Product Review...

We love grilled food. Back in the day when we had our big grill (it is tucked away in storage collecting dust...one day...huh Greg?) I would grill 100% of our food during the summer (I even baked potatoes on it). During the winter I would still grill 3-4 times a week. When we moved up here I am not sure why the grill was packed into our storage shed instead of our U-Haul but I bought Greg a stove top grill and we used it a few times but without a stove vent to suck all the smoke out we couldn't justify lung damage from the smoke. There were a few times we thought it was worth it, and brought out the big fan, shut all the bedroom doors except the middle room, opened the front door and the back door and had the kids trade off opening and closing the middle room door pushing the air out of the kitchen and out of the doors. Add the middle of winter to the scenario and you can see why we don't use it very often.

So for Christmas this year we got a SMOKELESS indoor grill (I couldn't find an actual company on the box but it looks just like this-except my outer ring is silver and hopefully my finish is a little better than theirs) and we were so thrilled to try it out.
The company claims:
*Easy to use-yes it is! All you have to do it place the outer ring on your small stove plate, add a little water to the reservoir, add the grill plate to the top, heat it up and you are ready to go.
*Use on electric or gas stoves-so far we have only tried it on our electric, but we have a camp stove that we will try it on when we go camping.
*Juicy and Delicious food-True! I have cooked chicken on it twice and it was very juicy. I am not sure I would classify it as grilled flavored food, but it was juicy and delicious
*Non-stick-surface-almost too true! (we will come back to this)
*Easy to clean-dishwasher safe-the first time we used this it was very easy to clean. Our chicken only had a dry rub seasoning on it. This did not prove to true when we tried to cook BBQ chicken on it. We don't have a dishwasher so and scrubbing was required, especially on the outer ring.
*Great for home, camping or picnics-I can see how that will be true. It is light and would be easy to pack with ya.
*Smokeless-impressively this is also true as long as you make sure there is always water in the reservoir.

So that said here are my opinions and tips-
1) I was pretty disappointed that I could not get grill marks on our dry rub chicken. I eat with my eyes first and I am always so happy when I get awesome grill marks. The grill marks did come with the bbq chicken...oh so pretty! (remember this pretty picture when you think of my cooking)

2) Not that chicken is excessively fatty, but I love that the fat drained away from the meat and collected in the reservoir. I am a little worried to cook something too fatty on it though. I fear the water/fat reservoir getting too full it is VERY close to the burner and I fear LOTS of smoke or even fire. I am not too sure I like that under the grill plate it opens right up to the stove burner.
3) It is small! I can only cook 3 chicken breasts at a time and for my family that means 2 batches of grilling which leads me to my next opinion...
4) Let's go back to non-stick-surface and why I think it might be too good at this...so you know with a regular grill you can cook a piece of meat then when it is done you can throw more meat on it and you would never know? Well that is NOT the case with this grill. I didn't notice any problems with the dry rub but I sure did with the bbq chicken, haha...YIKES!
All that black stuff came off of the grill no problem-yay for non stick, but I think I would rather it stay on my grill than on my food. We were able to scrape most of it off and it gave the chicken more of a grilled flavor, but it was a PAIN! So I guess moral of the story if you are going to cook more than 1 batch you better plan on cleaning the grill before using it again.
(okay now go and look at that first picture again and forget you ever saw this one)
5) Because the grill has a non-stick-surface (aka teflon) you can't just scrape it off with a grill brush like you would an outdoor grill...but hey I can grill inside without smoke inhalation...I will gladly wash it delicately in the sink.
6) The shape of the grill makes it difficult to cook on (but it is because of the shape that it is smoke free). It is convex shaped and my chicken wanted to to slide to the outer edges and onto the sliver part (which doesn't get hot enough to cook) so I was disappointed to see cooked meat everywhere except where it happened to rest on the silver ring. When you first put your chicken on it, it tends to shape fine to the convex grill, but when you go to flip it it has a hard time shaping back the other direction.
So after typing all of that I had a thought that I just compared it to my outdoor grill, but perhaps I should compare it to our other indoor grill instead. In that case it is AWESOME!

So over all...I like it. I can grill inside without the smoke. Will it replace my love of outdoor grilling? NO!! but it is a good alternative until I get my grill up here. Will I grill 4-5 times a week? Probably not, but I am looking forward to taking it camping with us this summer. I feel like with more practice and tricks I can master this grill.

Tis' The Season...

...to be shopping, falalalala lalalala! Oh how I have always dreaded this time of the year. I am not a big shopper and I only do it out of necessity (well that and birthdays and Christmas) and there is nothing I hate more than to spend money on things my kids play with Christmas day for one day and then never play with again. So here is our list of BEST and WORST purchases!!

We will start with the worst...
Thomas The Tank Engine-wooden trains-not only were they recalled for testing positive for lead paint, but the paint wore/chipped/ate off really easily. We started collecting the wooden ones and quickly stopped because they were expensive but cheap!
Little Leaps from LeapFrog-this is designed for little kids like baby-3 yrs and I think we have used it maybe 5 times. For one it is not the easiest thing to just pull out and play. You have to link it to your DVD player and by the time you get it out and ready to play your baby has lost interest and instead is playing with the remote control. Skip this purchase and read your baby a book instead, your child will be smarter if you do. Besides who wants to start their baby on a gaming system...it only gets more expensive from here!
and now the BEST purchases!
Webkinz! We love webkinz at our house...really we love stuffed animals and my kids play for hours with them on and off the computer. With your webkinz you get an online code, you go to their site and you basically build a home for your pet, you can play games, earn money and buy things for your pet. You can also buy gifts for your friends that also have pets. They have just some waste of time games, but they also have some fun educational games that help teach math, reading, spelling. I also love that it teaches the kids that you have to earn what you want. They can go shopping for their pet, but in order to pay for their wants they have to earn the money. They have to choose which is more important-to buy food or clothes.

We bought Jacey this Loving Family Doll House when she was about 3 and for the next few years we added to her collection. The doors pop off every once in a while, but they are easy to put back on. The only part about this we don't love is that she has accumulated a LOT of things and now has a hard time storing them all in the house. Not only has Jacey played for hours with this, but so has Dax and Skye. About every 3-4 months we get sick of picking up all the pieces so we put it all away for a month or so and when we bring it all out again it is like Christmas all over again.
Trio Blocks-we bought these for Dax last year for Christmas and remember Greg saying "I can't wait for the kids to go to bed so I can play with them myself" well I know he and I both have built with them after the kids had gone to bed. We love these! They are a lot like legos, but about 10x as big so we don't have to worry about Colt swallowing them. They snap on easily, but your creations don't fall apart when little brother knocks them over. I am pretty sure more of these sets will be added to the kids letters to Santa! I don't think you can ever have too many blocks!
Thomas The Tank Engine-metal trains-now these are a GOOD buy! We love our Thomas and friends trains and have been collecting them since Dax was a year old. They have defiantly held up to lots and lots of love and play! They have been bathed, buried, thrown, and they are still in pretty good shape. The paint is scratched here and there, but not bad enough that you can't still love them. I am pretty sure Colt will be very glad to have these toys soon, that is if Dax is ready to part with them yet-which I am sure he is not!
I bought one of these Little People Nativity sets a few years ago and it has probably saved my precious glass set. The kids LOVE to play with it, and come the first of December it is their favorite toy set! There is no fear of them breaking it, and I love to hear them "play" baby Jesus!

So those are our worst and best...what are some of yours? Happy Cyber Monday to you all! I am just about done Christmas shopping!

Smart Shopping...

...so I was asked a couple of weeks ago to teach a class for our Triward Relief Society activity today. I guess it is good to be known as a frugal shopper! I got so excited that I might have over prepared just a bit. I thought I was going to have 45 min., and I was sure I could talk fast enough so I prepared a good hour and a half worth of Smart Shopping goodness. Well I ended up with only 30 min. so you all get to be blessed with the WHOLE darn spiel (that is German and said sh-p-eel I just learned something new when I couldn't figure out how to spell that darn word) BUT if you stick with me I have 4 prizes left since I didn't have time to give them away they are yours for participating...(I don't even care if you where there and know the answers)

So here is the game...can you correctly price these items? For the prize I am interested in the TOTAL retail price of these items (the food was bought at Walmart and the clothes at Shopko)
_______1 bunch of spinach
_______2 bunches of celery
_______1 broccoli flower
_______3 red onions
_______7 tomatoes
_______1 medium bag of carrots
_______1 small watermelon
_______1 cantaloupe
_______1 small pkg of black berries
_______8 plums
_______7 apples
_______1 bag green grapes
_______2 bunches banana

_______Total Cost

What about these ones-(just a hint if you guess it is under $100 you haven't been shopping for kids clothes at Shopko for a while)
_______Beach Tote
_______ 1 Girl Swim Suit
_______Boys Swim Suit
_______7 Girls Shirts (4 T-shirts)
_______4 Boys Shirts (3 T-shirts)
_______Girl Flannel Pajama Bottom
_______Boys Flannel Pajama Bottom
_______Small stuffed monkey
_______Small Stuffed Dog
_______Child Size Fleece Blanket

_______Total Cost

and finally...
_______Walmart brand disinfecting spray
_______Clorox Wipes (75 ct)
_______Lysol Wipes (75 ct)
_______1.42 gallons of Walmart brand bleach
for the prize
How much money can you save by making your own disinfecting spray?_________
How much money can you save by making your own spray and NOT buying wipes?_______

I have 4 prizes left and they go to the people that come closest on any of these answers.

Now on to the lecture...sorry if it sounds a little monotone, but really I guess that is your fault. To avoid that read this with enthusiasm :)

The first thing to remember is that saying “I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it” just like everything in life it is only worth it if you have to work to perfect it! Smart shopping takes time, and effort but in the end it can be so worth it!

The first step is figuring out your BUDGET This is going to be different for all of us so figure out what the LEAST amount that you can get away with and go from there. Be specific and realistic! Make a specific budget for:
Food-
Gas-
Clothing-
Extras-this is going to be your dance fees, your sports fees, your school project fees, your hair or nail fee. (this should not exceed your food budget, if it does you might want to rethink a few things!)

Consider a cash only plan. It is what it sounds like you pay cash for everything. If you don't have the cash you don't buy it. This is an EXCELLENT way to keep you (or your husband in my case) from buying on impulse. How embarrassing would it be to get to the check out and be short $0.50. This will require you to keep a running total in your head. If you find that your budget is blown from month to month this would probably be a good option for you! Keep an emergency $20 in the glove box so you aren't ever stranded and then leave your credit/debit cards at home.

Because sticking to a budget is hard work set up a reward system. For Greg and I we set our budget and any money that we did not spend went into MY pocket for something I wanted one day. This makes shopping more of a game and with every trip to the store you will try harder to save even more money than last week. Being frugal is a JOB find a way to get rewarded for doing it well!

Alright let's talk about each budget in a little more detail and I will share my favorite tips.
Food:
Tip 1) One stop shopping is meant to save you time NOT money. If you really want to get the best for your money know what to buy and which store. I used to think that was the dumbest thing ever, until I had to start being even more frugal. It is true...inconvenient at times, but true. When I make my shopping lists now I do it with Clark's Ad, Smiths Ad, and Walmart and I will usually hit all 3 stores in a week.
Tip 2) Avoid being an Isle Shopper...you know you have done it before. Grabbed a cart and gone up and down every isle and threw random things in your cart because you didn't have any at home.
Tip 3) Make a list! I know you have all heard this before so we are going to try to take your list(s) one step further and save you even more money.
There are 3 types of lists:
1) Meal lists: where you make a menu for a week (or more) and shop for the things you need off of this list. When you make this list I suggest that you write down EVERY meal AND snack and then write down every ingredient you need for the meals. Even if you know you have it on hand write it down for now. Once you have a complete list of everything you need to make for every meal (I put * next to the item every time I need it for a different meal so for example if I am having sandwiches twice in a week and I know we will eat 10 slices I put ** so I know I need to buy 2 loaves) start crossing off the items you have on hand. So when you go to the store you are sure to get EVERYTHING on your list and there will be no need for small trips later in the week. On average if you go into the store for 1 item you will walk out with 3.
2) Food storage lists: this is the list you keep in your cupboard or pantry and every time you use a can of green beans or any item that is in your food storage (frozen meat included) you write it down. Then when you go shopping you replace the items you used. This is a great idea because your food storage is constantly being rotated, you know what is in your food storage, you know whether or not you will eat it, and you know how to cook with it.
3) Ad lists: This is the BEST list to make and we combine the two other lists into this one. When you are making your menu you do it with the ad right in front of you. You make a note of all the food storage items that are on sale and buy those now. At the end of your shopping trip you really should have a "you saved" after every item rung up.
Tip 4) Pay attention to your "sale" items and ALWAYS compare your price/oz. On the price tag there is usually 2 prices the price you will pay and the price the item costs per ounce. There have been many times I will go in thinking I will buy the item that is on sale and instead buy the item next to it that is not on sale because the price/oz is a better deal.
Tip 5) Make shopping FUN! If possible find a time you can go by yourself. You wont have to worry about kids wanting treats or husbands "sneaking" unnecessary items into your cart.
The Shopping List Game: to make you aware of how much everything costs, play this a few times and you will be a pro and never pay more for an item at one store when you know you can get it cheaper at another one.
So how do you play? Write your shopping list and next to each item estimate how much it is going to cost. Round to the nearest $1 (if it is less that .50 you round down if it is more than .50 you round up-how said we wouldn't ever need our elementary math skills?). Add everything up and make sure that it is in your budget. If you are over your budget you better find some things you can do without. Your estimate HAS to be below your budget by $10 this will give you a little wiggle room (which hopefully you wont need) and account for sales tax.
Take a pen with you while shopping and keep a tally of how much over and under you were with this. Say for example you need 7 tomatoes and you estimated that they would cost $6 and you are pleased to see they only cost $4 you get a +2 tally mark. But if you have bread on your list and you thought it was on sale for $1 but it was really $2 you are -1 tally now making your total tally +1. At the end of the game your tallies have to be in the positive side-if not take some things out of the cart because you will be over your budget if you don't. See how accurate you can get. This game is no longer fun for me because I can estimate within about $2 the cost of my grocery bill. But I still make shopping a fun challenge by seeing if I can save more this month than last month. I am determined to one day pocket 1/2 my food budget because I am just that good!
Tip 6) Watch out for your Costco and Sams Clubs. I know I am not the only one out there that leaves one of these stores thinking "holy Hannah how did I spend so much money? I know I am not the only one because these stores hire people to study human behavior, they know where to strategically place certain items (or people) how many times do we buy an item because they were demoed and we liked it? (not dissing the demo ladies-although I don't know any of them anymore so I guess I am safe) I read a NY Times article about how Costco stocks what it stocks. On average it will stock 10,000 items and 6,000 of those items are "for a limited time only" items. It is a game they play with your head. You see an item that you really want and think "nope I am going to stick with my list and buy it next time I come in." well next time you come in that item is no longer there, but you see another item you really like and think I better buy it now because it might not be here next time I come, even though it is not on my list and I really don't need it.
Tip 7) Buy generic! Even as I type this I can hear my husband groan. He is much better now, but in the beginning he would swear he could tell the difference. So if you do have one of these in your house (or if you are one yourself) I challenge you to a food taste test. Buy one of each and see if you can honestly say without a doubt you can tell the difference. There are a few things I can tell a difference with and I do still buy a few names for a few items, but most of the time generic is good enough.
Tip 8) Because you would never go shopping without a list stick to it! If you are known to buy impulsively add 2-3 impulse items, but once you have put them in the cart cross them off and don’t buy anything else. (oh and when we say impulse items here we don’t mean big screen TVS we are talking a pack of gum or a treat for the drive home, or that one item you know you need but it isn’t on the list…your bad, make sure your list is complete before you leave home! It counts against you!)
Tip 9) Make your own seasoning mixes, store them in freezer bags in the freezer and they will last FOREVER-or just about. www.budget101.com has some GREAT recipes for making your own.
Tip 10) They say shop for a whole month at once, but I find I save more and waste less by shopping weekly. So find what works best for you and your budget.

Gas:
Tip 1) If you are going to buy food anyways why not save a little on gas while you are at it. At Smiths if you $30 worth of food you save .05 on gas, $60 you save .10 $90 you save .15.
Tip 2) Stick with your budget. Of course your budget was realistic so it is do able living out here in the sticks like we do. If you know you only have enough money left in the budget to fill up one more time this month and it is only the middle of the month you better be consolidating some of your trips to make it last.
Tip 3) Split your budget up evenly for the weeks. If your monthly budget is $75 fill your tank up at the first of the month and divide the rest out so you have some money every week. For example with our van it costs $50 to fill it up (when I buy it on sale at Smiths) so let's say to top off the tank last week I put it $15 that means after I do my grocery shopping every week I will put in $20 of gas.
Tip 4) When we travel to Utah our gas money does not come out of our monthly gas fund-if it did we would never be able to go. It comes out of our Extras budget.

Clothing (and other retail goods): I feel like I have a very good source for the inside scoop of the retail world. Greg worked 10 years in retail 9 of which were in management, and I have been able to weasel some secrets out of him (okay he might have been more than happy to share)
Tip 1) Shop off season!! Seriously I think I should add about 10 more !! just to make sure you got this one. If you want summer clothes wait until October to buy them. If you want new winter clothes wait until April to buy them. I think with the exception of growing teens we moms know about the rate our kids are growing. My kids are pretty much right on with their age with the exception of a few things. Sure you might miss out on some of the most popular clothes, but really do you want that shirt that everyone else is wearing? I just bought me my swim suit for next year and spent $7 on a $50 suit. RIDICULOUS!
Tip 2) Shop Online: continuing on from the last tip. Online shopping provides you with a clearance section that no store is going to give you, and often it is even cheaper. For example last winter all of my kids were in serious need of some new coats. I went to Walmart (about our only option around here) and found some for $18 on the clearance rack...not bad! I came home and looked online to see if they had different colors to choose from and their prices were only $13 for the coat. Even better!
Tip 3) Shop E-bay, just make sure you price match before locking in your bid. Once you bid you are legally responsible for paying for the item if you win, so you want to be careful. When you are price matching you also need to make sure you are aware of how much the seller is charging for shipping. A lot of times this will be overpriced to make up for a short sale. You can find just about anything new and used on e-bay!
Tip 4) When shopping on line avoid paying full price for anything there is always a coupon out there for you.
Tip 5) Shopko, Sears, and Kmart all have a replacement program for kids jeans. If they wear them out before they out grow them they will replace them. Keep your receipt!
Tip 6) Sales aren’t always sales. Stores are known to on select items to mark them up before marking them down so it appears you are getting 25% off but in reality you could have bought the same shoe last month at the same price. The big SALE letters just get you to look at the item where last month you wouldn’t have. So before buying on SALE know what you are buying and shop around.
Tip 7) Door Buster Sales-are HUGE gimmicks to get you in the door and then companies prey on your impulse to buy pretty things! Occasionally the door buster item will be exactly what you want and you will save the money, but more often than not they are cheap versions of what you really want. So you buy them and 3 months later it is sitting in your basement collecting dust. Shop around before you go. Google the item with “review” in your search and read other consumers reviews of your item.
Tip 8) When shopping online ALWAYS be sure their site is legit and secure before giving them your info. You will see a secure icon (lock) in the address bar if the site is secure. In older versions you might find the secure icon at the bottom right if it is not in or next to the address bar. There should also be a drop down menu that you can click on to see how it is secure.

Extras: This would be your medication, your laundry, dish, bar, bathroom soap, your cleaning supplies...
Tip 1) On medicine: go generic!
Tip 2) If you can make it yourself do it! Cleaning supplies, laundry soap, etc. are ridiculously marked up. For example disinfecting spray the liquid inside the 32oz bottle only cost $0.01 (ONE CENT) if we figure that most retail stores mark up 20-40%.
Tip 3) If you aren't going to make it yourself vow to never buy it unless it is on sale. Walgreens, Rite Aide (do we have any of those around here) always have sales and you can always find additional coupons for them online. Then when you do find a good sale stock up on it!

Here are a few of my favorite websites for tips, tricks and just good info. I would love to know what your favorites are too.
www.retailmenot.com never submit an online order without first checking for coupon codes here!
www.pinchingyourpennies.com they will tell you where the best deals are!
www.budget101.com they have some great make it yourself recipes!

Okay I know that was WAY long, but don't forget our game I have prizes people, real actual prizes. Leave your answers in the comments section and feel free to share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it...I had a GREAT time teaching my class and wish I could have gone on a bit longer-what can I say I like to hear myself talk :)

Some Of My Favorite Things...

...I have really been trying to eat better, but not have to resort to boring rabbit food, I like my food to be fun food (which might be why I have a hard time loosing weight)! Well I am determined to make it possible to eat fun food and still loose. Here are some of my new favorites...

I love my bread and I can't cut it out so these are my go to for sandwiches and buns, and you know after eating these I had a hard time eating a burger with a full bun on it...just too much bread. They are only 100 calories so I can load it up with all the yumminess like avocados, sundried tomato turkey, garden tomatoes (it is very possible I will be eating tomatoes into the new year)

These next too are great compliments to the above. Hummus...seriously! I have seen it made and thought one day I will have to try it. YUM! is about all I have to say for it. The ingredient list is so plain and simple too all real foods so I think I will be making my own from now on. It is great with carrots, crackers, and to add some umph to a boring sandwich. It has a re-fried bean consistency and Greg wasn't too keen on it, but that just means more for me!
Not to be confused with Skinny Cow products which are also AMAZING but I have already done my free plug for them. Skye wanted a quesadilla today and I thought that sounded yummy, but I like ooey-gooey which requires lots of cheese, but with these I smeared one on my tortilla added some chicken and viola I had ooey and gooey with only 35 calories of cheese!


It is possible that I might have a problem, but I will use this quote as my defense... "For members of the Church, education is not merely a good idea—it’s a commandment. If formal education is not available, do not allow that to prevent you from acquiring all the knowledge you can" Dieter F. Uchtdorf You see I have a need for busy-ness and just when things seem to be slowing down I go out and find something else I want to do to fill my time. I enrolled in an EMT course tonight. In 6 short (or long) months I will be an EMT and a volunteer on the QRU. I am excited! I really enjoyed my first responder course I took, and I think that it is an amazing skill to have...let's just hope the roads aren't too bad on class nights. I hear the instructor frowns on absences. Of course this wouldn't be possible if I didn't have an awesome husband who is willing to put the kids to bed by himself 2 nights a week. The classes are 7:00-10:00 in Burley so maybe he is willing so he can have the house to himself after they are there. Wish me luck!

Take My Word For It...

...it has been a while so I have a BUNCH of my summer favorites (well not really limited to just summer)

this is by far my favorite MUST HAVE and I could probably make it it's own post, but we will try to keep it short for now. Did you know this is the cure all for almost everything? In fact Greg now makes the comment "will vinegar work on this?" because I use it for EVERYTHING! Here are a few of my favorite uses:
1-CLEANING-it safely cleans just about any surface (don't use it on real wood floors though as it will remove the varnish) and does a dang good job. Messes that have been sitting for days/years that you just don't think will ever come off...try a little vinegar. It is awesome in the bathroom and kitchen!
2-HARD WATER remover-it beats any and all products I have ever tried.
3-POLISHER-it makes things SHINE especially your crystal and glassware, aluminum cookware, metal sinks...WOW!
4-STAIN REMOVER-you know how when you store spaghetti sauce in your tupperware and it stains it? Vinegar will take it out
5-DEODORIZER-I know what you are thinking vinegar itself stinks how can it deodorize? Well once vinegar dries the scent is no longer present. Greg hates it when I clean with vinegar because it stinks, but what he doesn't know is that I clean with it everyday and all the time and the only time it bugs him is when I am using it when he gets home. I clean my garbage cans, my drains and any thing that has a stench.
6-ANTS-have an aunt (I mean ant) problem spray this (I think I might have to try it for earwigs too and see if that helps)
7-STICKERS-you know when you pull a sticker off and only the top half comes off or when you buy an expensive mirror only to find they taped and now there is a nasty sticky spot or 10? Vinegar!
8-DISINFECTS-I have a wood cutting board that I use it on all the time it gets into the pores very nicely
9-SPEAKING OF PORES-it is great at getting into hard to reach spots and will usually work it's magic without a lot of scrubbing
10-LAUNDRY-a 1/2 cup per load will keep your whites WHITE and your colors BRIGHT and like I said once the vinegar is dried the smell is gone!

I had someone ask me to test this and I have used it in the past and honestly I remembered being orange...and again this year when I first started using it I found the same results. I have found that if I only use it 2-3 times a week and have a good base to start with I like the results. I think the trick is to not use it every day and to make sure to get your 10 min. of recommended sun a day

After being fed up with velcro feet I picked one of these up and it does a good job. I don't love the handle and wish I had gotten the one that doesn't have it, and after the comment from Greg "yummm parmesan cheese" I don't do it where/when he can see. I saw instant improvement and with Jergens Moisturizer (LOVE!) my feet are feeling mighty good...too bad I didn't start this last winter so I had pretty feet this summer.
OH MY GOODNESS!!! If you don't know of these little wonders it will be my pleasure to introduce you to them...Skinny Cow Ice Cream...diet food has NEVER tasted so good and this is coming from an ice cream connaisseur (took me a while to figure out that spelling). It is my passion my one weakness and these satisfy me and I look forward to the treats! I really do like them all, but the sandwiches are probably my least favorite and they can usually be found anywhere (except Clarks...gotta get on that one!)
Coldsores anyone? This is my friend when I have one, it soothes and clams the throbbing and my coldsores last a fraction of the time when I use it soon enough.
you have all seen the pics of Colt in this and here is another plug for it, it is quickly becoming my go to, must have, favorite baby item. We use it all the time and for everything-from feeding to playing to beaching to weeding. I think we might have to look into the tray that goes with it though because Colt is getting pretty used to it and tries to test its limits. It doesn't tip over easily, but I am afraid he might push up and out of it soon. SO VERY worth the $30!!

so there you have my favorites...what are yours?

Take My Word For It...

...we are getting closer and closer to swimsuit season whether it feels like it outside or not, so I thought I would do a challenge that might get me to actually want to wear a swimsuit. I still like to think I can use the excuse of "I just had a baby" but really that was almost FOUR months ago. I have been exercising pretty regularly since Colt was born-it is my release from the day, Amy time and really is something that I look forward to feeling good when it is all over. My eating on the other hand was where I was struggling. I am NOT a breakfast food eater I have never liked cereal and can only eat oatmeal during months with an "R" in it. So I would resort to bread, or left overs from the night before...secretly my favorite breakfast meal would be spaghetti/pasta leftovers. Of course paying attention to my eating habits I found that if my breakfast consisted of carbs I was hungrier sooner and it would usually lead to over-eating.

So I looked into the Special K Challenge (liked that they didn't call it a diet because I don't do those). Of course Special K is first cereal and I can't stand it, but lucky for me they have started making other items too including protein bars, snack bars, drinks and fruit crisps. So I went to their site (www.specialk.com) and set up my own plan. It was kinda fun to drag and drop my food items in and I was able to replace all the cereal meals with the bars or drinks. Basically you have a Special K meal-which consists of one of their products and fruit or milk most of the time (when you set up your plan it advises you as to what to eat with their meal) 2/3 of your meals and then you also have 2 of their snacks. Your third meal is supposed to be an "as usual" meal. They say that by following this plan for 2 weeks you will loose 1 inch off your waist. I was eager to start.

So here are my thoughts...
1) HUNGER no more. I really was never hungry and felt that with the variety of meals and snacks I had enough options.
2) Satisfied some. I didn't ever crave sweets as most of the meals were chocolate this or that and fruit. I did however REALLY REALLY miss savory foods-that is more my weakness than sweets.
3) Too processed. I have read somewhere that your list of ingredients should read more like a garden and less like a factory, and the fewer the ingredients the better. These products ingredients lists were often more than 20 items long (some of which were vitamins and such but those should come more from natural foods too)
4) Yummo. Yeah I enjoyed the foods. They were tasty (I really liked the fruit crisp snacks-tasted like pop tarts without all the guilt)

I was able to stick with it strictly for 3 days, but then my need for more savory foods kicked in. I felt like I was getting a sweet food overload! I also was a little concerned when I would calculate my calories for the day. My 2 meals with their products were only around 200 calories and the snacks are all less than 100 calories. Nutritionists suggest that no one eat less than 1200 calories in a day and so that would leave me around 600 calories for my other meal. That is a lot if you are trying to eat healthy meals anyways.

Yeah so this was my lunch and dinner today and guess what, combined it is almost 600 calories...

oh and just so you know this potato with FRESH chives and lite sour cream tastes EXACTLY like sour cream and onion potato chips...I felt like I was cheating! Wendy's baked potato has nothing on mine!

hhmmm see a color pattern going on? These carrot fries are the BEST, and again I felt like I was cheating. Cut your carrots into long strips drizzle with a little oil sprinkle with salt and FRESH rosemary and bake until soft and caramelized!


On account of the lack of savor and the calories I decided to just do the Special K meal for breakfast and the snacks. For lunch I try to eat mostly veggies like a salad or baked potato (these are meals that I can dress many ways so I don't get bored) and then for dinner I will eat what ever I make for the rest of the family (still trying to be healthy).

I was very pleased with my results! In 2 weeks I lost 5 lbs and 1.25 inches off my waist and 4.5 inches over all my measurements.

So would I suggest it to you all? Yeah in moderation. I think I could even go for an every other day thing but not every day for me, I like to cook and savor my food too much! If you felt like you were always on the run, or always grabbing for sweets, or even one of those people that can eat cereal for more than one meal this is for you.

Take My Word For It...

...baby style! You know after 4 kids you would think I would be a pro...well I am not! All of my kids have had VERY different demeanor's and I had to learn different tricks with each one of them.


So this first product I have my sister Kirsten to thank! It is brilliant and has worked so well for us. In short the book describes the 2 most common feeding schedules A) demand feeding-where you feed your baby as often as baby wants and B) scheduled feeding-where you only feed your baby every so many hours. The book proposed pros and cons for each feeding style and then offered option C) Parent Determined Feeding (PDF)-which puts baby on a flexible schedule of feeding every 2.5-3 hours AND instead of the usual eat/sleep/wake patterns it encourages a eat/wake/sleep pattern. So instead of letting baby sleep after eating you make sure they have a period of wake and play and then let them fall asleep on their own (or sometimes with a little encouragement).

So here is our success story: With all my kids I followed more the demand feeding schedule and as far as I knew it work pretty well for us-although I always felt tied down, tired and the girls were never content (high demand fussy little girls) and gained weight very slowly. Dax on the other hand was a very content baby from day one, he was also the only child so far that we did not have to start supplementing via dr. orders because he gained weight as he should. Things seemed to be progressing like the girls (although I hoped for more of a Dax schedule) and as I posted a couple of weeks ago Colton had a hard time gaining back his birth weight, and the dr. suggested we start to supplement...now I am not usually one that will ignore a drs orders. We did try to supplement, but he would either 1) not take the bottle because he was not hungry or 2) take the bottle, but then fight me the next couple of feedings. He also became more fussy and puky so we stopped the formula and focused on following the advice of the dr. that wrote this book. I wrote down all of our feedings and like the book suggests made sure Colt was taking a FULL feeding every 2.5-3 hours. We also made sure that he had wake time after each meal and sleep time on his own (yes we let him cry a few times-so this program may not be for everyone). This book says that if this program is followed most babies are sleeping better at night-5 hour stretches for breastfeed babies by 8weeks old-and for those babies starting this program later in their life it will take 1 week for them to break and remake good sleep habits.

After one week SURPRISE:
1) he gained almost a full pound
2) he goes to bed awake and falls asleep without a sound
3) he goes to bed at 10:00 and wakes at 3:00 and then at 8:00
4) I don't feel tied to the couch for feedings all day long
5) I am not as tired
6) he is eating really well and gaining weight without supplementing!

So yeah I like this product (or rather LOVE) and would suggest it to other moms, but realize that what works for me and my baby may not be what other moms choose to do. I really wish I would have had this book for the other kids (I think Dax may have put himself on a similar schedule). I think if I had used this book I might have lasted longer with the breastfeeding.




So my second product is the infantino baby sling...

...this item has been recalled, and I post this here because I have one (and have used it) and I know at least one of my sisters has one too. DON'T USE IT! here is the link to the CPSC Recall and it says...
Infantino Recalls to Replace SlingRider Baby Slings; Three Infant Deaths Reported
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC), in cooperation with Infantino LLC, of San Diego, Calif. are announcing a free replacement program for the Infantino “SlingRider” and “Wendy Bellissimo” infant slings. One million of these infant slings are being recalled in the United States and 15,000 are being recalled in Canada. CPSC advises consumers to immediately stop using these slings for infants younger than four months of age due to a risk of suffocation and contact Infantino for a free replacement product.

CPSC is aware of three reports of deaths that occurred in these slings in 2009; a 7-week-old infant in Philadelphia, Pa.; a 6-day-old infant in Salem, Ore.; and a 3-month-old infant in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Infantino “SlingRider,” is a soft fabric baby carrier with a padded shoulder strap that is worn by parents and caregivers to carry an infant weighing up to 20 lbs. “Infantino” is printed on the plastic slider located on the strap. “Infantino,” “SlingRider” and the item number are printed on the instruction/warning label inside the baby sling carrier. “Wendy Bellissimo” branded sling carriers were sold exclusively at Babies “R” Us and have a sewn-in label on the inside of the sling strap that says in part "Wendy Bellissimo Media, Inc." and lists Item numbers 3937500H7 and 3937501H7.

Infantino LLC sold the slings in the United States and Canada from January 2003 through March 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies “R” Us, BJ’s Wholesale, various baby and children’s stores and other retailers nationwide, and on the Web at Amazon.com, for between $25 and $30.

The product was manufactured in China and Thailand.

Consumers should stop using the recalled slings immediately and contact Infantino to receive a free replacement product, with a choice of a Wrap & Tie infant carrier, or a 2 in 1 Shopping Cart Cover, or a 3 in 1 Grow & Play Activity Gym. A Jittery Pals Rattle will also be provided. Contact Infantino toll-free at (866) 860-1361 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.infantino.com

Do not attempt to fix these carriers.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1001

and here is the link to Infantino's website they will give you a free shipping label and you can choose a replacement product. It really is as easy as cutting off the tag (follow the instructions) and taping the shipping label onto an envelope and then getting it in the mail. I will follow up with my replacement item when I get it.

So my dear readers if you have this sling please take the time to send it back...or at the very least vow to never use it!

Take My Word For It...

...so we have all seen the Skechers commercials and all crave the beatuiful long shapely legs and from the many requests to let people know what I thought about this product I bring you my review on the Shape Up Shoes.

First off you have to look past the obnoxious appearance.


I bought the Aspire Brand (from TSA) for $60 I just couldn't fork over the $110 or more for the Skechers and from the appearance they seemed close enough to the same. I can't find any ads for the Aspires, but this is what Skechers claims:
"Fitness Junkie shoes: 1. Tone your muscles 2. Promote healthy weight loss 3. Make it easy to get in shape"

The first couple of days (we were in Utah) I didn't get much of a chance to test them out with some heavy duty walking, but I wore them around the house and to run some errands and they were VERY comfortable. I have really high arches and I felt they supported them very well, and actually felt massaged when I walked. I had Greg try them on-his food is bigger than mine and flattest foot I have ever seen and he didn't think the support would bother him. I right away noticed that my posture was improved. If I tried to slouch my center of balance was thrown off and I would rock forward. Just wearing them here and there I didn't notice burning of the muscles suggesting that they were being toned.

Yesterday I got a chance to wear them while walking on the treadmill and I tried to do a program that I had done before (walked with and without incline-faster and slower paced) at the gym and within 8 min. my calves were ON FIRE! I finished my 30 minutes (5 of which I tried to run and did not fall on my face like I was afraid I might) and could really feel the burn in my hind side, hamstrings, quads, calves, shins and feet (pretty much the whole leg). I also did the "machine I don't know what to call, but it mimics stairs, jogging with short strides and long strides all in one" for 15 min. and my feet fell asleep (but they have done that with just regular shoes too).

So do they work? It will take more than 1 day to see the results, but if the burn during the workout, the ache after and the muscle soreness this morning is any indication I think they will help me reach my goals. Would I recommend them to you guys? Yeah because then I won't be the only one walking around with these obnoxious looking shoes. Would I recommend a 7-9 month pregnant gal buy/wear them ehhh I am not sure because your center of balance changes as your belly grows I would be afraid you might tip over, but maybe if you bought them now and was used to them by the time you reach that point it might be okay. Next time we come to visit I will let you wear them around and see what you think.


So funny Dax moment of the day:
Back when we were growing up my mom would glamerize left over night by pretending to be a resturant and we could order what ever was on the counter. That skill was passed down and left over night becomes resturant for the kids. Tonight Dax was saying the prayer and said "Thank you that mom could get all the food out of the fridge so we could pretend we were at a resturant". SWEET-he says the best prayers always makes me realize all the little things we should remember to be grateful for.

Take My Word For It...

...so with the birth of my baby my body organs went from being squashed and re-arranged for the past 9 months to all of a sudden having lots and lots of rooms, this said birth also created hormonal changes that lead to discomfort in the digestion region...so hopefully this one does not lead to fewer readers. Sing it with me now...ACTIVIA...so here are my insights on this product at least as far as my body functions go. I will preface this by saying I used to be like clock work...everyday regular, as they say.



The Claim from activia.com:
Why Should I Take the Activia Challenge?
You shouldn't put up with even occasional irregularity! Only delicious Activia has the exclusive culture Bifidus Regularis and is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive system in two weeks.** Take the Activia Challenge and experience the difference for yourself! It works or your money back.*

So I bought the product and ate it for 14 consecutive days, with this I drank at least 100 oz of water a day and ate as I normally do...which I would call healthy with some treats here and there, and I would not necessarily consider my lifestyle as active I did exercise moderately almost everyday. So my results-sadly I don't think I have noticed a difference in my digestion and "slow intestinal transit" (their words not mine). I do think my hormones and organ placements have balanced out a bit, but not thanks to their yogurt, and I do think that has helped some. I do have to say that their yogurt is probably some of the best tasting yogurt I have tried so I was not dissatisfied.

So would I recommend it? Ehhh the verdict is still out on that one. I might have to revisit this product again in a few months, but from this first test I would say no don't bother. You are probably better off eating more fiber (of which there is surprisingly little in this yogurt).

As an update to my last "Take my word" post Smith's has a killer deal on Kellogg's and Kebbler products. You get 4 boxes (of cereal, crackers or cookies-mix and match) for $10 AND you also get 2 gallons of milk FREE! Seriously we have already been back twice for this deal! It ends on Tuesday.

Take My Word For It...

...Walmart is NOT always the cheapest/best place for groceries. I have recently discovered www.smithsfoodanddrug.com and find that if I shop the ads I can save a lot more money than I would shopping at Walmart (especially since I can't come out of the store with only food-I usually have a few misc. items from around the store as well-one stop shopping is expensive!). This was a very pleasant surprise seeing how our Walmart's produce is usually on the verge of mold and rarely looks very fresh. So if you have a Fresh Values Card this is how it works...go to their site and view their weekly ad. From their site you can circle the items you want to buy and when you have browsed the entire ad you can go view your shopping list and add any notes you need. This is especially good for when Greg has to do the shopping. It tells him EXACTLY what he should buy, including the brand and the quantity. Then you can go to their coupon section and instead of having to clip coupons you load them directly onto your card so that when you are at the store and they swipe your card the coupons are automatically deducted. They also have a pretty good variety of "clipable coupons" as well. C-O-O-L huh?! Oh but the fun doesn't stop there...no when you use your FVC you also get rewards at the gas pump. Last time we went we saved $30 and got $0.15 off/gallon of our gas purchase, but since we did not need to fill up next time we go we will get more rewards, they just keep adding up. Last time we filled up we saved $0.30/gallon. SWEET! So if any of you were looking for an excuse to NOT shop at Walmart...take my word for it, Smith's is a good deal!


So on a funny note...and it might just be a "had to be there moment" but since Greg and I were there we will be able to read this and see the face in our mind. Anyways...I was changing Colt's diaper and Dax noticed his nipples and said "Hey he has those things like you guys do" (meaning me and his sisters) and I said "You have them too" and pulled down his t-shirt to show him and the look of surprise on his face told us he just discovered something he had never noticed before. Greg and I were in tears!

Take My Word For It...

...I swear that every time I find a mascara that I really like by the time the tube is out the product is no longer being made so I move on to what I think will be the next best thing and sometimes I strike it good and other times I don't. Right now I have 3 tubes in my bag 1 I really liked, but it is empty and I can't find it at our Walmart. The other 2 are the "take my word for it" products for tonight...
Alamy Intense i-color states: We've taken the guesswork out of finding the perfect colors for your eyes. Explore the Intense i-Color™ collections— shadows, eyeliners and mascaras especially designed by our beauty experts to intensify your eye color. Complementing shades enhance your eye color— contrasting ones make it pop. Together they turn up your eye color like never before! Try the "Bring Out" Collection to enhance your eye color and the "Play Up" Collection for a more dramatic Intense i-Color™ look. In 4 easy-to-use shade collections for brown, blue, hazel and green eyes. For maximum impact, use Intense i-Color™ shadow, eyeliner and mascara together.



So I tried this product for about 2 weeks and while it did bring out the color in my eyes I did not expect the purple color...reminded me of the 90's blue mascara AND it flaked really bad and was very wet when applying it. I would have to clean off under my eyes and brow after applying because it took so long to dry that if I blinked before it was dry it would leave marks. There is probably no way I could ever wear this mascara with contacts as without them I would occasionally get flakes in my eyes and by the end of the day there would be flakes under my eyes. So take my word for it and skip over this one, unless you like the flaking kind. I have to say I like Alamy products and use their shadows and powders, and I do know that if you buy them at Rite Aide you can return the product if you don't like it.

After that experience I went for Loreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes because they advertise these points:
•Clump-free length.
•Smudge-proof.
•Flake-proof.
•Long wear hold.
•Ophthalmologist and allergy tested.
•Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.
•Removes easily with water.
and my response is a resounding CHECK! It is indeed smudge/flake proof in fact if you like pulling off your mascara you better steer clear of this one, as in the process of trying to pull it off you will pull out your lashes. Next the long wear hold held true through labor, but not only that more than once I was able to reuse Saturday's mascara on Sunday when I was running a little late. I had no problems with flaking at all (even after sleeping in it) so therefore I would feel comfortable wearing it with contacts. So after reading all that you would be surprised how easy it is to remove. By simply getting my fingers wet and gently rubbing my lashes the mascara comes off in tubes...so cool! The only thing I didn't really care for is it takes longer than a couple of swipes to put on. First you put on the white coat and then a few coats of the black stuff to get the thickness that you want. Price wise is comparable to other mascaras, but if you notice the tubes are half the size.

Take My Word For It...

...so maybe we can turn this into a weekly thing. Now this product was not one I had seen a commercial for, but rather just wanted to find the easiest way to cook with fresh garlic-because that is the ONLY way to cook. Take my word for it! Once you start you can never go back to that stale tasting powdered stuff (although it does still have its place occasionally).

Anyways I started mincing my garlic with a knife, but had a hard time really getting the pieces small enough to my liking. So now all I use my knife for is to smash the garlic a bit to get the peel off. After watching Rachel Ray (she has some pretty good ideas-including the tomato cutting one below!) I started grating the garlic but I absolutely HATE my box grater...ask me about my ruined nachos and my huge scar on my thumb one day...so I use my parm grater (I also use this to zest my citrus too-one day I will get a micro plane *hint hint*) and it worked really well, but then I saw a chief using a garlic press and I thought...sweet even easier!

and thus brings me to my "Take My Word For It" item. The garlic press is not so cool! Sure it is super easy to use, just place the clove inside and squeeze together, but if you will notice more than half the garlic doesn't even make it through the press and gets thrown away. Not only do you waste more of that yumminess, but cleaning the thing SUCKS! Garlic gets stuck in the holes and I have had to bust out toothpicks to get it all clean. This is a kitchen tool that will likely sit in the drawer unused for many years. So I will go back to my grater and be satisfied because it works and it works well!


you get almost twice the garlic
and it is so easy the kids can even do it!

Take My Word For It...

...there is nothing I hate more than watching a commercial and being sucked into spending $$ on the product only for it to be a waste, and so it is my goal to share my opinions/thoughts on these said products to maybe save you from the same mistake. Of course we are all different people so what works for me may not work for you, so I claim no responsibility in bad experiences...

I am a tooth brushing fanatic...I love to go to the dentist too. Nothing beats a clean fresh mouth, but I have yet to find that "perfect" tooth paste. On average I have 2-3 different kinds going at the same time because I get bored with the flavor. So my first product of the year is Aquafresh Iso Active this is the official claim from Aquafresh "Aquafresh Iso-Active Whitening doesn’t look like an ordinary toothpaste, and it doesn't act like one, either! Given that 40 percent of your tooth surface is hidden between your teeth, getting your mouth healthy and clean can be a challenge. But Iso-Active's revolutionary gel activates the moment you start brushing, transforming into a micro-fine foam. This active foam penetrates hard-to-reach places around your mouth, protecting between your teeth and giving you a whole-mouth clean."

First appeal to me is I really hate flossing and I am the first to admit that I only floss 3-4 times a week so the fact that it is supposed to reach those in between places I figure maybe it will make up for the 3-4 days I don't floss.

Second appeal to me was the pump dispenser. It never fails that I lose the screw on lid halfway through a tube and the inside gets all dried up and it becomes harder and harder to get the paste out.

So I bought it for about $5 and have been using it since Christmas (yes it was stuffed in my stocking) and I have to say I really don't like it. First off after using this product I know what it feels like to "foam at the mouth" who wants to feel like a rabid animal...when they say that this stuff foams they are not kidding. I started out with the "normal" amount (as seen in the commercials) and by 30 seconds into my brush I had foam running off my chin. I hate messy tooth brushing! I did not feel that the foam surrounded those "hard to reach" areas but rather it pooled in the bottom of my mouth. So I tried to decrease the amount of toothpaste I put on the brush and have it down to smaller than a pea sized and I am still not impressed. My mouth just does not feel "refreshed" after using this toothpaste and I will only briefly mention the bad after taste morning breath...YUCK! It claims to be a whitening toothpaste and I have to say I have not noticed a difference.

So take my word for it, unless they come out with a "very much improved" Aquafresh Iso Active toothpaste I would skip this one and just stick with a good mouth wash that successfully reaches those hard to reach places. It is MESSY!

notice the fine writing on this "wipe nozzle before and after each use" uh yeah that should have been a give away. The above result is the norm every time I take the lid off...what a waste!

So there you have it. My first of possibly many "Take My Word For It" posts and hopefully they aren't all as disappointing as this one :)

On a different note...Pregnancy + Swimming Pools = THE BEST THING EVER! I have really missed not teaching this pregnancy and made it to the pool tonight and loved it! There is nothing better than working out without the added pull of gravity!