A Young Moms Journey

Happy holidays everyone!

2011-12-24T00:10:00.000-05:00

I must apologize for my absence as of lately. As Christmas nears things have been busy, busy, busy! I hope to be posting more after the holidays. Until then I hope everyone enjoys there Christmas!

Review: Scentsy

2011-12-15T23:17:00.000-05:00

The first thing I have to say is if you love candles, you will definitely love this awesome product.

"Scentsy began with a simple idea—a safe, wickless alternative to scented candles—and quickly grew into one of the most successful direct selling companies. This wickless concept was born when two stay-at-home moms began selling decorative warmers designed to melt scented wax with the heat of a light bulb instead of a traditional wick and flame."

Having two small children in the home as well as pets I've always been nervous about having candles burning despite the fact I love burning them, so naturally when I heard about Scentsy I was interested in their product. Recently I was given the opportunity to review their warmers and I must say I'm hooked. It's easier then I thought, all I have to do is plug it in, flip a switch and add some of my favorite scent. The light inside does the rest of the work for me and without the fear of accidental burns or fires. The wax gets warm but is not hot enough to burn which really put my mind at ease.

One bar of wax lasts what seems like forever and fills the whole house with fragrance. I have had a scare when the cat almost knocked the top of the warmer off the base but it seems to stay in position quite well. I don't think there is anything I could possibly complain about! I love it all and they have great prices too! Thanks Sariah for giving me a chance to try this wonderful product and for being so friendly and helpful!

If you guys would like to check out Scentsy you can go here: https://sariahf.scentsy.us/Home

And feel free to ask questions and I will pass them along! Just remember, if your a candle love but fear for your pets, children and homes safety this will be perfect for you!

Fun Food Friday

2011-12-09T14:55:00.000-05:00

Fridays are known to be one of the best days of the week because they mark it's end and a time to relax, so I figured why not have a little fun with Fridays and share some recipes and fun food ideas that our family enjoys! I hope you'll have as much fun as we are!

This is a yummy treat we were recently introduced to and love! If you love mint I'm sure you'll enjoy indulging in the lovely squares of chocolate-mint goodness!

Ingredients

2 cups Oreo cookies, crushed finely
1/2 cup butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
8 ounces chocolate mint or peppermint candies, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the Oreo cookie crumbs and butter in medium-sized bowl and mix well. Press the crumb mixture firmly onto the bottom of 9-by-13-inch pan. Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the milk, eggs, and peppermint extract until smooth. Pour over the cooled cookie base. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips over low heat and drizzle over the top of the bars. Sprinkle the chopped candies over the top and cut into squares.

Recipe Details

Makes: 2 ½ dozen squares
Special Designations: Kid-friendly

Update: Mom's Surgery And The Chaos Controlled.

2011-12-08T20:41:00.001-05:00

I'll have to admit in the beginning the stress had really gotten to me and I felt helpless, even when it came to soothing my own children's fear. In turn, I've even neglected my blog and I apologize to all of my readers. After sitting down for a long talk with all the kids, mine and my siblings, things have calmed down a lot. Audree and Jacob have been doing better but have been asking me when grandma can come home. Truth is, I don't know. It's been a stressful couple of weeks.

Mom went into surgery yesterday because the infection in her arm was not resolving with intravenous antibiotics. Her arm from the wrist to the bicep was swollen two times the size of her CALF....that's definitely not good. The surgeon said when he made the incision there was so much fluid build up that it was gushing. They put in a drainage tube and she is expected to recover but they are keeping a close eye on things and she will have to do physical therapy once her arm is better but at least she is on a long road to recovery however long it may be! Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

In other news: I have a couple reviews and giveaways coming up so keep your eyes open, these will be fun! I hope now that things have calmed down I will be able to post regularly, including Mamavation Monday's! I'd like to thank all my readers for their support, concern and patience as well. You're all great!!!

Review: Baby Alive Baby's New Teeth.

2011-12-04T17:58:00.001-05:00

What can I say about Baby Alive Baby's New Teeth?

A lot. First, I wish they had, had this when I was a little girl. I loved babies dolls and especially the type that were more realistic, you know the dolls that cried and cooed and made all kinds of noises. They also closed their eyes when you laid them down!

So you can imagine I was looking forward to getting this doll to review (Or is it for Audree to review? lol). When our doll got here we hurried and opened her up, marveling over all the neat accessories she comes with when Audree suddenly says: "Heeeey, she only has one diaper!!" Indeed, this baby comes with one diaper and it's on her bum.

Now since she does pee when you give her water I was a little disappointed that she only comes with one diaper and so was Audree but this didn't keep us from having all kinds of fun seeing what happens when you feed her a cookie or give her a drink of water. I just let her use a package of premi diapers I still had from when Jacob was a newborn. Upon giving her her cookie and a drink we found a fun surprise! When you "feed" her, her teeth pop out and she does indeed pee when you give her a drink!

I give this baby a two thumbs up! We sure enjoyed her and I'm sure she will be enjoyed for a long long time. Even Jacob loves her!

Diamond Candles - blogger opp!

2011-12-03T19:16:00.001-05:00

Have you experienced a soy candle with amazing aroma that inspires and makes your holidays go smooth and relaxed? Have you seen anything like waiting with anticipation what's going to be peaking out of the hot soy liquid while the candle is still burning?

If not, then Diamond Candles Company would like to invite you to Review and Giveaway their Precious soy candles. Why "precious" you'll ask? Well, each candle harbors a ring valued anywhere from $10-$100-$500-$5000 each. It's anticipation that really gets you going! What kind of a ring am I going to unveil from the glittery pouch hidden inside the soy wax?

The Criteria for Your Participation Are Simple.

This event is Free to you. Open to US only.
If you are to review and giveaway a product sponsored by Diamond Candles Company, you'll need to include in your giveaway the sponsor's Facebook and Twitter mentions, and a couple of keywords within your review.
If you are to participate in this campaign, Blog about this event on your blog, linking it to my post here.
Then, fill out this Form with information about your blog.
Once you're approved by the Diamond Candles Company, I'll ask you to confirm your mailing address for mailing products to you for review and giveaway on your blog (FYI: Diamond Candles does all mailing to the winners for giveaway.)

That's it.

If you have any questions, just email me at: discovery4 at mac dot com

Thank you and looking forward to hearing from all of you!

A tiring day for mommy.

2011-12-03T02:24:00.000-05:00

Today has been rough to say the least. My mom was admitted to the hospital today and the babies are not taking it well since we live with grandma and grandpa. A & J just don't understand why they can't see grandma and it has caused a riot in the house. With talk of surgery I'm at a loss for what to do to help them understand. Grandma won't be coming back right away and they're rather attached to her.

With my own mixed emotions I feel like everything is whirling out of control. I worry about my mom because she has a lot of health problems which unfortunately run in our family. I don't want to lose my mom and I don't feel like the greatest mom myself because I can't seem to explain these things to my children. When I'm upset, they ask what's wrong and I honestly don't know what to tell them. Chaos has plagued our household since my mother has been gone, not only do I feel out of control but I feel helpless.

My step father works, leaving me and my uncle who is also not in the greatest health to talk to and take care of my very upset siblings as well as my own children. I don't know how much more I can take...Any advice from my wonderful readers would be great.

Upcoming Reviews and New Shoes..

2011-12-01T08:38:00.000-05:00

I'd like to thank everyone who entered the zoobies giveaway and let you all know to keep a look out for future reviews and giveaways. We will have a baby alive review coming up and a few more things in the workings and would love for you to be a part of it all!

In other news, today has been eventful. J didn't want to go to school this morning, in fact, he didn't even want to get up and he begged me to go with him. I'm not sure what the fuss is all about because before he loved going to school. So I've been working on getting him excited again, it makes mommy very tired when J fights to get dressed and ready when he normally dresses himself.

A on the other hand, couldn't find her shoes and insisted I needed to get her new ones. It's six-thirty in the morning kiddo, mommy is not going into town for shoes. When her shoes were finally found, it was to late and she also realized....oh no? Where's my coat!

So today has already become rather interesting! What's a funny school story or crazy morning you've had?

Have a great day!

Review: EdenFantasys

2011-12-01T08:16:00.002-05:00

(Warning: This post contains adult material not suited for younger audiences. If you are under the age of eighteen or are easily offended, please disregard this post. )

Have you ever felt the urge to send the kids to bed while you spend a relaxing night with your partner? Edenfantasys can make it happen with their unique Adult shop. Normally the images that pop to mind when I hear those to words would make me cringe but I assure you, this is different. The first thing I noticed about their website is that the design is simple and appealing. It is also easy to navigate and you can find anything you want in the snap of a finger. I've noticed on other adult sites, things are often organized in a way that makes it hard to get where you want to go but not Edenfantasys.

Moving on I was pleased to see a wide variety of interesting products. Bubble bath, massage candles and even Makeup. I never imagined finding makeup or candles at an adult shop that specializes in sex toys and I applaud Edenfantasys for their creativity. All in all, I think Edenfantasys is one of the better shops in the adult industry and I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to work with them. They've helped me to realize there are good adult shops out there. Thank you Edenfantasys for your wonderful site and I hope my readers will take a moment to have a look because I assure you there is something for everyone here!

Wordless Wednesday - Braving the storm

2011-11-30T13:03:00.000-05:00

The reason I was unable to post last night:

Our Driveway is somewhere in one of these pics and as you can see, the road is horrible. Power outages and internet problems all day and night! No school today either. If they hadn't cancelled I was going to call the kids out of school. It's nasty out there.

Mamavation Monday

2011-11-28T08:31:00.000-05:00

I've decided something recently - I want to be a healthy mom. When I was younger, I always said I would live a healthy lifestyle and be a fit mom so I could live a long life and spend as much time as I could with my family. Unfortunately as the years went on I found myself unmotivated and inactive. I don't like that person. I don't enjoy being a heavyset woman and I don't want my children to follow in my footsteps!

So from now on I've decided to work on it and I'm starting by doing mamavation's 2 week challenge! I'll admit I'm a little scared but mostly I'm excited! I cannot wait to get started and hope everything goes well. Also, I'm watching what I eat. In the past I've been a binge eater so I've started doing things, dancing, crochet and even knitting when I feel the urge to gorge myself! I'll have to admit it isn't easy and sure I'll need people to talk to along the way but I think my friends and family can help me as well as the mamavation community!

Last week was hard, Thanksgiving comes along only once a year but I find it has a powerful impact, all the goodies and the smells. Oh it's wonderful! I almost made a big mistake but thankfully, I was able to say no to overeating. I took smaller portions then I normally would and had a half a slice of pie instead of two. I'm proud of myself, because it's improvement.

Now I haven't been feeling well today and I'm hoping I can make it through this week alright. My stomach hurts something fierce. I think I caught the bug that's going around. BLECH! Go away sickies!

Thanksgiving!

2011-11-25T23:15:00.000-05:00

We had a great day! In my family we do a lot of cooking and I love it because everyone gets involved and thanksgiving is no exception with a family of nine, we need quite a bit to feed everyone. So of course Audree and Jacob loved mixing everything up for pies and helping make stuffing and jello junk. It was good family fun and took up quite a bit of the day. They took a nap around noon and I was thankful!

All in all we had Turkey, Jello Junk, Stuffing, Deviled Eggs, Pumpkin and Apple pie and Coleslaw. It was a wonderful meal followed by spending time watching some holiday movies with the family which is nice because normally we all stay out of each others way. I'm thankful for such and awesome day, for a house to live in and two wonderful children.

Did I mention I'm officially dating as of yesterday??? I'm so happy. I'm sorry for the lack of pictures. My batteries died and I can't find the charger. AHHHH! But I'll find it with time. I can't believe Christmas is on it's way...time flies!

Zoobies Blanket Pets Review And Giveaway

2011-11-23T00:49:00.000-05:00

First I would like to say it has been great to work with Zoobies. I'm happy to have had such a wonderful opportunity. I had been looking for something special for Audree for a while because she always wants to steal her brothers special blanket which is his comfort thing. When I heard about Zoobies Blanket pets I thought this might be the perfect thing since she had been interested in similar products (Example: Pillow Pets) for a while now. Zoobies Blanket pets are three in one, a blanket pillow and plushy which means it's good for cuddling, covering up and laying on! After looking at all the different animals Audree decided she wanted the Koala because she came with a baby.

The first thing I've noticed is that, these are very soft and cuddly! Perfect for laying with! Audree says that her koala is "fluffy" and she likes her pretty fur. She also enjoys the collars they have on.

Secondly I noticed a neat little feature I really like - the blanket is zippered onto the inside of the pet. This comes in handy when out and about so nothing is lost when moving things. Sometimes I juggle the kids, their blankets and stuffed animals they take with them on car rides and it isn't so easy. With these pets, we can have everything all in one!

The Material used to make these seems durable and sturdy. So far they've easily withstood the daily activities of a 4 year old, being drug around the house and going with her places. I'm honestly impressed. Blanket pets are well made and kid approved as far as my little girl is concerned! I will definitely be buying more of these in the future!

Zoobies is allowing one reader to win one of these wonderful little guys please enter below:

Mandatory entry: Go to www.zoobies.com and let us know which pet you'd like if you win!

Crazy Michigan Weather...

2011-11-22T20:47:00.001-05:00

Camping season is over and wit comes hunting season and the cold winters are. The weather around here has been a point of interest to me lately. One minute it's freezing and the next we have an odd warm day that confuses us all. The kids want to go out and play and I feel bad telling them no. I've not been able to go running or bikejoring with the dogs because it's rainy an wet. At thirty degrees Fahrenheit I'm surprised we haven't gotten any snow yet which, also allows some fun opportunities. Thanksgiving is a day away, Christmas is around the corner. Wow, time seems to be flying by! Soon we'll be making snow angels, snowmen and doing other winter activities as well. So, are you ready for the snow?!

What was one of your favorite summer and fall memories and why were they special to you?

My favorite summer memory was fishing with the kids and watching as Angel, our German Shepherd mix chased the retreating fish! Jacob even caught his first fish this year!

I'd have to say watching the babies jumping in piles of leaves was my favorite fall memory. It reminds me of when I was little and brings a smile to my face everytime.

But now I'm ready to make memories like these again!

Review: The Future Door by Jason Lethcoe

2011-11-21T10:48:00.000-05:00

I've always enjoyed a good mystery book and it all started with Sherlock Holmes so I thought that this book, in which Holmes is retired, might be an interesting read. I'm happy to report, I loved this book.

"When Sherlock Holmes moves out of Baker Street, a new tenant moves in-a mysterious woman named Elizabeth who has long been a fan of Holmes. When she discovers that Griffin and his uncle are also detectives, she becomes very friendly. So when Elizabeth goes missing along with a special invention, Griffin sets out to rescue her. But finding Elizabeth will take them on a race against the clock that bends time itself!"

The author brings brings these brilliant characters to life in a book that has surprises around every corner. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, to solve his mysteries Griffin will need to travel time and even has the opportunity to have tea, with himself! How exciting!

You never know what is going to happen next and it leaves you begging for more. I love a book that captures the readers attention and holds on tight. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery dashed with a bit of suspense and a lot of good humor. Good for all ages, so prepare your detective gear and jump on in!

Organizing Chaos...

2011-11-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

I must say I was never a neat child or even a neat teen (Is there a such thing?) but after having Audree, I strive to keep things neat and orderly and when Jacob came along I was even more crazy about things being neat, organized and clean. I don't think I'm OCD, the kids toys don't have to be in a specific order or anything but I do believe they should be put away when they are done with them. I've decided to start a privilege jar for this reason. We just got a small that I use for their toys (the shelves are perfect) and when they pick up, they get a marble in their jar. For each marble they turn in they get 15 minutes tv time or another small treat of sorts but when they misbehave they lose a marble. I've never seen them so excited to clean up! Even at their age they understand.

Things have been neater and the kids are more encouraged to help me. I'm so happy to finally get them involved! Now if only I could get Jacob to poop on the toilet!

7 Quick Takes

2011-11-18T11:57:00.001-05:00

--- 1 ---

I Can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving! It seems like just yesterday we were taking the kids trick-or-treat...but we went out and got the turkey, as well as many other things we make for this special day and we're ready. I'm excited because I really enjoy this time of the year! It brings a family together and reminds us that we should be thankful for everything we have!

--- 2 ---

Christmas shopping has begun. Audree has been all about Strawberry Shortcake lately so I'm thinking about getting her a doll and some other things as well. Jacob on the other hand has been on an Elmo kick and both of the kids are getting big into books! as far as my brothers and sisters I'm not sure what to get them yet. Teens and pre-teens seem so complicated and picky! Any ideas?

--- 3 ---

I found out..... 10.5% of people in my county are out of work. I'm sure if I looked up the whole state of Michigan the percentage would be even higher. The economy seems to be falling apart and as an unemployed single mother I feel the pains of looking for work where there isn't much!

--- 4 ---

Audree and Jacob are having a class play next week and it sounds really fun but they are in different classes do to age difference and each class is hosting the play in their room. Now I need to figure out how to be in two places at once! AHH!

--- 5 ---

I have volunteered to be a part of the Early head-start policy council and will be going to monthly meetings to help the community and voice concerns as parents and more. I'm proud of myself since I've never done anything like this before.

--- 6 ---

Audree is excited about Thanksgiving because she get's to help grandpa make pie. I love watching her stirring up ingredients and asking what she should do next. Soon Jacob will be old enough to help out too! As I look back, it reminds me of helping my grandparents when I was young!

--- 7 ---

We have a party to go to tomorrow and I'm glad to have been invited. I love going out to see my friends and having fun together, she even invited the little ones which I thought was sweet! All in all it's been a good week and I think it will be a good weekend to.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T15:00:00.007-05:00

cuddling with Grandma to watch a movie...

Poor Kitty!

2011-11-15T22:56:00.001-05:00

It's funny, I don't think I've ever met a cat that will tolerate a toddler carrying them around everywhere. Nyx is special. She sleeps with Audree, plays with her and let's her carry her around for hours at a time. Their bond is wonderful. We found Nyx while we were without a home at a campgrounds we stayed at for a week. She is a beautiful girl and so loveable but when she was found, we could not locate an owner and she was nothing but skin and bones. She bonded so quickly with Audree that I just couldn't leave her behind. She became a part of the family and as I write this she is laying in bed with her. She is like a guardian angel and she came at the perfect time, a blessing and comfort to my little girl. Here she is.

PS: Don't mind the toys in the background, my little tornado's dumped the toybox just before these pictures!

A caterpillar story and upcoming Reviews!

2011-11-14T20:31:00.000-05:00

Today has been silly. First let me explain that the weather here in Michigan just cannot make up it's mind! A week ago it was snowing one day and sunny and warm the next and now it's been raining!!! Well during the odd warm day we went outside to play and Audree snuck a little friend into the house when we came in - a caterpillar. Well said caterpillar made an interesting disappearance while visiting our residence. We couldn't find him anywhere!

About an hour ago Audree came out of the bathroom giggling and I thought "Oh no, what has she been into?" Much to my surprise here comes Audree running up to me to show me she found her caterpillar and yes, amazingly he was perfectly fine, so we put him in a critter carrier and he's happy as can be. I have a feeling he'll be making his cocoon soon, it will be interesting to see what he turns into!

Also, we'll have a review and giveaway coming soon for Zoobies - Blanket pets! We're looking forward to reviewing one of these cute little blanket critters and one lucky reader will have a chance to win one as well!

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Awww Moments...

2011-11-13T20:20:00.003-05:00

Well it's Sunday night and the kiddo's are playing quietly until bed-time. Lately, Jacob has been having trouble sharing and being nice to his sister so naturally he didn't like having to sit down when he hit her because she was playing with a toy he wanted. I explained that it wasn't nice to hit and that he should ask for a toy instead of hurting someone to get it. He kind of pouted for a minute before a devious grin lit up his face. He looked at his sister and said clear as day: "Sowwy, I love you!" Then proceeded to get up and go give her a great big hug. Unfortunately I didn't get to my camera in time!

Sometimes I wish I could have my camera on me 24/7 and ready for that next cute shot but unfortunately, it doesn't work that way but here are a couple cute shots I HAVE managed to get. Feel free to share a time when you missed a cute photo op. I'd love to hear your stories!

Saturday Snapshot...

2011-11-12T16:57:00.001-05:00

So I decided to do things a little bit differently then normal on Saturdays. I'm going to post pictures that mean a lot to me or bring a smile to my face. So without further ado, Saturday Snapshot:

Starting fresh!

2011-11-11T10:36:00.000-05:00

What a rough few months!

Recently, I've been constantly reminded that no matter how bad you think things are, they could be worse. It has been a long time since I was consistent in posting on this blog and trust me, it isn't because I didn't enjoy posting! I honestly miss it and cannot wait to get into a routine again! The truth is, I couldn't post.

From August 1st to Oct. 1st we were without a home. On July 3rd around 1am in the morning, my household was awoken to the sound of glass shattering. Someone had thrown rocks through the two huge bay windows in the front of our house. My mother was screaming, glass surrounded her on her bed and the floor on the other side of the house where our dining room is was also covered in glass. A week later we were evicted from our home, the courts gave us 20 days to find a place.

Our luck wasn't so great, we weren't able to find a place in the time allotted, which, wasn't much to begin with considering there were the belongings of nine people to move! We lost a garden full of vegetables and many irreplaceable items, why? Because our landlord thought because someone vandalized the house, we must be horrible people! I'm not sure how logical that is, he never had a problem with us up until this point and I was saddened by the whole thing.

Oct. 1st we finally found a house and were able to begin moving everything we had left, which wasn't much. We lost a lot of clothing, blankets, towels, books, dressers and more but we're thankful to still be together. Now we are working to replace the things we can and get ready for next years gardening season. The babies are happy with the new place and so am I. It's in the country with no neighbors for miles and plenty of room for the kids and dogs to play!

here's to a better year in 2012!

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