Making my baby clothes last longer

  I don't know about you but I never feel like I get enough use out of my daughters clothes before she grows out of them.I try to find deals at thrift shops and consignment but sometimes its hard to just find what you like or the right size.I have found a way to make her continue wearing her clothes long after she has out grown them and also have more to choose from in stores by being able to by them to small or too big.I just have to make a minor adjustment once I get them home.


    Below there is a pink sundress for a 12 month old.My daughter wears 24 mths now and this dress would not completely cover her diaper if she had it on.I'm pretty picky about the length of a skirt or dress even on a baby.
All I had to do was cut the straps off and there isn't even any sewing required.She now has an adorable skirt.

  The one next to it is an 18 mth but as you can tell would fit a bit shorter than the first would have.The way this one is made you cant just cut the straps so I just went down a bit below.This type will require a little sewing so it does not unravel the material, but it is something even I can do and I don't sew hardly at all.I like to find the ones like the pink one of course if I am actually purchasing it for this purpose in mind.Both of these I paid very little for at a thrift store.

  The other two I already had and she just grew out of them.The white one was the first one I did like this.She wore it last year as a dress and is still wearing it today almost a year later.You can also find the little long summer tops to do this with especially if they are a size or two bigger than what your little girl would wear.

                                        

Help In hard Times

  Todays economy have so many people discouraged and wondering how to make it from pay check to pay check.Just seems the dollar goes nowhere anymore and does not seem that its going to improve anytime soon.


  I admit there are times I am so overwhelmed while paying bills and have a list of 100 other things I truly can say I need,but dont see it happening.

  I know I am not alone in this and knowing God has always seen me through somehow has always been my strength and comfort.Also,I find a comfort in feeling like there are things I can do while being a stay at home mom to feel like I am doing anything to relieve the pressure while my husband drives his truck doing his best for his family.


  Couponing is always a help and if it were not for a few sites that focus on finding me coupons,I would have no idea where to begin at times.They have been such a help to me,so I would like to take time to say thankyou and also share them with you.They can all be found on Facebook,so if you want some great deals check them out.
     The Savvy Savin' Mama 
     WeUseCoupons.com
     Money Saving Mom
     Deal Wise Mommy
     Freebies 4 Mom
  These sites have helped save me on everything from food,diapers,household products and pictures.Since my daughter has been born I have gotten 2 free photo books and hundreds of free photos.

 Not only do they find me great deals but they provide me with encouaging and interesting topics I can relate to as a mom.I always do my best to look on the brightside when things seem tough, but its also nice to have some resources to help us out.We all feel better if we feel like there is something we can do instead of feeling helpless.

To potty train or not to potty train...That is the question??

   So I have been thinking a lot about potty training and honestly I am dreading it.I have read a lot of info about it and have already had the experience of potty training my son which is why I dread it.

  Sometimes I wonder if starting earlier would of made things go faster.It seemed like such a long drawn out process.Now days you read how most parents don't even think about it until age 2 or 3 but our parents and our grandparents started way earlier.Some were not even walking when they had their first sit on the potty.My own mother claims I was using the potty at 1 yr old.I look at my 1 yr.old and am terrified of the thought but the thought is also very inviting.

  I am not afraid to say,I hate diapers! You will hear the experts say not to push the issue and make sure your child is ready, but was I truly ready at 12 months? I guess I am wondering why things changed in potty training so much over the years when it seemed to work fine for the older generations before us.


   So with all this in mind I would like to hear from some of you who have not waited until age 2 or 3 to start the potty business and what was your experience? Those that waited are also welcome to share their experiences as well.      

                                                         My daughter,Gabriella 
                                                         Just meeting her potty

Im back

  Just as I was getting into the blogging somehow I could not access my google account which meant I could not access my blog.Finally go the issue resolved now.It has been so frustrating because I was thinking about so many things to write about and couldn't.

  Wouldn't you know it as of right now,I cant think of any of those things! Oh well,just glad that now when I get an inspiration I can now share it.Writing is such good therapy for me and I have so missed my blog no bigger than it is.

The Beginning of my weight loss.Day 1

  Well, today is the day I am going to get serious about weight loss.I have been very discouraged about it the past few months and had pretty much give up.After I had Gabriella, I really assumed it would come off as easy as it did with my son.Big mistake in thinking that!

 
  When she was 3 months old I began to realize it was probably going to take some effort on my part this go around, so I just began eating healthier foods and cutting back on junk.Thought it was going great when I lost 4 lbs, but then although I still was eating healthy, for some reason it came back.

  I joked about it with my hubby who had been doing the same trying to lose weight and was actually working for him.Deep down though,I felt really discouraged and beginning to feel depressed.

  For the most part, I have been 115 lbs since I was a teenager which is a good,healthy weight for someone that is only 5 ft tall.I need to lose 23 lbs to get back to that and I am pretty sure it will take some major exercise to do this.I have a plan in mind to make it more fun by making it more about play than work.Being my life is pretty much centered around my children it will include them.So we will see how it goes.This mornings work out was fun but I could tell I had a work out.Gabriella had a blast and thought I was the funniest thing she ever saw.I just want to feel better and get back into my clothes.

                        This is my most recent picture that really opened my eyes and has inspired me to give it another shot.

      Philippians 4:13   I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Easy Chicken and Tortilla Dumplings

Yummy and easy recipe I came up with.I have been hearing how you can make dumpling with flour tortillas so decided to give it a try and add a few experimental ingredients as well.This would work well if you just did not have time to make the traditional dumpling.To make even quicker, boil chicken the night before and refrigerate until ready to cook.This way your not trying to remove hot chicken from the bone or waiting for it to cool so you can.Also,a great way to use up some of that left-over Thanksgiving turkey!

• 4  chicken breast or chicken of choice
• 14 ounces of burrito size flour tortillas
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can of cream of celery soup
• 2 tbl.spn butter 
• 1/3 cup cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• couple dashes of basil

1. Fill 4-quart pot half full with broth
2. Boil chicken until tender.
3. While chicken is cooking, slice tortillas with a sharp knife 5 slices across and one slice through the middle.
4. Remove cooked chicken,take off bone and cut in cubes,shred or however you desire.I like to just pull mine apart into big chunks
5. Place chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, butter, salt, pepper,basil into boiling broth.May need to add a little water if much evaporated while boiling chicken.
6. Bring to a rolling boil.
7. Drop tortilla strips into pot one at a time.
8. Stir gently around the top, not bottom of pot
9. Boil medium/high heat for 10 -12 minutes.
10. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream and move the dumplings around gently to mix the cream,then remove from heat

  

The Things I have learned about Kindergarten

I am amazed how much Kindergarten has changed since I was in school.There is such a big difference in what is taught now days and what is expected of our kiddos.Then there is the stuff that has not changed for the parent and child but you just don't expect or know until it's your little one starting school. Here is what I have found out in the last 2  1/2 months.

1. You will cry on their 1st day no matter how hard you try not to.
2. Your child may not react the way you have thought they would.Mine didn't even want a hug before I left.Almost acted as if he did not know me.A real heart breaker!
3. By the end of the 1st week most teachers really don't want you walking your child to class.WHAT!? Are they crazy? Just drop him off at the door of the school and let him find his own way? Which leads me to # 4
4. They really are capable of finding their way to class and other places in the school right by themselves.This horrified me, thinking about him wandering the halls of the school alone.Really took some getting used to for me.
5. What we learned in Kindergarten is what they are expected to know when they arrive the 1st day.
6. They do not take a nap.This is a good thing for us.I am quite positive his teacher would not want to see how much more energy he has after getting rested up.
7. They actually start some algebra now.This really blew my mind and also frightened me.When told this,I thought I may need to go back to school myself so I will be able to help with homework.
8. They will have homework everyday.I don't remember doing much at all.
9. Homework is not hard but boy the directions can really be confusing.Once you spend an hour calling all your friends with kids in kindergarten and figure it out it only takes about 10 minutes to do.
10. Your kid will probably know how to read 3-4 letter words by the 2nd month of school.Now they can read you some of the book.This part of school really excites me.Listening to my little man read is the coolest thing!
11. You really begin to realize just how much more your child is capable of.Don't let them fool you! They can do far more than they let on.If you knew they were smart before school, you might feel like they are near geniuses after you see what they learn in such a short amount of time.They really just make us feel like we have to do everything for them.Its not a fact of life.They are so much smarter theses days!
12. When they get home, it is possible they will try to eat everything in the frig and cupboard.Even though my son eats breakfast at home and school,then lunch,he walks through the door as if he has not ate all day.
13. Last but not least,no matter how grown and independent they now seem, they need you.They need to know you are interested in their day and are proud of all of their achievements.We always talk about what Joseph does at school.I ask a lot of detailed questions, like what did you eat for lunch?Who did you play with on the playground and what did you play? He kind of acted like this irritated him after a while so one day I only asked one question. Did you have a good day? He said,yes.When I did the same the next day he said,"Mama,you don't want to know what I did at school anymore?"He really sounded disappointed.I said of course I do.Then I realized he really did appreciate my interest in his day and I guess it took a day or two without it for him to realize that himself.

Very excited about his 1st day

Getting a bit nervous once at school

 These are just the things I have learned in 2 months.No telling whats in the future for the rest of the year!

Getting to work and totally ignoring my existence!