Friday ... we had Wednesday & Thursday to do it all. The older two rocked and got their rooms done over the weekend so everything was set for quick changes.


Today was the setting up of the basement. Unfortunately, I had also fallen WAY behind in the laundry so I snagged Peanut's help while she was downstairs anyway. We sorted, folded, and put away 7 loads of laundry. We have another 5 to go, but we are both too sore today. However, that brings me to a topic on laundry. We LOVE scents and I HAVE to have soft clothes. I have 2 children that have sensory issues and cannot handle the scratchy fabric. This means that fabric softener is a must for our family. I was given the opportunity to sample Snuggle's new Exhilaration liquid softener as a member of Team Snuggle.

FREE product thanks to Snuggle!

Okay, so ... I have an OLD washing machine that still works great, but has no place for liquid fabric softener. I ordered a Downey Ball on Amazon because I know they work in my machine (I used to use them YEARS ago).

IF you have OCD about laundry being sorted, sorry

My review on the product:

Honestly, I STILL found that the scent does not last from wash to wash. I DO love how soft my clothes are and they smell GREAT in the wash and in the dryer. I just found that after they had been hanging or in the drawer for a few days, they had lost the scent. That is kind of a bummer since they do claim it will last. I have found that their scent boosters DO keep the scent. It seems to JUST be the liquid. Maybe it isn't sticking well to my clothes, I don't know.

BESIDES that though ... I love the product. It makes everything so soft and my favorite thing I washed with the softener was my black double layer blizzard fleece blanket. I am like Linus with that blanket and it was so nice to have it feel brand new again. I haven't had a product that has taken it back to that state so even though the scent didn't last, I WILL be buying Snuggle liquid softener again.

Have you noticed that the liquid softeners don't seem to be as fragrant as they used to? Is it just me? Comment below and let me know!

*Note - I was given a full product of Snuggle Exhilaration Liquid Fabric Softener to review, but all opinions are mine*

Black Friday Deals

Yes, I know that today is only Tuesday and Black Friday is on Friday ... but this is your guide and is early so that you can look through things without having to take time out of your family holiday. I will NOT be posting any Thursday deals. That isn't how I work. While I will be working on Thanksgiving, it is because I am CHOOSING to keep drunks off the road following an event. This is not a mandatory thing. I just want life to be a little bit safer and everyone is able to get home to their families for the holidays. With that said ... Here you go!

Click the graphic to go straight to the deal!

BLOGGERS - Pay attention! There is an AWESOME deal coming Friday and you will want to take part. If you are looking at going to your first conference or your 30th, the Type-A Con should be on that list. It is being held in Atlanta, GA again this year and will be in October. I attended Type-A Con 2014 as my first conference and I suffer from severe anxiety. I can tell you that they make everyone feel SUPER comfortable AND there are plenty of ways to destress. I WILL be going again in 2015!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY at http://typeaparent.com/affiliates?ap_id=HBRedbird to save 30% on your Type-A Parent Conference annual pass starting at midnight EST on Friday. Type-A Parent 7th Annual Conference will be held in Atlanta October 8-10. Type-A Parent offers top notch learning and networking with some of the world's smart bloggers and most beloved brands. Find out more and get your pass at http://typeaparent.com/affiliates?ap_id=HBRedbird

Order on my site!

Get your Mary Kay at a GREAT price on FRIDAY ONLY! When you place an order on my site, it will time stamp it on my email. This will determine your discount. I will then send you an invoice via PayPal that you can pay with your credit card WITHOUT having to give me your information!!! You will see the discount applied on the PayPal invoice. If you have ANY questions on how it works ... please ask me! You will want to remember to add 8.77% Sales Tax & $9.35 for shipping & handling. Limited Edition items are selling out wicked fast so I STRONGLY suggest you order as early as possible because I will try to place as they come in! If something is sold out, I will ask you if you would like a replacement item or your money back.

Other Specials Going on FRIDAY ONLY!

Free shipping from The Land of Nod

Receive free parcel shipping PLUS 15% Off your order at The Land of Nod from 11/27 – 12/1 for a Black Friday/Cyber Monday super sale!

Awesome Deals at Tea

Styles $12, $15 and $17 for Girl, Boy, and Baby

Get Personal with ISeeMe books!

Free Personalization ON Any Toy Now At MelissaAndDoug.com! No Code Needed!Groupon DEALS!
http://www.groupon.com/occasion/doorbusters?elq=62c925e496a34c3896b132ff3c4a2bdc&elqCampaignId=771

Holiday Gift Guide ... Think of the Kids

When it comes to buying gifts for Christmas, kids can often be the hardest. In our family, we try to live by the four gift philosophy (something you need/something to read/something you desire/some type of attire). Our clothing is usually pajamas and is usually opened on Christmas Eve. Deciding what to buy them though, that isn't always as easy. So ... here is my 2014 gift guide for kids.

Personalization

Children LOVE to see gifts that are just for them. My son was given a shirt once and it had his name on it. While it wasn't originally made for him (his friend had found it at a garage sale and thought of him), he loved it. He wore it FOREVER because it had HIS name on the shirt. It amazes me how simple children can be. Anyone could have given him a shirt ... but a shirt with his name on it was just that much cooler.

Books - This holiday season consider purchasing a personalized book. One company that I like is I See Me! They offer books that you can personalize with your child's name. As your child is reading the book, the character's name is your child's name. They have already put together a Holiday Gift Guide to make parent's life easier. Right now they are offering 15% off with the promo code 15read.

Bags - If your children are like mine, they require a "quiet bag" for the car and church. It is even nice to have them when we are going to a sibling's concert. Cinch bags are our favorite because they are light weight and carry a lot. They also are simple to open and close for my toddlers. Instead of just buying them a simple bag, consider purchasing one that you can personalize with their name or what it's use will be. Thirty-One offers cinch bags in gender neutral, girl, and boy designs (if your child cares). You have the option to personalize them as well!

Source

Clothing

When it comes to getting your children clothing, you can go with both expensive or cheap. We usually splurge a little more when it comes to our kids clothing because there is a resale value on the items ... AND we have three girls! We want clothing that we can pass down without worrying. We love shopping Gymboree sales, but I am also beginning to fall in love with some of the sets found at Tea. You can also find really good deals at Zulily and KidSteals.

Toys

Let's be honest, most kids WANT toys. So the battle becomes, which toys do you get. Here are the hot toys for 2014.

The Spin Master's Zoomer Dino is a dinosaur that you can tame. He is hilarious and the learning curve is low. I would go into more detail, but a fellow blogger has done an AWESOME video review that says it all!

If your child loves robots, then MiP 2 Personal Robot is the perfect gift. This robot uses two wheels to balance on and requires 4 AAA batteries. It is extremely interactive and has built-in modes ... BUT you can download more fun via iOS and Android. MiP dances and also has an accessory tray available. Some of the games MiP performs include mazes, stacking, and balancing. It is compatible with Bluetooth 4.0 devices.

In the age of technology, having a tablet designed for children is better than giving your child your tablet. Enter the Kurio Xtreme Android Tablet. You can choose between a blue bumper and a pink bumper. It comes with 10 games, but you have access to the Play Store where you can download standard Android apps. It is 7" and has a touchscreen. Everything you expect with an Android tablet, you will find on this device. The bumpers offer protection to handle children. You will find 16 GB of memory and parental controls to keep your child busy and safe.

I gave a review on the Nerf Rebelle bow earlier this year, but I have heard REALLY good reviews coming from the Nerf Mega ThunderBow Blaster. I will state that I think the string issue looks the same as the Rebelle, so maybe there is a learning curve we haven't gotten. None-the-less, this is one of the hottest gifts this year and I KNOW my son will want one!

You KNEW that there would be a Frozen toy on the gift guide. If you didn't, you should have. The Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa doll is one that will keep your child captivated for hours. With the push of a button on the necklace, Elsa lights up, sings, and has several phrases she says from the movie. She has an English and a Spanish setting. You will get the doll with moving arms and the Olaf accessory figure. You WILL need to purchase 3 AAA batteries, as they are not included.

What is on your child's wish list?

Celebrated Early

Today is the fourth of July. The day we put aside our political differences and celebrate the face we live in a free country. We have the freedom to believe how we want, protest, and we are not banned from sites on the Internet. We have our military to thank for these freedoms, as men and women continue to put their lives on the line to preserve them.


In Kansas City, not all of the towns do the fireworks on the 4th. The city I live in celebrated on the 3rd. The park that had the fireworks display also has a spray park. We took the kids, some KFC, and had a great night!

Willow got over her fear of water just fine

Chillin' on the tailgate with mama

Chowing down on KFC (haven't had it in ages)

She approves this message

Yup, she had changed clothes and then decided she wanted back in the water. We stopped fighting it.

This was her .. umm ... "thug" pose. Don't ask