With the new year comes new resolutions!

What are your New Years resolutions.....?  Come on, I know you made some!!!

2013 will hopefully be a year that I myself try to get a little healthier and organized and learn how to do what I really want to do with my life. 
I have a few goals I want to work towards this year.....  Just a few I promise  LOL ! 

My first and most important (in my mind) is to work more towards my family's Non Profit! 
If you have never heard of it you should take a few minutes and read our blog or our website! 
 http://www.lemierresyndromejrodgers.blogspot.com/
www.lemierresyndrome.com
Justin E Rodgers Foundation for Lemierre's Awareness Inc is our name.

The number 2 goal on my list is to start eating clean! 
I read this website the other night and it looks like a challenge I have wanted to take on for almost a year now. 
www.heandsheeatclean.com   The food actually looks really good.  However I am kind of scared living out in the country, will I be able to find these ingredients.  I will begin my journey tomorrow...
I always feel so guilt y every time I make my sons' lunch and just about everything in it is processed food.  I always wanted to make their food from scratch but never knew where to start!  This website is my starting point and they make it look so easy I hope it really is!  I use to eat Kellogg's Protein bars as my lunch everyday.  I took a few minutes today and read the ingredients of this protein bar.  WOW it just have had alteast 20 ingredients!  Holly Molly!!!  Every year I say "I want to loose weight", "I want to loose my belly" this year I am saying I want to learn a healthier lifestyle!  I've always hated knowing that there was so much Stuff" that goes into what I eat and I have no idea what it is  or how it will effect me in 10 - 20 years. 

My number 3 goal is to getting to know my God more.  Allen and I were recently Baptised and have found our real true Church home.  Now I want to learn as much as I can and try to take as much as I can in.  Every time I I'm in Church or listening to Christian music I just feel so much closer to my brother and the other family members I have lost.  It makes me really feel at peace. 

My number 4 is focusing on my kiddos more.  With 4 kids it is really hard to sit and read bed time stories with each one or spend the time I want to with each one every night.  This one is going to be rough but I will conquer it and feel better about it at the end of this year!  We will kick this goal off by going on our first ever VALENCIA family of 6 ONLY vacation very soon!  We are taking the kids to Disney World!!! 

I am going to learn how to not be so hard on myself when I do not get everything done in that day that needs to be done!  And not worry if all the laundry did not get folded or the beds are not made every morning.  I am going to learn to look the other way and spend that extra time with my 4 kids and my husband!  When it is my time to go to my final resting place I do not want my family members to say "wow mom really knew how to keep the house clean and organized"  I want them to say "She really knew how to love us and show us that we could be anything we wanted to be and do anything we wanted to do with a little bit of hard work and effort.  Oh and she knew how to have a good time!"  LOL 

Until next time! 
xoxoxo
 




 

Walmart trip today

Walmart is the only place out here in Desoto, MO that I can go shopping and get 80% of what I need.  But lately in the last year they have really come up disappointing to me. 
Today I went shopping for household cleaners and I spent an extra 20 min figuring out which brand of items to buy and then look and see what best coupon I had to use for it.   When I went to check out I had 5 coupons and I asked the lady, did you scan all the coupons.  She says"Yes I sure did." I ask again, "are you sure...?"  I pay she hands me my receipt and I walk away.  I look at my receipt before I got to the door and saw she DID NOT scan all my coupons.  NOW how many of you would have kept on walking.....? I know I would have 2 weeks ago.  This has happened to me so many times, and I did exactly that walked away every time.  Never questioned the cashier or went back to ask for my money back....  But you see I'm trying to save money to take my kids to Disney!!!  So I stopped, turned around and went to the customer service desk and 25 min later I got my $2.50 back!  I told the CSM I know this sounds ridiculous that I'm asking to get $2.50 back but here is the thing, I took time to clip these out, figure out which is the best brand to buy and I'm trying to stay on budget so I can take my kids to Disney so I had to stop and get my money back.   They all just looked at me like I was crazy but I felt like I was for once standing up for myself. 

 

Famous Footwear!!!!

I have to post how much I love Famous Footwear!  They have a great rewards program! I love their coupons, I get 20% off almost all the time!  There are $10 off coupons on all their receipts. 

I went there yesterday to get one of Allen's birthday presents.  The shoes were onsale from $80 to $39.99 (if I would've needed another pair I would have gotten them at half price!).  They didn't have his size in stock so they are shipping to me for free which is awesome!  I was bummed that I didn't have a coupon to use. 

Well this morning lo and behold what was in my inbox but a 20% off coupon!!!!  I was a little upset but then decided to call them and see if they would give me the 20% back that I would've saved!  THEY SAID YES!!!  Whoot-Whoot!!!  Since I will be in the area anyway tomorrow I am going to run in and get my $8.00!!!  LOL  Yes I am that cheap that I would go get my $8.00!!!  LOL I LOVE FAMOUS FOOTWEAR!!!!! 

You could help me win a Trip to Disney World!!

I just learned tonight at my Premier Designs meeting that they are going to give everyone that meets a certain level a trip to Disney World!  I've been talking about taking my kids there for over a year now. 
Everyone that knows me knows this!  SOOOO  Who is in to help me???? 

All I need to do is bust my behind in getting all you ladies as much FREE Bling as possible!!! 

Let me know if you are interested!  It's simple easy and soo much fun!  I have a blast at everyone of my parties!!  Over half of the catalog is under $40, your friends will love the jewelry from Premier!!! 

xoxoxoxoxo

Can't wait to get these in!!! 

Fabric Softener

Now that I use my own fabric softener, laundry soap, stain remover and dish washing detergent I have cut that part of my household budget in more than half!!! Thank goodness for Pinterest!

It cost me $2..35 to make this Fabric Softener and I will use it for 3-6 months!!!!! I usually use Gain and that costs me approx. $4.00 every month that's with a coupon!

I have not used this yet as my laundry day is Monday so I will let you know how it goes. I am for sure going to try it out on towels and not so nice things before I do so on my clothes! LOL  
UPDATE 7/2/12 I have used it now and the ONLY difference is the smell.  Gain and the other store fabric softeners the scent is on the dry clothes.  This homemade Fabric softener I can not smell anything on the clothes.   They don't smell bad they just don't smell at all.  I use fabric softener so my clothes are soft not really for the scent.  But if you use it for the scent you will not like this recipe. 

This is the mix:

1 bottle of Suave Condition (I used the Sweet Pea and Violet scent)

4 1/2 cups of white vinegar

9 cups of hot water

I used a BIG 164 oz Apple Juice container to mix and keep it in. It fit PERFECTLY in it! I guess you could use a big bucket too.

Mix together the whole bottle of conditioner and 9 cups of hot water. After you mix that real good add the 4 1/2 cups of vinegar to that. You use 2 TBSP of this mixture in your washer and Voila! You have fabric softener.   I just realized I spelled Softener wrong on the bottle I put it all in LOL!!!!! 

Home made dish washing detergent!!!

Found this recipe on pinterest!!! Super happy the first 3 washes and the dishes look great!

Try it out!

Home made dish washing detergent!!!

1 1/2 cup of Lemi Shine (found at wal-mart in the dish washing section)

1 1/2 cup of Washing Soda (already had since I make my own laundry soap too!)

1/2 cup of baking soda (already had since I make my own stain remover and cook with it!)

1/2 cup sea salt (already had too)

Mix all the ingredients together and use 2 Tablespoons per load.

I added vinegar to the jet dry compartment for a rinse aide!

Sick of the wasps!!!

My back yard is home to thousands of wasps!  My kids won't even go play in the back yard, it's so bad. 
Last summer I tried 3 or 4 different things to try to trap and get rid of them. 
The only trick that worked was this one!
I bought this baby pool for my Yadi but he HATES water.  LOL! 
So I fil it up about 2 to 3 inches deep and put a little dish washing soap in it.  Enough to make some bubbles. 
After the bubbles settle down the wasps go to land and take a drink but here is the kicker!  They can't get up!  The soap gets on their wings and the drowned.  Right now is the perfect time to do this since it's so hot and dry! They are really thirsty.  I caught over 30 wasps in the last 4 days! 
I just keep going out every morning and adding a little more water to my wasp swamp.  LOL





over bought Avon products

I over bought a few Avon products so I'm trying to sell them.  Here is what I have

A few Bug Guard items.
Bug Guard Plus Picaridin Pump Spray - regular $14.00 I'm asking $6.00
Bug Gaurd Plus Picaridin Towelettes pack of 8 - regular $14.00 I'm asking $6.00
Bug Guard Plus Anti Itch spray soothe bug bites! - regular $10.00 I'm asking $4.00
Cool N Fabulous disappearing color SPF 30 BUG GAURD AND SUN SCREEN in one!!! regular $14.00 I'm asking $6.00. Goes on blue and disappears.
Avon's Skin So Soft sun kissed line -
Mineral Gems Glamorous Gold Body Scrub 8.4oz - Use this before you you go in the sun OR use a self tanner (which they do have a gel I can order for you). Regular $8 ...I'm asking $5 I have 2 of these
Mineral Gems Glamorous GOld Shimmering Body Oil Spray 5oz - Use this after sun or self tanner Has shimmer flakes in it to make your skin glow - Regular $8 I'm asking $5 I have 4 of these.
I do not have the gel that goes with this line but I can order it for you. It is a self tanning gel 8.4oz for $6.00

Kristiana and her dance recital

My little Princess!!!! 



A few cool things!!!!

Here are some projects I finished the last 3 days.  All 3 I found on Pinterest of course!! 

Here was one of Tony's father's day gifts!  I took a black foam board and arranged pictures on it.  I used double tape to stick them to the board.  Then I used Mod Podge and painted that over the pictures as a sealer! 
I want to do this for our living room with just random pictures I don't have frames for.   Minus the I love dad part ;0)
This took about 1 hour to make and $15 to make!  (Would've been less but I bought the foam board at Hobby Lobby and I'm pretty sure I could've gotten it cheaper somewhere else.)

This was kinda scary because I felt like I was going to ruin it but I promise it dries clear.

This is a before picture of just a plain old cookie sheet I was actually going to throw out because it was very old and starting to rust just  little.  

This is the after picture!!!  I spray painted it and wrote all the letters to the alphabet on it with a paint pen.  Kristiana was so excited when she saw it.  I called it her letter game!  She has to match the magnetic letters to the painted letter.  I showed her how the letter stick to it and she just thought I was the coolest mom EVER!  LOL  This took about 1 hour (mostly drying time for the paint) and cost me NOTHING!  I had everything here already!!! ;0) LOVE IT!

Then I had the idea to put Antonio and her name on the other side to help them learn the letters in their names!!!   I think every daycare or teacher or anyone with a 2-5 year old should make this!!!! 

LOVE this project!!!  My 4th of July tulle wreath!   This was easy and fun to make!!  Took me about 45 min and approx $12 BUT I have enough tulle left over to make maybe 2 more.  If you want one comment and I can whip one up for you too for $6.00!  I might cut out some stars and stick them in there somewhere.