What Would You Do With A Million Dollars?

June 3, 2013 By 14 Comments

Publishers Clearing House

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Publisher’s Clearing House

Mr. Crunchy and I have always had this thing we do. We don’t actively buy lottery tickets, but every time we see a great Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes we always talk about what we would do if you won a million dollars. We may be a frugal family, but we are really big dreamers. It’s nice to escape reality a little bit, and it also is a cool way for hubby and I to talk to each other about our hopes and dreams even if they are pipe dreams.

Publishers Clearing House

Top 10 Things We Would Do With a Million Dollars

1. Buy our dream home: I have always envisioned having a beautiful century home on acres of land. We would have horses, a green house, and a huge garden for us to plant until our little hearts content. Mr. Crunchy would have to have some modern upgrades like a steam shower, so I guess I would throw that in for him too.

2. A vacation home in the Tennessee mountains: Mr. Crunchy and I always joke we are going to retire in the mountains of Tennessee. It’s just amazingly beautiful, so my number two on the list would be a log cabin in the mountains.

3. Pay off all of the debt: This one is a boring wish, but it’s something I would love to be is 100% debt free.

4. College funds for all three kids: If we one a million bucks, we would put enough away for all three of our children to go to the college of our dreams.

5. Support Food Allergy research: With my daughter’s allergies, I would have to say I would donate money to FARE to help study why so many kids are coming up with severe food allergies. For the FARE walks this year, they are only asking for a goal of $30,000, but I would love to donate $100,000 to help kids like my daughter.

6. Travel around the world: With this kind of money, I would hit every travel destination on my bucket list. I would visit the Galapagos Islands, Europe, Egypt, and several destinations like the the Grand Canyon in the United States. We would be gone at least a year, and it would be 5 star hotels all the way!

7. Hire a personal massage therapist: I am a giant stress ball. Having a million buckeroos, I would have a personal massage therapist on call 24/7. He would be tall, gorgeous, and named something exotic like Felipe. ;)

Curtis stone

8. Buy cooking lessons with Curtis Stone: Who wouldn’t want to have professional cooking lessons from someone that gorgeous? I have heard from some fellow bloggers that he is super friendly in person as well. Heck, I might just hire him as my personal chef too!

9. Buy a ticket on the Sea Shepherd: I have to admit, I have a soft spot for whales. I would totally join the crew of the Sea Shepherd to fight against unnecessary hunting of whales.

10. Own a Da Vinci: Leonardo Da Vinci is one of my absolute favorite artists, and I totally would have to own one. Even if it was a tiny painting, that bad boy would be mine!

Publisher's Clearning House

Right now Publisher’s Clearing House has a great sweepstakes you can enter and you can win $1 million plus $5,000 a week for life! So, I challenge you to dream.

What would you do with a million dollars?

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: ,

Having Faith and Overcoming Adversity

May 30, 2013 By 7 Comments

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Allstate for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Even after being employed for a few years, anytime my husband disagrees with a boss I am still a bit gun shy, and I have every right to be. Four years ago we moved to a new state with no family and after a few months there, no job.

That fear crops up every now and again. It is especially bad now that we are once again in a new state with a new job, and today hubby has been called into the office. To say I am trying not to panic is an understatement.

That’s the thing about life though, you need to not let fear paralyze you. You need to live life to its fullest, and like its your last day on Earth. That’s how Mr. Crunchy and I are living our lives, and that’s how we are raising our children.

There will always be bad days, but even the smallest things you should appreciate. I think nowadays people take things for granted and let all that negativity overwhelm them, but if you think about it it takes the same amount of energy to complain as it does to think positively. You just have to get used to it.

Right now we are living the good life because we moved to a new state which we love. I am in a blogger mecca, I am actually going to a great blogger event tonight! There are a billion things to do in the city where we live for free, and for the first time in two years my daughter’s ezcema seems to be calming down.

photo allstatelogo_300x60_zps5487a605.jpg

So, Crunchy peeps, I challenge you! Live the Allstate Good Life and live life to it’s fullest. What are things in your life that you are thankful for? Comment on the blog post so we can all see how great it is to be you!

Visit Sponsor's Site

Filed Under: Life Tagged With:

Ways to Avoid Stress During Party Planning Season

May 16, 2013 By 20 Comments
aura cacia

Disclosure: I did receive free products from Aura Cacia to facilitate this review, but the wit and genius are 100% my own.

Party planning season is right around the corner. It’s time for weddings, graduations, and of course summer parties! Parties can be a great way to spend time with your family and friends, but if you are the one doing all the planning it can be really stressful. Honestly for me that’s why Mr. Crunchy and I usually keep our parties pretty small and intimate.

aura cacia

When I get really stressed out, like gonna pull my hair out stressed out, I pull a few tools from my stress relief tool box. One of those tools is my essential oil collection from Aura Cacia. I say collection because I have been using their essential oils for years. A friend of mine back in California was an herbologist and got me started using essential oils to improve my life.

Since I tend to be a bit of a stress bucket, I try to keep things in the house that are soothing. When I am in my office working or planning my next party, I get out my favorite Aura Cacia blend to relax me a bit. (Trust me it works) One of my favorite things to do for stress relief are these tips:

  • Add 3 drops of ylang ylang to sweet almond oil to create a natural perfume.
  • Place 1-2 drops of ylang ylang on pillow at night for sweet dreaming.
  • Add 7-10 drops of ylang ylang to tub for a relaxing, sensual bath experience.
  • Combine 2 drops ylang ylang and 4 drops bergamot per ounce of water for an uplifting mood mister.aura cacia

Aura Cacia has added some pretty awesomesauce new products to their line throughout the year. One of my favorites is the new aromatherapy room diffuser. They have these great reusable pads that you can put drops of your favorite essential oil on and let them waft through your room. Mine is in my office. It’s a great blend of lavendar and ylang ylang to calm my stress ball butt down.

To learn more about Aura Cacia, make sure to check out their website and their social media channels

 

Now for the really exciting part! You can get to win your very own Aura Cacia “Choose Calm” kit! This great kit includes:

  • Ylang Ylang III Essential Oil
  • Euphoric Ylang Ylang Massage Oil
  • Sensual Cinnamon & Ylang Ylang Foam Bath
  • Euphoric Ylang Ylang Mineral Bath
  • Aromatherapy Room Diffuser
Filed Under: Life Tagged With: ,

Happy Fifth Anniversary, Mr. Crunchy

April 15, 2013 By 123 Comments
Olive Garden

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Olive Garden. I received a gift card to facilitate my review promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

It’s amazing how fast time flies when you are having fun. Mr. Crunchy and I are going to be celebrating our anniversary on the 27th of this month. It really doesn’t feel like it’s been that short amount of time. I am not a hopeless romantic, but I will say that I truly have a soul mate and best friend in Mr. Crunchy. He’s the only man on this planet that would voluntarily put up with me every day ;) .

Olive Garden

Most people don’t know this, but we actually met via Match.com. The funniest part is we had actually met in person first and didn’t realize it. It’s actually quite a funny story, one that Mr. Crunchy doesn’t let me live down!

A Match Made in A Bar?

About a month into our engagement a friend of mine told me she couldn’t believe I was marrying him. This statement bewildered me, because they had known each other for years! Just making sure I wasn’t about to marry a psychopath, I asked her to elaborate.

Earlier in the year she had taken me to a bar to have some fun. We ran into a bunch of guys she knew and she was trying to introduce me because I was feeling really shy. (Hard to believe I know). There was this tall goofy guy there with this really obnoxious laugh, and I made fun of him ALL NIGHT LONG! When I say all night, I mean for HOURS! It wasn’t until she was reminding me of this bar tirp that I realized that that tall goofy guy was now my FIANCEE! Mr. Crunchy to this day, still gives me heck about that night!

Enjoying One of Our Favorite Restaurants: Olive Garden

Every year for our anniversary we try to have a nice date night together, but since I am going to be out of town for the LA premiere of Iron Man 3 we decided to head to one of our favorites spots to celebrate a little bit early. We always seem to end up at Olive Garden when it comes to our date nights together. Mr. Crunchy always picks on me because I get the same dish every time. (Why mess with a good thing!?!) Even writing this post about our dinner, makes me want another round of their shrimp alfredo! I can never finish the whole plate, but man I enjoy trying.

When we went this week, I guess they have this cool new promotion called “Buy One Take One”. Basically you get to buy an entree, and then they give you one to take home too! (Now that is talking Mr. Crunchy’s language) There were several dishes that he had to choose from, and it was only $12.95. He loved pointing out that his meal was cheaper than mine and he got double the food.

Olive Garden

We splurged and got the calamari for appetizer. I could like the plate, I love their calamari. I, of course, had shrimp alfredo and Mr. Crunchy had Mezzaluna Ravioli with Five Cheese Marinara to eat and Spaghetti with Four Cheese Meat Sauce to take home. (He was quite a happy camper with the left overs)

He is truly the love of my life, and I was happy to see that even our new home in Minneapolis had Olive Garden because I have so many fond memories of their restaurant. We always seem to end up there whether it’s for big events like our anniversary or just a quick meal while out shopping! (The manager really made my day before left by giving us a coupon good for our next visit ;)

Olive Garden

I am proud to say that hubby and I have survived the first five years of marriage, and I hope we can put up with each other for many, many more! Happy Anniversary, baby!

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , ,

New Year’s Motivational Quotes

January 3, 2013 By 8 Comments
motivational quotes

This time of year we are all looking to overcome things that we would like to change in our lives whether it’s our weight, our organizational skills,  our bad habits or vices. These motivational quotes should help you realize that you can change your life, and have the power to say I can instead of I can’t. Enjoy these great motivational quotes to get your year off to an amazing start!

Challenge yourself to stay positive, and believe that you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. You never know until you try!

 

 

motivational quotes

 

 

You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be.
~David Viscott

 

 

Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.

~ Ralph Marston
You’re never beaten until you admit it.

~ George S. Patton

motivational quotes
You’ve got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It’s called perseverance.

~Lee Iacocca

 

You don’t realize how strong a person really is until you see them at their weakest moment.

~Unknown Author

Like these motivational quotes? Make sure to check out other inspirational posts on Crunchy Frugalista’s Pinterest board!

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , ,

Organize your office with repurposed goodies!

January 2, 2013 By 17 Comments
How to organize your office

My office space was a disaster area. I am almost too embarrassed to show you a before photo, but I am going to so you get the full effect! When I first moved my office downstairs, it was shoved in a corner. It wasn’t a bad space, but having my back to door was awful. I was beginning to think I was being sent to time out for bad behavior. (Mind out of the gutters ladies)

After some debate, and a pow wow with my best friend, a new office plan came to me. Yes, it was perfect. It would soon be a space that oozed creativity and inspire posts that were worthy of Shakespeare. (Ok, well at least mainly grammatically correct) This new office was to be my center of zen, my chi, my homey place. If I was going to spend hours on end working here, I might as well LIKE being there, right?!?

Enough of the rambling let’s get to it. Just promise not to laugh at how awful this before picture is! I mean it is BAD! It’s proof that ADD and OCD are a bad combination. (Ok, pulling off the band aid)

How to Organize your office

 

This is what I had to start with. Clutter was everywhere. Nothing had a “home,” which just resulted in never finding anything. Bless Mr. Crunchy’s heart for putting up with me.  I am not usually one for New Year’s resolutions, but this year I have resolved to get organized. First spot to start was going to be my office.

Now let me walk you through the fabulous changes I have made, and are still using, in this great new space. The first thing we did was moved it out of the corner and against the wall. This way nothing falls behind my computer anymore, never to be seen again.

At an estate sale, I was able to pick up these two great drawer units for $10 total. They offer great storage for all of my office supplies. In my drawers I even made my own organizers out of contact paper and cereal boxes. (Tutorial to follow) It keeps all of my pens and such nice and neat, plus it matches my desk.

use cereal boxes to build organizer

My desk is just a typical pressed board desk you can buy at Walmart. I’ve had it for almost 10 years. It still functions so I figured rather than spending money, I would give it a face lift. For the tops of the desk, I used this cute contact paper that I found on Amazon. For the back, sides, and front edges I used black acrylic paint to give it a fresh new look. It turned out great, and took me less than 30 minutes to do!

Now onto the organization! I broke down and bought this great filling cabinet from Walmart. It has three great drawers to fit all my important files and papers in. I grabbed some color coded folders and organized my families files. Here’s how I organized them.

how to organize files

How to organize your office

Yellow – Needs Attention

  •       To be paid
  •      To be filed

Blue – Long Term Finances (these are files that protect your finances and/or family)

  • Auto Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Retirement
  • SSI
  • Warranties
  • Credit Reports
  • Car Records
  • Homeowner’s/Renter’s Insurance
  • Taxes

Red – Medical Files

  • Each family member has their own red folder
  • Explanation of Benefits
  • Paid Doctor’s Bills

Green – All things money related

  • Bank Accounts
  • Savings Accounts
  • Loans
  • Credit Cards
  • Bills (I have a separate manilla folder for each bill we pay)

Keep all bills for 12 months, and then shred.

Orange – School Records

  • Each child has their own orange folder

On top of my filing cabinet is my  mail center. I found this really cute basket on eBay and it’s where my kids know to put the mail. When there are items in there, I know I need to review the mail and take action. This may mean recycle it, pay it, or shred it. My goal is to start every day with this basket empty!

How to organize your office

How to organize your office

 

The last part to my office are my shelves. Mr. Crunchy and I got this great long set of shelves for $15 at an estate sale. Mr. Crunchy cut one of them in half, so that I could paint them black. We hung them up and added some of my favorite goodies I have gotten at estate sales and some of my favorite photos. I have to say the shelves are really one of my favorite parts of my new office! 

How to organize your office

Here’s the grand finale. This is how nice and neat my office looks now!

How to organize your office

Filed Under: Frugal Tips, Green Living Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Loving my Android Phone! Need to Keep it Safe!

December 26, 2012 By 1 Comment
Norton Spot

I have to say I have officially converted to the dark side. Well, in the eyes of Apple fans anyway. After several years with my iPhone, I have joined the forces with the Android users of the world, and I am NEVER going back. Mwhahaahahaah. (Cough, cough.  Ok, that was a little far.)

Seriously though, I wish I would’ve changed sooner. The camera on my phone is amazing, and there isn’t ridiculously aggravating iTunes program to update every other day. Plus, I still have TONS of applications to use. I ended up scoring the HTC One X, and it’s like a phone and personal assistant in one. (Now if only I could program it to fetch Starbucks)

HTC One X

The only thing that is new to me with this new phone is the threat of viruses, or madware. With Apple phones I didn’t have to worry about that, which was the main reason that I went that direction in the first place. Madware are these spammy files that affect only Android phones. They can really gunk up your phone and slow it down!

Rather than let that scare me away from my new Android phone, I decided to educate myself about how to keep my new baby! Information is power after all! Check out this cool infographic I found courtesy of Norton.

Norton Spot

 

After reading all these facts, I made sure to download the Norton Spot app on my phone. It will help me keep all of those nasty madware files away!

 

For you veteran Android phone users, have you ever had problems with your phone slowing down due to apps you downloaded? How important is it for you to keep your phone safe from Madware?

 

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Norton. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Asperger’s Austism Does Not Cause Violence

December 19, 2012 By 9 Comments
Autism Speaks

I have really tried to not comment on the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school. It was a horrific event and everyone has their own way/need of mourning.

Having said that, I am really appalled at the news media at the moment. I understand the human’s basic need to understand why such horrible things happen. I understand the media’s need to explain why this kid was being described as “a little off.” What I don’t get is the IRRESPONSIBLE media that keeps pointing out that the shooter had Asperger’s, a form of autism, and leaving America to develop their own conclusion.

Autism Speaks

My god daughter has Asperger’s, and I can tell you from personal experience that she is one of the most kind and gentle kids I have ever met. I am truly honored to watch her beat this condition that makes the world around her seem so difficult and confusing at times.

Aspy kids tend to seem a little bit off. They don’t understand the social “norms” and how to behave in society. That just means they are usually socially ackward. That doesn’t mean that they are going to pick up a high powered rifle and shoot innocent children.

According to CBS news, over 63% of the kids with Asperger’s have experienced some form of bullying. My god daughter is included in this number. This bullying usually leads to self harm and hatred, not the harming of others.

What got me to break my silence on this issue was an article I read from CNN. It’s an interview with the shooter’s barber. (Because they are always the expert of people, right?!?)

In the article, the barber is quoted as saying,

“…..I’d try to joke with him. He wouldn’t even look at me.” He then continues to say,

“I wish I would’ve killed him then……Or he should have killed himself a long time ago.”

I am beyond angered that CNN would put this in print. Putting aside the tragedy for a moment, so basically this barber is saying that because this kid was socially off that there is something so wrong with him that it must’ve caused the Sandy Hook tragedy.

It’s mob mentality like this causes us to learn the WRONG lessons from such horrific events. It leads people to think if someone is socially off, they MUST be plotting to gun down an entire school. It’s thinking like this that leads to bullying of innocent children with autism. Where does it all end?

Naming and Shaming

Well CNN, and the rest of the media blaring the shooter’s Autism, SHAME SHAME on you. Autism wasn’t the problem the shooter had. We may NEVER know what caused this tragedy to happen, but quit spewing the word Asperger’s Autism out there for any idiot to grab a hold of.

If we have learned nothing from this horrific event, it’s that we need to hold our children close and PROTECT them. Continuing to give a WRONG and ireesponsible depiction of children with Autism, just puts MORE children at risk, and haven’t enough innocent children died already?

To learn more about Autistic and how to support children have Asperger’s Autism, please visit the following websites:

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

10 Ways a Physical Therapist is Like a Terrorist

December 13, 2012 By 20 Comments
Physical Therapy

During my long route to recovery, I must’ve missed the memo that physical therapist really stood for personal terrorist. Being all cooped up in the house over the last six months must’ve kept me out of the loop! Well, I definitely learned that message with first hand experience today with my first trip to physical therapy. Let us begin explaining this fun trip by looking at the definition of the word terrorist.

 

ter·ror·ist
/ˈterərist/
Noun
A person who terrorizes or frightens others.

Physical Therapy
Though my therapist was an awesome guy, with a wicked sense of humor I can assure the thought of a physical therapist does in fact frighten me. Let’s see exactly what 10 ways a physical therapist is like a terrorist.

1. They are experts in using the Vulcan death grip, and  then expect you to talk.

2. You follow their demands or they make you pay for it later.

3. They pretend to be your friend and then hit you where it hurts.

4. Just the sight of them causes instant fear and panic.

Physical Therapy is Like Terrorism

5. If demands aren’t met, they aren’t afraid to take hostages.

6. You never see the same one twice, to keep their identities safe.

7. They both tell you if you want what’s good for you, you will do as you are told.

8. You hate them both at first, but spend enough time with them and you begin to suffer from Stockholm Syndrome.

9.  After the pain subsides, they both leave you begging for mercy.

10. And finally, after you give them what they want, they still expect you to pay them.

 

 

What’s the difference between a therapist and a terrorist?
You can negotiate with a terrorist
~~ Rob the therapist

 

 

Filed Under: Rants Tagged With: , , ,

Crunchy and Unilever Give Back with Cross off Hunger #Cbias #BetterTogether

December 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Making Life Better

Making Life Better

You guys know how passionate I am about giving back to my community. Nothing feels better than giving back, especially when you know how it feels to need help to feed your family.

The Crunchy Family Hearts Unilever Products

After Mr. Crunchy lost his job, I kind of made it my personal mission to pay it forward. This also means supporting companies that are as passionate about this mission as I am.

The Crunchy household have been loyal Unilever buyers for years, but I really didn’t realize what they were about beyond great products. Their Axe body wash is the only thing that Mr. Crunchy will use, and trust me I am TOTALLY ok with that. Breyer and Magnum are definitely responsible for a few of those extra pounds I am constantly complaining about. (At one point, my best friend thought I was in need of an ice cream intervention)

Unilever does so much more than make amazing ice cream and make Mr. Crunchy smell totally amazing. They pride themselves on running a sustainable company that gives back too. They help Cross off Hunger with their website Making Life Better. Each year they donate tons of meals to help provide meals to families in need. This makes me double heart Unilever.

Making Life Better

Unilever Hearts the Environment

Unilever takes pride in being a sustainable company. What does that mean, you ask? Well, I am going to tell you. Being a sustainable company means they make small manageable changes, like Crunchy, to make a minimal impact on the environment.

The Crunchy family is all about small green changes. Just this year we started making our own compost, gardening in upcycled recycling containers, and repurposing things around the house rather than throwing them away. Unilever helps me do this by making great recyclable products, and they help our family give back by partnering together with Cross off Hunger.

See How Crunchy is Going to Team up with Unilever to Cross off Hunger

I can’t wait to show you more ways that you can Cross off Hunger in my next post with Unilever, and how the Crunchy Family is planning on taking part of this great mission too! In the mean time, make sure to check out Unilever’s website Making Life Better. You can make a change in the fight against hunger just by learning how to help your local food banks in your area. There is a lot of great information on this site!

Cross off Hunger

 

How do you like giving back to your community? Do you have any small green changes you and your family do?

 

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and  Unilever  #CBias #SocialFabric

Filed Under: Giving Back Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tis the Season for Pain in the Butt Bad Neighbors

December 1, 2012 By 10 Comments
Bad Neighbors

You guys know my neighbors are not my favorite people in the world, aside from one of my next door neighbors on the left. Well, the two to the right of me seem to be drinking the same kool-aid. I’ve already told you guys about the great adventure we had with the bully, the cops, and the animal control officer. (That’s sounds like a bad soap opera). Today I found out today that my neighbor RIGHT next to me thinks it’s ok to use his golf cart to cut through part of my yard and use the end of my driveway to access the road.

No Cranky Sally Here

First off, I am not one of those property line crazies that yells at random kids and pets if they set a foot on my property. I am usually pretty easy going. Where I get my panties in a wad is when my neighbors are either rude to my family and I or they go out of their way to ignore us. I get really cranky when on top of all that they  think it’s ok to use my property as a short cut. This guy almost has to go out of his way to get to my driveway. To show you my point, let’s reference my bad ass drawing skills below.

Bad Neighbors

As you can see by my AWESOME diagram, my neighbor has many ways that he can get to the road other than cutting across part of my yard and my driveway. Sure it’s a straight shot from his barn to the road the way he is going, but turning just 5 degrees to the right he could stay on HIS property.

In all honestly, it’s probably more the fact they have been jerk faces since we moved in a year ago that bugs me. Or maybe it’s the complete lack of consideration that irks me.  I like to the think the average adult wouldn’t think it is ok to cut across someone’s property in a golf cart, but hey maybe that’s just me.

My Momma Raised Me Right

I have cut through a yard or two in my life, but my momma raised me right. There is no way I would cut through a yard on a bicycle let alone at GOLF CART. That doesn’t even count the fact this guy is an ADULT not a kid just being silly cutting through a yard. Grrrr. I just wonder why these people seem to feel so entitled. They call it “their” cul-de-sac and tell my kids to go inside when they play. Now is it “their” portion of my driveway too? When does it end?

FORGIVE AND FORGET OR GET CRAFTY?

So help me out here Crunchy peeps.Talking to my neighbors does nothing, been there done that. Do I suck it up and be the better person or do I strategically plant some great looking garden statues laced with nails to convince this guy my driveway is not free road access?

Have you ever had a tiff with your neighbors? How did you handle it? What do you think I should do?

Filed Under: Rants Tagged With: , ,

Small Business Saturday: Stoked about Holiday Pop Up Market!

November 23, 2012 By 9 Comments
Fort Wayne Downtown Holiday Fest
Holiday Shopping

Don’t they look excited to shop??

Ok, call me super dork when it comes to small, local shops. Yes, I am that person that goes nuts over flea markets and that cute little hole in the wall diner that makes your eggs exactly the way you like them. Small businesses like those still remember that it’s about the people and your community, not just the almighty dollar.

Mr. Crunchy and I have been in Fort Wayne for a little over four years now, and we are STILL discovering great local stores and shops. They have some really neat ones here.

It wasn’t until this year that I found out about the holiday trolley thingy they have going on all over town. Just for holiday shopping and Small Business Saturday, they have this cute Holiday Pop Up market that’s going to have tons of my favorite farmer’s market vendors and crafters. Squeee! (Can you tell I am excited?)

I think Mr. Crunchy’s going to have to hold the purse, oh he’s gonna LOVE that, because I might just spend a wee too much if he doesn’t. Can you blame me? There are too many cute goodies to pass up, and they only come around once a year, so a girl’s gotta take advantage, right?!?

As you can tell from my love of unique gifts, I love things that aren’t mass produced. It means so much more to buy someone something that is unique as a gift than something you picked off the shelves of Walmart. (No hurt feelings, Walmart.) If it’s unique or handmade, you KNOW some love went into that gift. No I don’t mean weird Christmas socks, “unique”. I mean those neat handcrafted goodies that would be perfect for someone on your shopping list! Something only they would find amazingly divine!

Of course my girl, Jewels, will be at the Holiday Pop Up Market selling her amazing soaps. I hear she has made some fantastic lip balms and lotions too. Do you think she will let me be her sample girl for the show? There is supposed to be lots of homemade crafts and other goodies. At these cute little markets, I usually go with people in mind rather than gifts I am looking for. That’s usually because you never really know what you are going to find. It’s kind of thrilling that way!

Fort Wayne Downtown Holiday Fest

Fort Wayne is really awesome for finding a way to support small businesses. Our Downtown Improvement District is putting on the holiday shopping trolley and the market. They even foot the bill for the trolley transportation all around town.

This works fabulously for me because, as my driving foot is not operable, I can’t drive myself. Plus, why waste my gas money if I don’t have to?

You know you are jealous about the awesome program my town has. Does your town have holiday markets like this for the holiday season or Small Business Saturday? Do you plan to shop small on Small Business Saturday? What are you hoping to score?

Looks like it’s gonna be a fun day for Mr. Crunchy, me and the kids. As long as my wallet survives the fun, I think we will all be ok!

 

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for American Express. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

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Positive Sprouts: Learn more about healthy eating with BGCA and Amway

November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
bgca

Positive Sprouts Boys and Girls Club

You guys know my family and I are try pretty hard to eat healthily. Ok, so “try” is in there, but we are getting better. I was really excited to see that Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Amway have joined up together to spread the message of healthy eating!

Amway and Boys and Girls Club of America have started the Positive Sprouts program. This is a great program that makes healthy eating fun! It gets kids involved from the beginning of the food cycle. It also enables BGCA to receive $30,000 in grants to 4,000 clubs nationwide!

TEACH KIDS TO LOVE GARDENING

Amway has donated 150 garden in a box kits to BCGA clubs that show interest in the program! These great boxes get kids involved in the gardening process. My kids and I love to garden, and it really helps them get excited about their food. My youngest daughter loves to grow cherry tomatoes. Often they don’t even make it into the house.

In our community garden, we grow asparagus and strawberries. Those are the two things my other two children love, and seldom make it to the plate either. At least they are loving to eat great nutritious foods.

BGCA HELPS KIDS LEARN AND GROW

This program touches my heart not only because it shows kids how to garden, something we love, but also helps kids in need. My children went to the Boys and Girls Club of Ocala when I was a single mom. They had great programs for the kids to participate in, and I didn’t have to break the bank to have them in an after-school program. That’s why I am always happy to spread the word about the great programs at BGCA.

To learn more about the Positive Sprouts program and the Amway partnership make sure to visit their websites:

  • http://bgca.org/meetourpartners/Pages/Amway.aspx
  • http://www.myclubmylife.com/positivesprouts/Pages/Welcome.aspx

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Amway. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

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Small Business Saturday: Handcrafted Artisan Work when you shop small!

November 16, 2012 By 5 Comments
Small Business SAturday

In the days of the Internet, cell phones, and tablets everyone is on the go almost 24/7. Every thing is mass manufactured, and there are alot of anecdotes about the “good ole days.” It’s no wonder that we are such an anxious bunch.

Body Alchemy Bath Works

National retail chains are these massive stores that you can get lost in for days. You could shop there 50 times and not get the same cashier twice. Don’t get me wrong mass retailers definitely have their benefits, but when I am looking for top quality and something with a personal touch I make sure to shop small.

There is nothing better than discovery a favorite local bakery, or a artist’s studio filled with handmade pottery. These are the places that still fill their businesses with passion and care when hand crafting their artisan goods. Every once of their being goes into that loaf of bread or hand painted glass.

One of my favorite ways to shop local during the summer is the Barr Street Market. It’s a great farmer’s market every Saturday that has breads, fruits, veggies, and tons of local handcrafted soaps, jewelry, and pots. It’s really one of my favorite places to get lost on a Saturday morning.

 

As I told you guys last time, my best friend makes the most amazing hand crafted soaps, lotions, and lip balms. She is humble and tells you, “Oh, it’s just a ‘formula.’ Anyone can do this.” That is where she is wrong. Being a soapstress is her passion, she pours every ounce of her being into those bars, and you can tell it in the quality work she does.

Small Business SAturday

In support of my bestie, next Saturday, November 24th, on Small Business Saturday I will be assisting her at her booth at the Holly Trolley Shopping in Fort Wayne. It’s a great  local program that sets up a ton of local small businesses from 7 am to 7 pm. They then offer a free trolley service between all the businesses so the locals can get some holiday shopping done. It’s a lot of fun, and many make the tradition of going each year to get the holidays started off right.

 

 

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of American Express. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

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Helping the Community Harvest Food Bank with GE SIMPLE and Champion for Kids #GELightingCFK

November 16, 2012 By 1 Comment
GE Simple

 

Four years ago ,today actually, my husband and I left the Sunshine state bound for Indiana, the Hoosier state. It was a big risk moving 1,000 miles away from all of the family that we knew, but it was a risk we were willing to take to make a better life for our family.

A NEW ENDEAVOUR

We were really excited about moving to Indiana, and we were even able to transfer his job up there as well. Everything was going splendidly for about six months, until the day before our eldest daugther’s tenth birthday. That was the day that my husband was laid off from his job. I was a stay at home mom at the time, so this blow hit us really hard.

GE Simple

TIMES GET ROUGH

Our family down south was able to help us a lot during this time, but there were times that we weren’t sure how we would get food on the table. That’s when we turned to Community Harvest Food Bank to fill in the blanks. Honestly, it was one of the most humbling moments of my life, but I was glad that there were resources like them to help us out during our time of need.

GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY HARVEST FOOD BANK

Ever since being  back on our feet, we try to find ways to give back to the food bank. They operate solely on donations and grants. Without their services, thousands of people in my area would go hungry. I know we would have.

That’s why when we had the chance to pick a GE SIMPLE service project and be a part of Champions for Kids we chose to donate light bulbs to the Community Harvest Food Bank! It’s a donation that may not put food in bellies, but it does reduce their overhead costs so they can feed more people.

Just look at this chart, it gives you an idea how much the food bank, and other centers, could save if they made the switch to energy saving light bulbs. As an added bonus, it’s a green choice too!

Donate Light Bulbs

Because I was in a cast, I had to get my friend to drop the light bulbs off for me, but she said they were really happy to have the donation. Every little bit counts when it comes to giving back.

Challenge yourself! Who would you do a GE SIMPLE project for?

To learn more about GE SIMPLE and Champions for Kids make sure to follow them:

Join Crunchy Frugalista and others in the GE challenge. Then make sure to submit a nomination of a school or charity to win a $100 WM gift card at http://www.championsforkids.org/gechallenge

 

 

 

 

As part of my partnership with GE, I received coupons for my GE light bulbs.  All opinions posted about my GE Lighting experience are my own.” “I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ Champions for Kids and GE Lighting #CBias #SocialFabric”

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Starbucks helps us honor, Mr. Crunchy Our Favorite Veteran #DeliciousPairings

November 14, 2012 By 6 Comments
Starbucks Holiday Blend

Delicious Pairings

I have always had the joke that I had the entire armed forces covered someway in my life. Born in Hawaii as a navy brat, I married and Army soldier, and my second husband, Mr. Crunchy, is a Marine. If my son or daughters join Air Force or Coast Guard, we have them all covered!

Starbucks Holiday Blend

This Veteran’s Day we wanted to surprise Mr. Crunchy with breakfast to say thank you for serving our country while he was in the Marines. He’s a little bit too humble when it comes to his time in service, but we wanted to show him that we cared.

 

The kids thought it would be a great idea to make him breakfast and some cards. They each pulled out the markers, crayons, and colored pencils and got to it. (Ok, my 13 year old needed a little bit of convincing) When they each finished, they were so excited to hide their cards until it was time to give them to their dad.

Starbucks Holiday Blend

It was a bit of a covert mission to get his goodies for his breakfast. I have a cast on my driving foot, so he had to take me to the store. It wasn’t really possible to shop and check out without him seeing what I was getting, but I had a good story. We picked up the Starbucks holiday blend and pumpkin muffins. I just told him that I was trying to get in the holiday spirit (wink wink). He didn’t have to know which holiday.

Sam's Club Pumpkin Muffin

On Veteran’s Day morning, my son fired up the coffee maker and pulled out the pumpkin muffins to prepare breakfast for Mr Crunchy. Mr Crunchy is an early riser, so it’s not like we could actually make him breakfast in bed, but we were able to surprise him with breakfast. My kids all loved jumping out and screaming “Happy Veteran’s Day, Daddy,” when he turned into the kitchen.

Ok, I will admit I had some of the coffee before Mr. Crunchy got to it, and I have to say that Starbucks Holiday Blend is one of the things I look forward to most during the holiday season. With it’s subtle notes of  ginger, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, and cloves, it was amazing on it’s own and even better when complimented with the pumpkin muffin.

We normally drink Starbucks in the store, but we thought this day it would be a great addition at Mr. Crunchy’s Veteran’s Day breakfast~ He was all smiles that day, so I guess it was a good idea!

To learn more about Starbucks and Sams Club, make sure to follow them:

 

 

 

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Starbucks. #CBias #SocialFabric

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The National Chocolate Show Navy Pier, Chicago November 16-18

November 13, 2012 By 1 Comment
The National Chocolate Shot

National Chocolate Festival

If you are in the Chicago area this weekend, you really have to check out the National Chocolate show that will be held at the Navy Pier, Chicago from 11/16-11/18. This is sure to be any chocolate lovers dream. This convention is open to the public and will feature amazing chocolate demonstrations, free chocolate samplings, and even amazing chocolate sculptures! Here is the demonstration line up for this great event!

The National Chocolate Shot

CHOCOLATE DEMONSTRATION STAGE SCHEDULE

Friday, November 16

  • ·         11 a.m.-1 p.m.  Valrhona: Chef Derek Poirier
  • ·         2-3 p.m. Callebaut: Chef Celine Plano
  • ·         4 p.m. Chocolate Truffle: Chef Dimitri Fayard
  • ·         5 p.m. Chocolate Marshmallow: Chef Dimitri Fayard
  • ·         6 p.m. Chocolate Ice Cream: Chef Dimitri Fayard
  • ·         7 p.m. Chocolate Bouchon: Chef Joshua Johnson
  • ·         8 p.m. Chocolate Truffle: Chef Joshua Johnson

Saturday, November 17

  • ·         11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cacao Barry: Chef Fred Loraschi
  • ·         1:30 p.m. Chocolate Marshmallow: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         2:30 p.m. Chocolate Ice Cream: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         3:30 p.m. Chocolate Bouchon: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         4:30 p.m. Chocolate Truffle: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         5:30 p.m. Chocolate Marshmallow: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         6:30 p.m. Chocolate Ice Cream: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         7:30 p.m. Chocolate Bouchon: Chef Della Gossett
  • ·         8:30 p.m. Chocolate Truffle: Chef Della Gossett

Sunday, November 18

  • ·         10 a.m. Chocolate Truffle: Chef Dimitri Fayard
  • ·         11 a.m. Chocolate Marshmallow: Chef Dimitri Fayard
  • ·         12 p.m. Chocolate Ice Cream: Chef Dimitri Fayard
  • ·         1 p.m. Chocolate Bouchon: Chef Joshua Johnson
  • ·         2 p.m. Chocolate Truffle: Chef Joshua Johnson
  • ·         3 p.m. Chocolate Marshmallow: Chef Joshua Johnson

Tickets may be purchased at the door to attend this great event. The prices are $25 for adults and $10 for children! This will sure to be an event that you won’t want to miss.

To learn more about The National Chocolate show visit their website at:  www.chicagochocolatefestival.com

 

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Get Ready for Small Business Saturday

November 10, 2012 By 3 Comments
Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday

Last year was my first time hearing about Small Business Saturday, and I have to say that I think it is an AWESOME campaign. American Express gave away thousands of free $25 gift cards for people to use to support local small businesses in their area. With the economy the way it was, I thought this was such a great gesture. There are so many interesting businesses in my area that have gone under due to the hard economics times. It was really neat to see  AMEX support their own stimulus package in order to help the small business owner.

After my first year participating, I have made more of a conscious effort to support local businesses. Over the summer, my best friends and I started our own small business. One of my besties, Jules as we call her, makes some of the most amazing soaps ever! Until I met her, I HATED bar soap. It was always so drying, and nasty smelly. I hadn’t used a bar of soap for probably 10-15 years. Her stuff is so amazing that I won’t use anything but her products.

Body Alchemy Bath Works

Being a woman small business owner myself, I love having my kids around seeing what I do. I am also a homeschooling mom, so my kids are able to learn business from a very early age. They get to see first hand what it takes to be a small business owner.

There are a LOT of long hours for very little pay. That’s the life of a small business owner, but in return they get to do something that you passionate about. It’s a blessing to be able to go to “work” every day and do something you adore.

My kids help out with Crunchy Frugalista every day. They are my best product testers, crafters, and brainstormers my business has. I don’t think they realize how much they help out, but I hope they know my small business is all done for them.

On Small Business Saturday, November 24th, I plan to take my kids to a local bakery that I just discovered. They are making cupcakes for my best friends wedding next October. They have THE MOST AMAZING cupcakes I have ever had. (and this girl has had a LOT of cupcakes) It will be a great way to  say thanks to my kids for helping build my small business, and also a great way to support another local small business!

What do you plan to do on Small Business Saturday, November 24th?

 

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for American Express. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

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Donate Light Bulbs #GELightingCFK

November 9, 2012 By 1 Comment
GE SIMPLE Service Project

As part of my partnership with GE, I received coupons for my GE light bulbs.  All opinions posted about my GE Lighting experience are my own.

Every year, my children and I choose a few service projects to do to help our community out. We always try to find to help the Community Harvest Food Bank because it’s a cause that is near and dear to our hearts!

GE SIMPLE Service Project

About 3 years ago, Mr. Crunchy lost his job. It was pretty much the lowest point in our family’s life. We had very little money coming in, and because of that we needed to use the services of the food bank to keep our family fed. It was a really humbling moment, but it was there for us when we needed it. For this reason, we are always trying to make sure it can stay in operation so others can use their services when they need it too.

A few times a year we volunteer there, and/or try to find away to collect goods or supplies to help them help others. When we had the chance to participate with Champions for Kids again, we were really excited to collect energy saving light bulbs for the Community Harvest Food Bank.

We decided to donate GE Energy Smart light bulbs to the food bank, because they are a great way to help the bank save money on their operating costs. I was checking out this great calculator to see just how much we could help them save! Just by switching 100 bulbs to GE Energy Smart bulbs, we could help the food bank save almost $900 a year! Just imagine how many more people they could feed with that money!

Ge Light Calculator

We decided to help our local food bank, but we encourage you to find your own GE SIMPLE service project. Join Champion for Kids, and find out how your kids can make a huge change in local programs that serve children in your area!

What GE SIMPLE Service Project will your family do?

To learn more about Champion for Kids and GE SIMPLE Projects, make sure to follow them:

To learn more about what we donated, make sure to visit our GE SIMPLE Service project Google+ Album

am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ Champions for Kids and GE Lighting #CBias #SocialFabric”

 

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Sponge Baths with Chris Hemsworth

November 6, 2012 By 6 Comments
Chris Hemsworth

WARNING: Some pics not for the weak of heart or stomach

 

I bet that title got your attention! Who wouldn’t want a sponge bath by Chris Helmsworth?

Well, as you guys know I had surgery exactly a week ago today. Trust me when I tell you I have learned the importance of stretching. Memo noted, taken, memorized. Got it! I will never exercise without stretching again.

Went to the doctor today to get my monstrous bandage off, and it really made me ponder the things I have learned while sitting on my ever growing butt over the last week. Please learn through me, so you to won’t need a sponge bath from Chris Helmsworth (wait, that was supposed to make you listen, not make you want to hurt yourself)

 

Lesson 1: Sweatpants are your best friend. Especially the XXXL size!

This goes beyond the regular yoga pant love! One thing the docs neglected to tell me was that my bandage was going to be the size of Elephant Man’s foot. The ONLY pants I could get on were 2 pair of pajamas pants my bestie gave me that her mom didn’t wear anymore. If they hadn’t been TWO sizes too big, I would have spent this entire week pantless. Trust me, that option is NOT as glamorous as it seems. I mean LOOK at this thing! It’s huge!

achilles surgery

 

Lesson 2: Sponge baths are overated!

Unless this gorgeous piece of man is administering said sponge bath, having to wash yourself using a washcloth and washing your hair in the sink is WAY overrated. The first thing I am going to do tomorrow is take a shower!

Chris Hemsworth

I am sad to report that Chris Hemsworth’s PR peeps never did get back to me about my sponge bath request. Hoping their response is still in the mail.

 

Lesson 3: Stitches are an amazing way to gross out your friends.

My daughter and my best friend took me to the doctor to get my elephant bandage removed. My stitches sure felt a LOT larger when they were in the bandage. Warning this next pic is not for the weak stomached.

Achilles Surgery

 

Lesson 4: The world will not end if you sit your butt in a recliner for a week (or two)

As mom’s we are always on the go, and always taking care of everyone else. You know what I have done this week? Eat, take pains meds, sleep, sponge bath, waited for Chris to show up, and repeat.

I have caught up on my blog design, finished a few crochet projects, and even finished a few books that I have been meaning to read. Guess what?! My house is still standing. My kids are still getting fed, and my husband is still clothed.  The world DOES still go on when mom is not functional.
Lesson 5: Things that make the world all better

This week would’ve been so much harder with out my invalid survival gear. Thanks to the suggestions of so many Crunchy readers, I had QUITE the set up to help me stave off boredom.

 

Things that make invalid status better

  • Warm Fuzzy blankets
  • Lots of comfy pillows
  • Computer games
  • Books
  • and of course Steak and Shake Milk shakes!

Recovering from injury

Lesson 6: It’s exciting to be able to wear “real” clothes again

This week has consisted of sweaters, sweat pants, and no bra days. It will be nice ,now that I am in a cast again, to actually look like I can wear real clothes. I am actually craving a shower and my cute jeans! Does that make me sad?

Achilles Surgery

Have you ever been laid up for a while? What lessons did you learn from your time down and out?

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: ,

Monday Quiz About Me 11/5

November 5, 2012 By 12 Comments
Monday Quiz about me

Monday Quiz about me

I have been having fun with Acting Balanced, and the Monday Quiz about me! It’s a fun way to get to know myself and other bloggers that you read. Here are this week’s questions:

1. What is your favorite thing about November?
2. What was the last thing that you bought that you regretted soon afterwards?
3. What is your go to snack food?
4. Do you believe that newspapers should charge for their online content?

And don’t forget to add a 5th Question on your own blog so we can answer as we hop around!

 

1. What is your favorite thing about November?
There are so many things that I love about November. The cooler weather, snow (it’s usually when we get our first snow in Indiana). It’s also my youngest daughter’s birthday, and of course we all love Turkey Day. I have my own ceremonial elastic pants just for that day. Ok, well that might be a tad of an exaggeration.

2. What was the last thing that you bought that you regretted soon afterwards?

This one is a toughy. I am awful about eating out. SO probably the last time I ate out. If I could kill that habit, then I would have a lot more money in my pocket.

3. What is your go to snack food?
My favorite at the moment is the Baked Pepperidge Farm four cheese crackers. I swear they are laced with crack! I could eat a whole box in less than a day.

4. Do you believe that newspapers should charge for their online content?

This is kind of an obscure question. They probably should, but I like the fact that they don’t. I love reading online news content, but I am WAY too cheap to pay to read the news.

My 5th question this week is …

5. What is the most embarrassing story your spouse has on you?

Oh, marriage isn’t marriage unless you give your spouse at least one juicy story to tease you with for the rest of your life. My story would probably have to be the time we went to New Orleans. This was actually before we were married, but to this day (six years later) he still is happy to share my little tale with whomever is within ear shot.

My story begins in the Hilton French Quarter New Orleans. I had won a regional sales award from my employer at the time. They were kind enough to fly us all down to New Orleans for a weekend trip. At the awards ceremony they had an open bar, just beer and wine. I “thought” I had been behaving myself because I didn’t want to get up there fall down drunk to accept my award.

I accepted my award along with the 14 other recipients, and managed not to embarrass myself. I thought I was in the home stretch. Boy was I wrong. By the end of the ceremony, I had already had 4 small glasses of wine in me. Then my co-workers thought it would be a great idea to go to O’Brian’s “the home of the hurricane”. First off, PAY ATTENTION when they call a drink after a force of nature. It is sure to end badly if you don’t.

Those four glasses of wine had me feeling like super woman, so not only did I order my very first hurricane, but I added a “floater” shot on top of it! We were with friends. We were out of town it was all good. That was until about half way through the drink every thing became a blur.

I remember somewhere in there professing “I wuv ewe” to my then fiancee, and trying to convince him to find some hoodoo priest to marry us on the spot. I even remember the walk of shame down canal street with my husband’s arm being the only thing keeping me up. I even remember yelling at him about not ripping my pants because they were my only pair of work pants.

What I don’t remember is much after that, but trust me Mr. Crunchy has taken the last six years helping fill in every teeny tiny detail about that night. He also has helped me make sure each and everyone of my friends knows them too.

What about you? Does your spouse have an embarrassing story they enjoy telling about you over and over again?

 

Filed Under: Life Tagged With:

Spider Man Pre Order Party:Our Spidey Senses were tingly #SoFab #Cbias #SpidermanWMT

November 3, 2012 By 4 Comments
The Amazing Spider Man Pre-Order

My whole family are huge Spider Man fans. We own all of the versions from the early 2000s, and now we own the newest movie too! In the spirit of Spider Man, we decided to through a huge party to share the release of The Amazing Spiderman with our friends and family. Since we purchased The Amazing Spider Man pre order, we were able to watch the movie on Vudu.com even before we received our DVD!

The Amazing Spider Man

Since it was around Halloween, we decided to throw a pre-launch and a Halloween party. The kids and I had so much fun planning the party. Even though I had just had surgery, we still had a blast planning and preparing for our guests to arrive. Of course, we had tons of great spider themed goodies for our party. That was the most fun part!

The Amazing Spider Man Pre-Order

My kids helped me make the party extra Spidey special. We decorated cupcakes with spider webs on top, and then put plastic spiders in the top of the cupcakes. Plus, I found these adorable cupcake holders at Walmart that held one cupcake. It had legs on it so the whole cupcake cake looked like a giant spider. Want to hear a funny story? Mr. Crunchy didn’t realize that I had put plastic spiders on the the top of the cupcakes, and he started to chew on one of the toy spiders! Oops!

The Amazing Spider Man Pre-Order

The Amazing Spider Man Pre-Order

When we were also at Walmart, we grabbed a few of the Marketplace pizzas. I had only had them a few times, but I warn you they are addicting. They are large enough to feed an army, plus their toppings are amazing. We even saw that some of them had The Amazing Spiderman on them. Plus, they had stand up Spider Man signs that you can collect. I thought that was neat!

The Amazing Spider Man

About 15 of our nearest and dearest friends showed up to have a little spidey fun. I think my favorite costume of the night was my friends’ son. He is about six months old, and he came dressed as a monkey. He was absolutely fricking adorable!

The Amazing Spider Man

We also had a zombie bride, a My Little Pony, a cat, a viking, and of course Spider Man (that was my God daughter). Everyone did such a great job dressing up. I came as the laid up invalid. I tell ya, my bandage is the size of a small country, and that is scary enough. No need to wear a costume!

The Amazing Spider Man

After stuffing our faces, we all settled down to watch the movie. Everyone really enjoyed it! I love great movies like The Amazing Spiderman. It’s such a great excuse to get family and friends together for a great time!

Want to learn more about The Amazing Spiderman? Make sure to follow them:

Closer to launch date, The Amazing Spider Man is going to launch an amazing augmented reality app! You can scan things, like specially marked Marketplace pizza, to unlock the things in the app! It’s supposed to be a really cool app!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment #CBias #SocialFabric

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Surviving those teenage mood swings

October 25, 2012 By 6 Comments
Dealing with Teenage Mood Swings

Dealing with Teenage Mood SwingsWhen my daughter first started her period, it was REALLY obvious when she was on her cycle. Her moods were all over the place. She was mad, sad, and aggravated all at the same time. The absolute littlest thing would set her off. I swear there was a trail of death and destruction in her wake at least once a month.

Don’t Hide; Teach Her How to Cope

Rather than investing in an underground bunker during her time of the month, I chose to talk to my daughter about learning when her period is coming and how to soothe her moods a little bit more. She wasn’t buying it at first, but as she has gotten older she has learned to recognize the signs and is in much better spirits.

Every girl is different, but here are some signs to teach your daughter to watch for. She can watch for when her face breaks , tender breasts, and possibly cramping. Luckily my daughter is like clock work, about four days after noticing these changes she usually starts. Then she knows that her moods are going to be whacky.

Let Her Know You Understand

It was so hard as a mom to see my normally calm daughter struggle with her emotions. As a woman, I know how real those emotions feel even if they aren’t really warranted. We had a great talk about how I knew exactly what she was going through. Even though she felt like she could throw something through the wall, it wasn’t really appropriate to scream at her brother for looking at her funny. (Her brother appreciated this talk as well)

Once she knew I understood, but that I wasn’t going to let her take the house hostage once a month, she really started to feel better. Next, we came up with a list of ways that she could cope the emotional roller coaster.  Here’s the list we came up with.

Top 5 Ways to Survive Teenage Mood Swings.

1. Have your iPod (or other music handy): My daughter loves music, and it helps her escape. If she finds a mood bubbling up, she grabs her iPod and tunes the world out.

2. Remove yourself from the situtation: When she finds her temper about to flare, she excuses herself from the room. This one is REALLY hard, but with your help and lots of practice it is a great option to give her time to cool off.

3. Write it down: Sometimes my daughter can’t escape a situation, so she carries a journal with her so she can get all of her feelings out on paper. Trust me this is a much better option than letting her at her little sister’s neck.

4. Have some “me” time:  When my daughter has had enough of the world, she likes to spend time alone in her room. We let her siblings know that when her door is closed that she is not to be disturbed. It has helped her enjoy time by herself, and really learned to appreciate things she enjoys.

5. Never be afraid to apologize: Being a teen is hard, and there are always going to be sometimes that you just blow up for no reason. Teach your teen that it’s ok to apologize. We have talked with our whole family about puberty, and how it can teens seem “crazy”. My kids don’t hold it against their sister, but they definitely appreciate an apology when the hormone monster takes over.

What tips would you give your teen to be prepared for her period? Do you do anything to cope when your hormones are all over the place? What do you wish your parents would’ve taught you as a teen?

 

To learn more great tips, make sure to visit:
The Kotex site: http://www.kotex.com/tween and http://www.ubykotex.com/helloperiod

I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by Kotex Tween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: , , , , ,

Teaching your Children about Gun Safety

October 23, 2012 By 8 Comments
Daisy Red Rider

Daisy Red Rider

One thing you guys probably don’t know about me is that my father was shot when I was an infant. Due to someone being careless during a hunting trip, my dad almost lost his life. It not only changed my family forever, but it lead me to have a childhood with a horrible fear of firearms.

Daisy Red Rider

I have always thought knowledge is power, and as an adult refused to let my inexperience with guns hinder me. Since I didn’t grow up familiar with guns or gun safety, I thought it would be really important to teach my children about gun safety so they didn’t grow up with the same fear that I did.

I know guns is a really touchy subject, but honestly if I can learn to enjoy target shooting and having family outings regarding guns I think anyone can. Teaching your children how to target shoot can not only build confidence, but it can also teach them discipline and a skill they will enjoy for the rest of their lives.

Daisy Red Rider

My kids have been asking for a BB gun for many years now. Only until recently, I didn’t think it would be an appropriate choice, but now that they are older my husband and I thought it would be fun to teach them how to use it and how to stay safe while using it.

I am very blessed because my husband is an ex-Marine fire arms instructor. He knows the ins and outs of firearm safety. That’s why I was so comfortable for him to teach me and help me overcome my fear of guns. It was really sweet to see him get down on the kids level and teach them how to properly use their BB gun, and the importance of always handling it with respect.

Daisy Red Rider

Do you want to teach your children about gun safety? A BB gun is a great way to do that! It’s much safer than using a regular firearm, and give the children practice with something they can handle. Here are some great tips from Daisy Red Rider to teach your children:

Daisy Red Rider

  1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Make sure that the muzzle is pointed in a direction that won’t cause harm. It should NEVER be pointed at people.
  1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. This one is crucial. This one simple rule could’ve prevented my dad’s accident. Even if you “know” it’s unloaded always treat it as it’s loaded
  1. Only load or cock a gun when you are shooting. 
  1. Check your target and beyond your target. Always make sure to check your complete surroundings before shooting!
  1. Anyone shooting or near a shooter should wear shooting glasses. Eye safety is extremely important! Plus never stand in front of the shooter.
  1. Never climb or jump with a gun. 
  1. Avoid ricochet. Never shoot at a flat hard surface or at the surface of water. Ammunition can ricochet off of water just like a skipped rock.
  2. Keep the muzzle clear. Never let anything obstruct the muzzle of a gun. Don’t allow the muzzle to come in contact with the ground.
Daisy Red Rider

Now that you know a little bit more about gun safety, would you let your children shoot? Do you think it’s important to teach your children about gun safety?

Learn more about our family fun day with Daisy Red Rider in our Google+ Album!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Daisy. #CBias #SocialFabric

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Can’t keep a fighter down, well maybe you can!

October 22, 2012 By 4 Comments
Can't keep a fighter down

Can't keep a fighter downWell, today was judgement day. It was the day when I was to find out if my foot would be on the mend, or if I was to have surgery and given a one way ticket to sitting on my butt for more undisclosed amounts of time.

My foot had been feeling better, so I was hoping that the doc was going to tell me I had won what was behind door number one.Unfortunately, all I got was the goat behind door number two and what that means is surgery.

I am not a spring chicken anymore, but man I never thought an attempt to get back in shape would be such a pain in my butt….err foot. Through this journey I have definitely learned a lot, and I am really hoping that this surgery has a end result that is positive.

What have I learned from the last 6 months?

1. Definitely take stretching seriously! More than likely all this crud could’ve been prevented if I had taken the time to stretch. This mess started in MARCH. Now that we are talking surgery, I have at LEAST another 5 months in recovery. It could take up to a year!

2. Listen to your body, even when it makes you feel old: I am only 33, but my body is definitely not feeling like it used to. So when your mind is telling you are a rock star, but your body is saying “whoa, Nelly!” , you need to LISTEN. Not listening could help you into a “wonderful” situation like the one I am in.

3. It’s ok to ask for help: It is quite humbling to have to ask for help in and out of the shower, but it is so much less humbling than having to call paramedics to get your naked butt off the floor after you have broken something else. That’s just speculation on my part, but doesn’t sound like a whole lot of fun.

4. The house not being clean will not kill you: Despite what my OCD keeps telling me, it is OK to sit on your butt and heal. Even moms need time to take care of themselves, and sometimes injuries and illnesses is our body’s way of doing that. Let those dishes sit.Plus, isn’t that what kids are for?

5. Be thankful for the little things: Being laid up for this long makes you crave things you usually take for granted, like walking or gardening. This that you used to do every day really seem like something you would just kill somebody to do. When you are all healed up, make sure to slow down and savour the moments!

6. Never give up! It royally sucks that I am going to have to have surgery, but in my life  I have learned that they can’t hold you down unless you let them. Take it easy, rest, heal, and enjoy a free week off full of great drugs! Plus, you are going to be waited on hand and foot and don’t even have to pay for it! People pay big bucks at a spa for that kind of treatment!

I really hope through this journey you guys have learned a thing or two so you don’t end up laid up like me, but on the bright side it will definitely mean I have more time to blog.  Since my butt is going to be making a permanent indention in the sofa, I might as well let you guys enjoy my drug induced anectdotes, no?

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