Spring Bucket List

My kids and I love to make our “Bucket List” of things we want to do during a particular time or season.  We always create one for the summer and over Christmas break.  This year we will be out of town (in warmer weather) over Spring break, but there are still a lot of things we want to do this Spring.  Spring officially started on March 20^th.  I sure hope Mother Nature got the memo, because we are ready for some springtime temperatures.

I know Spring is just around the corner, because my daffodils are starting to peak out of the ground.  That is a good sign, so is being light out until past 7:30 in the evening and hearing the birds singing in the early morning hours when walking my son to the bus stop.  Spring is my favorite season, it is a wonderful transition time in which you can open doors and windows, smell that gorgeous Spring air, the start of long evening walks, and allowing the kids to play into the evening hours outside with their friends.

For Spring, this is what is hitting our Bucket List:

 

Swimming at the Rec Center

Go to the Zoo

Learn to Ride a 2-Wheeler (my 5 year old)

Go to the Science Center

See Rio 2

Prepare and Plant Our Garden

Build a Bird House (Check out my Pinterest Ideas)

Finger Paint Outside

Family Bike Ride at the Park

Clean out the Garage – Sell/Donate unwanted Toys

Hug Mickey Mouse

We post our list in the kitchen and cross the items off as we complete them.  It is a fantastic way to hold Mom and Dad accountable for getting things done!

What’s on your must do this for Spring?

Shopping Kids Resale

One of the ways our family saves money is that I shop resale shops for kids clothing.  My daughter will be wearing size 2T this summer which I believe is an ideal age to find some great clothes at amazing prices when you shop resale.  My boys are in sizes 6 and 10 now, so it is much more difficult to find good, quality clothing at resale shops for them.  I believe the ideal age group is from newborn up to size 5.

There are a few outlets I use for resale clothing:

1. Online Facebook Garage Sale Sites: I have some some great bargains on these sites, the only downside is you have to be careful you are not running all over town to pick up items.
2. Organized Children Resale Events:  This is where space is sold to hundreds of people to sell used clothing items.  We have 2 events a year at our community recreation center as well as events hosted by local PTA groups.
3. Traditional Resale Stores:  I have 2 stores in my area that I love to visit a couple times a year to see what bargains I can find.  I also take clothes in twice a year for store credit on a new purchase.

I realize you normally cannot get your child's entire wardrobe on resale, but I truly believe you can put together a decent amount of clothing for a season and minimize the new clothing you need to purchase.  Yesterday I stopped into my favorite resale store and man did I find the items!  You have to remember timing is everything, and you have to be patient to go through racks of clothing to find the gems!  I prefer to go alone also, so that you are not distracted.  I hit the Gymboree jackpot!

All three of these outfits were from the Gymboree Spring/Summer 2013 line.

 I also managed to find an additional 3 outfits for this summer.  All of the outfits are in like new condition!

With my discount and tax, I walked out with 6 new outfits for a little over $23.  I was quite pleased with my quick shopping trip.  Now if the weather would just warm up so my little girl can wear her new clothes!

Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap - Review & Giveaway

 

Experience a new level of hand washing with NEW Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap.  NEW Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap is the latest Dial Brand hand soap bringing luxury to your hand washing experience.  These premium soaps feature vibrant scents, a gentle micro-scrubber formula that smooths and moisturizes the skin, and a completely new design that adds personal style to your home.

 

I was able to try both the Coconut Lime Verbena and Water Blossoms scents.  This product also comes in Yellow Raspberry and Black Sugar.  The scent was amazing!  I love a scent that lingers long after you wash your hands, and this soap will not disappoint!

 

You can also see, that this soap does not lather up a lot.  You can however feel the tiny micro-scrubbers when you wash your hands.  These are the soaps you put out when you have company coming over to visit. The packaging is a bit more on the elegant side, and looks lovely displayed in your bathroom!  Personally, I may keep one of the bottles in my bathroom, so the kids do not use it all up!

Want to try it yourself?  Three winners will win a coupon for free bottle! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Dial brand provided me with a sample of Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in exchange for a product review.  However, all opinions, as always, expressed here are my own.

Preschool Project - Fun With Bingo Markers

 

This is a great activity for a three year old.  All you need is a large sheet of heavy paper.  I then traced the letters of their name.  You will then need a set of Bingo daubers/markers, something like this:

 

Most craft stores sell then or you can also get them on Amazon!

Next just let your child dab away with different colors, trying to keep within the letters of their name!

2014 Goals - February Recap

Its March 1st, so that means it is time to check in on our goals for 2014. I am quite proud of my progress so far.

I am making a real, conscious effort to set goals in 2014 and stick to them. The best way I can think of is to hold myself accountable on a monthly basis. Be sure to check back in the first of every month to see my progress as well as link up your progress.

1. Relationship with God - Do one activity a month to strength my relationship with God (going to mass on Sunday does not count).

Not happy with my progress here - I always attend Sunday mass, but I want to do something extra.  I need to make a conscience effort in March!

2. Relationship with my Husband - Go on one date night a month with my husband. Plan an overnight trip of at least 2 nights away to take in 2014

We did dinner out and our Saturday night bowling league and we went our for dinner and drinks with another couple!

3. Family Time - Do one activity as a family once a month. Take one family vacation and one long weekend getaway in 2014.

We took the boys to Monster Jam!

Vacation #1 is booked for April!!!

4. Relationships with my Kids - Do a one-on-one activity with each child each month (3 a month).

I took the boys to see The Lego Movie

5. Declutter - sell at least 5 items per month.

I sold 9 items this month for a total a $55

6. Debt - Pay off Debt #1 and reduce Debt #2 by 50%

Made last payment on Debt #1 (yeah - no more car payments!) and reduced Debt #2 by 10%

7. Me Time - Say "no" to one extra commitment a month. Do an only me or "girls night" activity once a month.

I said "no" to a birthday party invite.  I had a night out with 2 dear friends from college as well as had my hair cut and highlighted

8. Budget Buster - Keep library fines to under $5 for the entire year (this is so hard for me).

No library fines this month, I am committed to checking my account online first thing Monday morning

9. Work/Life Balance - Friday at 5 pm - until Monday at 8 am - do not check work e-mails (I am off the clock).

Struggling here a bit, I still look at my iPhone too much to see e-mails, however I have not opened my laptop on the weekends

10. Have an online business (this idea has been in my head for over a year) fully functioning by the end of 2014. I need to take one giant step every month to achieve this goal!

I did not make any additional progress in February.  I am getting sidetracked with working on my blog and now I want to write an eBook.  My mind is so scattered and I need to figure out what I truly want to focus on in March!
 

How are you doing on your goals thus far? Feel free to leave a comment or link up!

 

TILT – 7 Solutions To Be A Guilt-Free Working Mom – A Review & Giveaway

 

As a full-time working Mom of three kids, my life often feels unbalanced, unorganized, and somewhat chaotic, I’ve come to almost accept this in our day to day life.  I have long come to the realization that when the phrase is used, “you can have it all”, it is really not true at all.  Every day I need to pick and choose what I need to do and to say no to the things I know I am just not capable of doing.  I deal with a case of “Mommy Guilt” almost daily in my life.  I am on a constant mission to overcome this guilt and I was so glad I was able to read TILT by Marci Fair!

Marci Fair’s mantra in her new book is stated loud and clear “I have learned how to shape and build happy, successful children as I reach for my own dreams in my TILTed life.  Balance is impossible; memories are better.”  Previously, I have always used the term “balance” in my life; Marci’s perspective is little different with indicating that it is not about balance.  We need to accept challenges thrown at us working Moms on a daily basis and learn how to adjust our lives accordingly.  It is about making the right choices for you and your family and letting go of the wild idea that we can do it all!

I clearly remember my dreams when started my first day of college back in 1996.  I was going to graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering, become a career-minded woman, obtain a nice, livable salary, eventually get married, have children and be a working Mom.  The good news is I have achieved all of that and more.  I ended up receiving my MBA and now have a wonder job as a Sales Manager in a Fortune 200 company.  I’ve been married for over 12 years and we have 3 wonderful children living in a somewhat state of “surviving” at this point.   At this point in my life, we are so busy with our family; I admit my dreams and goals have changed quite a bit.  I think my biggest goal in life right now is to get home by a decent hour every night and get a home cooked meal on the table.  The truth?  I am perfectly fine with this goal.  I’m at a stage of my life where I am content in my career.  It works for me and gives me the flexibility to spend time with my family.    

Even as busy working Moms we still need to have dreams and goals and encourage our kids to do the same.  They may be far off in the distance, but we should not be discouraged from dreaming big.  Perhaps it’s a short-term dream of going to Disney World or a long term dream of celebrating your 20^th wedding anniversary in Tahiti (okay you know my dreams now).  Even if you are busy, don’t be afraid to dream for what the future will hold for you and your family!

The next point Marci brings out is to not be afraid to let some stuff go!  I know this is so hard for me in some ways, and others so easy.  First, I have a cleaning lady twice a month.  I know there is no way I can keep the house clean, so I allow someone else to do it.  On the other hand I still love to bake all of my kids’ birthday cakes because it is special for me and them.  We as Moms have to pick and choose what are the things most important in life to us and let the other ones go!  We all need to learn from our mistakes in life and make critical choices moving forward.

I loved the part of the book when Marci suggests, “We need to reset, or reboot, pretty often.”  Every day should be a fresh start for us working Moms.  We also need to surround ourselves by positive people in our lives.  We just do not have time to deal with negativity that comes from others and unfortunately I see a lot of this in social media.  I’m to the point where I have to ignore other people on Facebook if they are always negative.  It is just not healthy for them and certainly not healthy for me to read over and over again how terrible their life is (when really I do not think it is that bad).  Marci provides several resources to find inspiration every working mom needs:  The Internet, Positive self-talk, E-mail subscriptions for quotes, Reading, Friends and family, etc.  I personally believe in surrounding ourselves with positive people and it will definitely help us become more positive!

In order to manage the TILT in our lives, we need to make sure love is a focus in our lives.  I personally work on my relationships with my husband and children on a daily basis and have goals every month to achieve.  I need to make it a priority to tell my kids and husband that I love them several times a day.  I do not think you can ever tire of hearing that phrase.   Most importantly you need to love yourself and who you are in life.  If you are not happy with whom you are, only you can change it!  Marci gives some great tips and ideas on how to love your family, spouse and yourself in Chapter 5. 

In Chapter 6, Marci explains how to give our children Roots and Wings.  Roots are the foundations we build with them which include core values to guide their decisions.  We as parents then must give them their wings to go off by themselves and make decisions for themselves.  I believe being excellent examples as parents is the best way to instill core values into your children.  This is not to say your children will always make the right decision, it is our responsibility as parents to let them fail so that they can eventually become self-sufficient and confident in their decisions.   I’m a big proponent of choosing the right battles with my kids.  I try to let little things go and only try to jump in and correct when I feel their decision is grossly out of line with our family’s core values.  Be sure to praise your kids when they do right the make decision though!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading TILT – 7 Solutions To Be A Guilt-Free Working Mom.  It was an enjoyable read and gave me some new perspectives and new ideas to try out on my family.  I think the book is geared to all Moms, just not working Moms.  Everyone’s life is busy and hectic when you have kids; the ideas in this book can just as easily apply to working Moms and stay-at-home Moms.  If you have kids and often feel off-balance, I highly recommend picking up this book.

Visit Marci Fair's website.
Visit TILT's Facebook Page
Buy TILT on Amazon

One reader of Spend Less 2 Save More will win a Kindle edition of TILT, enter below:

 

 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure: I was provided a copy of TILT – 7 Solutions To Be A Guilt-Free Working Mom for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

 

Baked Cheesy Heart Crackers

 

This recipe was so easy, I almost could not believe it! 

 

I did these crackers in the shape of a heart for my preschooler's Valentine's Day Party!

 

 

Ingredients:

8 oz. finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup of flour

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. cold butter cut into small pieces

4 tbsp. cold water

 

Directions:

1.  Combine cheese, flour, salt, and butter.  I worked the ingredients through my fingers to really get it combined. 

2.  Using an electric mixture add cold water 1 tbsp. at a time until the dough is formed. 

3.  Form dough into ball and then split into two flat disks.  Wrap in plastic wrap and cool for 30 minutes.

4.  Heat oven to 350F.

5.  Roll out dough on a floured surface and use cookie cutters to stamp out crackers.

6.  Place cut outs on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

7.  Bake for 15 minutes.

8.  Cool on wire rack.

 

This recipe yielded approximately 100 heart shaped crackers (1")

 

Here is how the snacks looked at the party!