Free Paint

The great people at Valspar are offering a free paint sample and paint kit.

Do you have a project you want to start? Spring time is near and this is a great way to get inspiration.

I can't wait for my creamy white paint to arrive in a few days! My next project is painting my kitchen desk.

300 and a Giveaway!

I'm thrilled and humbled to have 300 wonderful people following my little blog! To celebrate the generous people over at CSN stores are giving $15 to one of my readers to use at any of their 200 + stores. So many choices, maybe your redoing your home office and need a fabulous L shaped desk.

Perhaps you love shoes. Check out these cute red shoes. Shoe's are my favorite way to spice up an outfit. Plus, no matter where you weight is your feet don't grow. Or maybe something for your home? A new stylish lamp, dinner platter, or wall clock.

A ton of ways to spend $15! Check it out CSN stores.

To enter and get extra chances:

• Visit CSN and tell me how you would spend $15.
• Follow my blog or tell me you already follow
• Like CSN on Facebook
• For 3 extra entries do a post on your blog or Facebook about the giveaway

Giveaway ends on Monday, February 28th. I'll post a winner on Tuesday.

I lost 2 lbs easy.....

I didn't exercise at all last week. I ate some high calorie meals. I stayed at the house and lounged around while my son had the flu.

I still managed to loose 2 pounds! How, this little baby each morning..... I replaced my slim fast bars for fiber one bars. Let me tell you, they are delicious!!!

So how did I loose weight? Well the added fiber to my diet well.... it helped my digestion. I saw this tip of adding fiber to your diet from Dr. Oz. Have you watched Dr. Oz? Love this show! He educates on so many health topics. I'm hoping he takes the Oprah 4:00 spot next season. Bummer I miss 1/2 the show getting the kids from school.

It worked! It's only 2 pounds but it's a step closer to get me off my plateau weight.

Answers for Name That Baby

It was so much fun to read your responses for name that baby! These girls look so much alike.

Our family even gets mixed up on who's who in baby photos.

Baby A : Madeline who is now 3. This was taken by my wonderfully talented photographer friend Adrien.

Baby B: Sweet Caroline who is 6 months old.

Menu Monday

Before we talk food we gotta talk sale:

Hobby Lobby has there knobs and pulls 50% off this week! They don't put them on sale very often so this is the week to get them.


Monday: Chicken Quesadilla's

Tuesday: Sandwiches (Busy, busy... baseball and dance night). We usually have grilled cheese or grilled panni' type sandwiches.

Wednesday:Hearty Mac and Cheese. I make a family size kraft mac and cheese like the box says, add 1 can of stewed tomato's (I blend it in the blender first). Then I add a pound of ground beef. Season with some garlic salt and it's done. This isn't one of my favorites because I'm not big on ground beef (except of course for burgers) but the kids love it.

Thursday: Grilled Chicken Sandwiches and Fruit

Friday: Make Your Own Pizza

Saturday: Mexican Lasagna. Now this is one of my all time favorite recipes. I came up with it by experimenting. I see it now in magazines and Kraft foods so some other ladies must of messed around with it too.... or someone got the idea from me :)

Sunday: Out to eat for our family night. We will be in my hometown celebrating a great milestone for a women who really changed my life. One women I can truly call my mentor. Angie has been the executive director for the local Crisis Pregnancy Center for 20 years. Now shes accepted a position as the director of a new maternity home and adoption center. Some people really inspire you in life and I'm honored to know this godly women.

One more thing.... I will post tomorrow the answers for Name That Baby.

Name That Baby

These two little girls are so sweet. They each just melt my heart.

My friend Ashlee made these very cute shirts for the girls. Remember the cute no sew shirts she made when Madeline was little?

Now I have a little game, pick out the baby photo. These two look very similar at the same age. I have a photo below both of them at 6 months.

Name that baby photo:

Madeline is the (3 year old) or Caroline (6 months)

Baby Photo A: Which Baby? Photo B: Which Baby?

I know my in real life friends will pick it out fast!

It's back.... Freebie Friday

My computer time when the kids nap or in the evening is going great! I'm finding more time to be productive instead of being sucked into the computer and thinking of all the things I need to do to the house, or online shopping!

Let me share some great freebies:

Free Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice - Just select like on FB and get a sample.

Free Atkins Diet Kit and 3 Free Bars- Just in time for swimsuit season!

Free Beech-nut Toddler Snack Kit- Love free baby food... well Caroline loves it.

Free Cheeze-It's - Choose your favorite cheeze it flavor then request a free sample from the pop up on FB.

Free Maggi Chicken Base for Soup -An easy start to some home made chicken noodle soup.

Free Parent's Choice Formula Samples - This is a great way to try a new formula. Our Pedi said that the store brand formulas are just as good as the brand names.

Be the First to Taste

I just love getting free food samples. I'm a member of Kraft's First Taste Club.

When new products come out you can sign up to try it for free. This is the latest and let me tell you.... I'm excited to try this yummy goodness.

If your not a member sign up to get the first taste of new products!

Unplugged

Check my email....

Read blogs....

Check my email again.....

(Computer beep) another email....

Check facebook....

This is what happens throughout the day.

I spend entirely too much time on the computer. I'm going to do a test this next week.

Starting tomorrow Sunday I will have my computer off when the kids are up and awake.

I will only check my email and blog when the girls nap or in the evenings after the kids go to bed.

I'm doing this because I keep saying "If only I had a few more hours in the day" Well I found the answer for me.

Plus the kids learn by example and I want them to know they are so very important, and not be distracted by the computer and my cell phone.

So if I don't respond very quickly to email this is what's up.

I'm actually looking forward to being unplugged a bit.

Does the computer ever suck endless hours out of your day?

Free Decorating Tips and Free TV

You would think we spent hours and lots of money on expensive satellite TV since our TV is the center piece of our room.

Nope, we spent $0 each month on our TV bill. We do pay $9 a month for netflix. Love it!

Netflix has cable shows.. imagine that? Last year we decided to ditch the dish.
It was my husband's idea. I agreed very reluctantly and a year later I'm loving it! Never thought I would say that.

Don't get me wrong I miss my HGTV, Discovery Channel and E!

This blog world has also shown me I can get the same decorating tips and entertainment for free.

These ladies have some talent... they give me serious inspiration.

Better After - Home project instant gratification!

The Magic Brush - If I could have a painting buddy it would be this lady.

320 Sycamore - Another mom of a large family. She's got great ideas on a budget.

Nesting Place- Everyone loves the Nester.

Thrifty Decor Chick- Great ideas and a great sense of humor.

Shanty2chic - These girls are master DIYers.

There's No Place Like Home - This girl I know in real life. She's just a beautiful as her house.

Chic on a Shoestring - Great and creative ideas.

Projects Plenty - If I could swap houses with anyone it would be her. She's got great style!

Beneath my Heart- Inspiring and beautiful.

Beyond the Screen Door- Master seamstress.... could I borrow her sewing mind?

The Lettered Cottage- Another blog world favorite. HGTV needs Layla!

So tell me do you have a favorite home decor blog?

Menu Monday

This week we are trying to eat a little healthier. With the cold weather I fall into comfort foods really fast. Um not to mention the bowl of queso I ate yesterday....

Monday: Grilled Sandwiches and Fruit

Tuesday: Baseball Kick-off out to eat. I'm getting the salad bar.

Wednesday: Homemade Chili with 98% lean ground beef (It's going to snow here again)

Thursday: 10 year anniversary out to eat. I'll splurge a bit on the meal. After all you only celebrate 10 years once.

Friday: Grilled Chicken Salad

Saturday: Leftover Chili

Sunday: Grilled Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries.

This next weekend I'm going to buy a big package of chicken breast and I'm going to have my husband grill a whole batch to pull out during the week for meals.

This crazy TX weather. We get snow on Wednesday and a warm up to 60 degrees on Sunday.

Iced In and Cozy

We were hit with some bad winter weather. It reminded me of one of my favorite doomsday movies The Day After Tomorrow ... the part where New York is flooded by the wave then a few hours later it all turns to ice. Well that's what happened on a much smaller scale in my area. We had strong thunderstorms, freezing rain, sleet and snow all within a few hours.

I think maybe Mr. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys Owner) has some bad karma because the Super Bowl is close by and all kinds of activities and tourist activities are being effected by the ice storm. Plus it's 10 degrees and it hasn't been this cold in 15 or so years. The roads are like ice rinks.

Tomorrow we will be on day #3 of no school and home bound. We're going to sleep late, hang out, stay in our PJ's and enjoy this time together. After all how often am I forced to stay at home with no plans?

Look at my 2 little girls. What sweet sisters. I have a feeling they will be partners in crime around here. I see it now.... the two little one's running around with princess dresses and light sabers chasing Will.

Since I'm snowed in I've caught up on some online shopping. I'm still loving Zulily. I bought the girls Easter dresses today. I'm dreaming of warm weather and flowers.

Something else I've been dreaming about......

Isn't this the most wonderful backyard play area? Too bad it's only $8K.

Of course, we're looking at one on a much smaller scale. I remember the days of playing outside for hours during the summer. I think it's a lost past time. That's where children become creative and have just plain ole' fun!

When summer time comes we will put the Wii on vacation for some nice outside activities.

Boys + Jeans = Holes Quick

Boys will be boys! Mine is no exception he plays dirty and crawls around on his knees.

Blue jeans are his choice most days. So after about a month this is what I'm seeing when I do laundry..... Holes in his knees!

Here's a quick fix that helps prolong their life...
Iron the patches on to the inside of the jeans and make sure you put a piece of paper or wax paper between the legs.



Then iron them on and viola the jeans can go maybe another month.

Blue Jeans to buy and not to buy:

These brands seem to last longer without holes (in my experience)

• Gymboree
• Gap
• Levi's
• Crazy 8 (a Gymboree company)

These brands have never lasted me more than a month..... maybe even 2 weeks:

• Target in store brand
• Wal-mart in store brand
• Khol's in store brand
• Carters

The top brand will run you more money upfront but if they last for at least 3 months then you save money because if you bought the cheaper thinner one's you would have bought 3 pairs.

Gymboree and Gap run great sales. At the end of season I usually stock up on a size up for the next season.

To make the jeans last even longer... iron on the patch to the inside of the jeans when you first purchase them.