The way we see it...

So Thankful

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Every year at Thanksgiving, we all go around the table to announce what we're thankful for. I think I always say something like "my family, my friends, etc." (Although now that I'm aware of that, I'll probably change it up this year!) The thing is, sometimes we have to really think awhile to fully realize our blessings. After giving it much thought, here's what I came up with. Oh, and yes, some may seem like a joke, but seriously - I'm thankful for everything on this list! (And much, much more, I'm sure)

1. God (I mean, obviously. And it would be weird if I didn't list Him first)

OH BY THE WAY - these are in no particular order, so don't get all worked up about it.

2. My husband. Jason is the best guy in the world. He can be all studly and go work all day and then come home and play babies with his daughter. Oh, and he can cook really well. Oh, and he's hot.

3. My parents. Not just because they're great people, but because they taught my sister and me how to have a great family. Thirty one years of unconditional love - it's the best.

4. My sister. Mindi and I are the best of friends. And that's all I have to say about that.

5. My children. All 4 of them. They're healthy, they're happy, and they are sweet, sweet kids.

6. My church. Jason and I could have never imagined finding such an incredible church when we moved here. Awesome people, awesome place.

7. My friends. There are some that I hardly talk to, but when we do, it's like it was yesterday. There are some I talk to everyday. There are some who are just like me and some who are nothing like me. Some are young and some are old. But they're there. Always.

8. Diet Coke. My other best friend.

9. A house to live in, a car to drive, food on the table for every meal.

10. My dog. He's kind of ugly and smelly, but he's fun. And he sits in the window like a cat waiting for me when I'm gone. My kids don't even do that.

11. Stretch pants. I don't even do yoga, but I LOVE me some yoga pants.

12. Target. My second home. They are super-cool about coupons, so I shop there for free (or REALLY close to it) quite often.

13. My life. It's really great. I don't live in a huge house or drive a fancy car, BUT....I get to be with my babies every day. All day. Even with my part-time teaching job, I get to hang out with them. I couldn't ask for more, and my husband makes it all possible.

14. My neighbors. Most of them are elderly, so 1. It's quiet. 2. They sit on their front porches every day and watch my kids while they ride bikes. It's free babysitting, really.

15. My washing machine. Thank you dear mother. I can now cram approximately 84 items of clothing into my washer.

16. Knock-off purses, wallets, sunglasses, t-shirts, etc. They're the only way to go. Illegal? Maybe. But I'm not the one selling them.

17. Tide Stain Release gel-pacs. With 4 grubby kids, they're a must. Oh, and Oxi-Clean. Same reason.

18. Freedom. I cannot imagine life without it.

19. Anything with the word "instant" on it. I try to shoot for the organic instant, but in a pinch, I'm thankful for the chemically loaded stuff as well.

20. Peyton's continued health improvement. Having a kid with food allergies is not exactly easy, but oh well! He's so much better off than he was at the beginning of the year.

21. Along with #20, I'm thankful that I can easily find allergen-free foods. I cannot imagine having to deal with this 10 years ago.

22. Crayola Color Wonder. If you don't know what that is, you quite possibly don't have a 2-year old like mine. They're markers, etc. that only work on special paper. Thank you Crayola. From the depths of my heart.

23. My kid's teachers. They. Are. Amazing.

24. The kids in my class. And their parents.

25. The kid in my class that informed me that when I bent down real low, he could see my bootie. At least SOMEONE had the guts to tell me. Geez!

26. My boss. If my kids are sick and I have to call in, it's no big deal at all.

27. Coupons. They are now my life, and I love them. The latest have been my wipes purchases. $0.27 per box (see #12). Oh yeah.

28. And last, but certainly not least: I am so thankful that I wake up each day with the people that I love. I am thankful for the assurance that even though I don't know what life will throw at me, God is in control. He provides for my needs, and comforts me. I can stand on His promises and never fear. And for that, I am eternally thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

What I'm Thinking Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:05:00 +0000

I have such random thoughts sometimes:

- There is no Diet Coke in the house. Must run to gas station before Jason goes to work so that I don't have to load 4 kids in the car to satisfy my caffeine fix.

- I really wish my 11 month old would learn to find his own paci in the night. I mean, seriously, it's 2 stinking inches from his face! I know I could just leave him to figure it out on his own, but whatever.

- The weather turned out perfectly today.

- I have a great husband.

- I took a bite of my husband's ice cream, which TOTALLY grosses him out. I didn't tell him immediately, either. I'm such a rebel.

- My kids are awesome.

- I'm still laughing at the fact that when Peyton saw bras at Target, he called them boobs. Close enough, I suppose.

- I love my job.

- I'm really ready for my parents to move here. 7 months and counting. I've made fabulous summer plans for myself.

- I have approximately 82 loads of laundry to do tomorrow. Approximately.

- I need to find Halloween costumes for the kids and myself. I hate that Halloween costs as much as Christmas. That's just wrong.

- Ribs or Swedish meatballs for dinner tomorrow?

- Decide about dinner tomorrow before 5:00pm tomorrow.

- I'm trying to figure out why Addison only eats one really good meal per day.

- Logan is such a smart kid.

- Why do people think it's so "trendy" to say things like "Oh, my life has been so crazy lately!" or "Oh, it's just been so crazy around here". It drives me nuts, really.

- I would REALLY love some donuts right now. White frosting with sprinkles. They've been my favorite since I was 2.

- Logan's birthday party is Saturday. We should probably get planning on that. My sister made KILLER invitations.

- I should really go to bed now. I always stay up too late. I mean, you know....my life has just been crazy lately.

Such a Slacker

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:22:00 +0000

I am the ultimate blog slacker. I look on my friend's blogs, and on their blogrolls, I am always at the bottom. Well, maybe I'll be at the top for a few hours!

I'll try to give an update without being too boring. Grab a snack, this could take awhile.

Let's see.....first of all, I'm working part time. I'm teaching preschool again (3-year olds) three days a week. Peyton went to the school last year, and I loved it so much that I decided to go too. It's been a huge blessing in so many ways. I get to do what I love, I only work about 18 hours/week, the 3 younger ones are right there with me, and I'm getting paid for it! Peyton is in pre-k (we decided to wait on Kindergarten, since he just turned 5 on August 6), Addison is in the 2's class (which is just 2 doors down from me), and Austin is in the "Bunnies" class.

I knew Addison would be fine - she can totally hold her own. Austin was the one I was worried about. I have never left my kids at that age, so I was quite nervous at first. Well, I had absolutely no reason to be. He is seriously in a dream situation. First of all, there are only a few kids in there. Second, his teacher is TO DIE FOR. Third, he's spoiled rotten. When we get home, he expects to be held and cuddled every stinking minute! Fourth, the nursery room is super fun and cozy. Basically, it's probably better than home. Especially on
Fridays, when it's just him and one other baby. He doesn't know WHAT to do with himself!

**Just a side note: If you need a preschool and you're in Springfield, MO, you MUST, MUST, MUST go to RidgeKids at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. It's amazing. Seriously. Words cannot describe. And I am majorly picky. OK - just wanted to share. :)

Jason is doing really well with work. He continues to be busy with Handyman Connection, but because he's so freaking awesome (aren't I so nice?), he's building quite a customer base of his own. We've had several people from church hire him, and then you know how good word of mouth goes! It's been great for him.

Logan is doing great at school. He's in 2nd grade now and just turned 8 on October 9. I had a little moment with that one. You know, mom issues. And mark my words - the boy will be taller than me before too much longer. I realize that's not saying much, but still. He's very smart and kind, and he's just as sweet as he's always been!

Peyton continues to be the funniest thing ever made. He never quits. Come to think of it, he's been going since he was born. He absolutely loves school, and the highlight of his day is after care. Yes, you heard that right...my kid WANTS to go to latchkey. There is nothing wrong with latchkey at all. The point is that he's obsessed with it. My dad came in for a visit, and Peyton practically ignored him because he was on a very serious mission to get to after care. He goes for about 20 minutes after school while I finish up in my room. Also, he wants to be a truck driver when he grows up, live in the trailer park on the outskirts of our town, and drive a bright yellow low-rider truck. That's all I have to say about that.

Addison is 2, but Jason and I are convinced she already has the hormone thing down pat. I always wanted a girl in my mix. The more girls, the better. Well, I got my girl. I got my girl who wears her ballet skirt and tights with no shirt and a baseball cap on backwards. I got my girl who is so independent, she does things that most 4 year olds don't do for themselves. I got my girl who loves her baby dolls, but also sings songs to the Rescue Heroes. And finally, I got my girl who will wear her pretty black shoes straight out the back door and straight into the biggest mud puddle she can find. I guess that's what having 3 brothers will do to you!

I know I already talked about Austin in the first part, but here's a little more info. He'll be turning 1 next month (boo hoo). He looks like the perfect mix of Logan and Peyton when they were that age. He growls. Alot. I don't know why, but he does. Also, he loves peas, but not carrots. That probably doesn't seem like a big deal, but I am the only one in my house who loves peas, so I'm super excited.

I'll stop for now. (Do I hear shouts of joy?!) Be back soon!

I love Summer.

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:47:00 +0000

We had such a great weekend - I hope you did, too! We spent 2 evenings at our friends' house, and the boys had quite an experience. ALL of them. By that, I mean that Jason helped our friend (along with several others) put on one amazing fireworks display. It seriously was right up there with the ones that an actual town will put on! Of course, I was scared to death. I could just see Jason getting on one of those "I Can't Believe I Survived" shows - you know the kind where they look so bad that you really CAN'T believe they survived?. And then I would be on one of those incontinence commercials. And it would say "This is not an actor...". You get my point. It was a great time, though. Logan and Peyton set off several explosive devices, Addison ate enough cookies to feed an army, and Austin just sat there smiling and drooling all over the place. Oh, and threw in some occasional massive spit-up, of course.

Our family has been having such a great summer. Jason has been super busy with work - mainly constructing an addition on our local dance academy. It looks awesome. If you live around these parts, you need to get your booty up there - it's called Jenks Dance Academy. You can thank me later.

The kids and I have been having a blast. The routine of the school year is good and all, but I so enjoy having them home. We all hang out in the morning while watching either Boomerang cartoons, Thomas, or Barney - depending on who got lucky enough to grab the remote first. Then it's a leisurely breakfast (a definite change from the school year!) and usually a day filled with swimming, swinging, playing in the sandbox, hosting playdates, or taking trips to the library. It's all flying by much too quickly.

On another note, thank you for the numerous e-mails about Peyton. We are so blessed to have many amazing people in our life that care so much about him. He is doing very well - I cannot even describe the difference. I am learning so much, too. Just a quick tidbit: Did you know that food allergies can even cause nighttime problems? Peyton was having nightmares (almost a night terror-type) and pains in his legs quite regularly. Taking him to the chiropractor helped, but as soon as the casein was gone, it all stopped. CRAZY. He's becoming quite educated as well, and it's incredible how quickly kids can figure it all out. Just tonight, I decided to get them kid's meals for dinner. This is a RARE occasion in our house, so it was met with loads of excitement. Logan said he wanted McDonald's, and Peyton replied quite indignantly "Logan (pronounced Wogan) - McDonald's fries have casein in them. We're NOT going there."

Well, I should hit the hay I suppose. Jason's working late again and it's always hard for me to get to sleep. I'm such a pansy. Good night!

Peyton's Final (hopefully!) Update

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:11:00 +0000

I know I haven't posted in a month - I guess I've just not taken the time! Peyton and I went to the specialist today, so I have great news to share!!

First of all, the appointment got moved up by 2 months, which was a complete blessing. I'm telling you what - you have to get just a little bit psycho (well, politely psycho) to get your voice heard! My friend's dad is a doctor, and he really gave me some excellent advice. Thanks Lloyd!

Second of all, there are two of these specialists in the state of Oklahoma, and I was so thrilled to be 15 minutes away from one of them. I love how God works - even in the small things!

Over the past few weeks, we have done an intensive/extensive elimination diet. No soy, gluten, eggs, casein (protein from dairy), or nuts. Let me tell you that I thought we might not have much to eat! Basically, if it came in a box or bag, we didn't eat it. After several days, we began to add in 1 possible allergen at a time. We were to watch for reaction(s) and then re-eliminate the food for 2-3 days, followed by another re-introduction.

I won't bore you with every single detail, but when we got to the casein, things went downhill BIG TIME. Since you probably don't care to know the consistency, color, smell, etc. of my child's poop, I'll spare you the nitty-gritty. I will say that he had a large amount of blood though, and that's definitely a problem.

We pulled casein back out and he did great. We felt like we probably had our answer, but we had to go to the specialist anyway. There was still a chance he had other problems (disease, disorder, etc.) . Jason and I firmly believe that this is where our prayers and the prayers of all our friends and family were answered. Peyton was supposed to have a scope done to find the rest of the problem.

Well, as of today, there is no need for a scope. After much discussion (and the fact that Peyton gained 2 whole pounds!), the doctor diagnosed Peyton with casein allergy. That's it!!! In fact, if he has another flare-up, he'll undergo more extensive allergy testing - nothing very invasive. We are SO thankful. Yes, having a child with a food allergy will involve more diligence and proactive care on our part, but who cares? In the grand scheme of life, it's just so minor.

One more thing - our nutritionist is the BEST. I love her so much. We really hit it off from the beginning, and she is incredibly knowledgeable. If you're in the Tulsa area and need a good one, her name is Amy Puls.

Again, thank you for praying for Peyton. Those prayers were answered today.

Just some fun pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:57:00 +0000

Just thought I would post some fun pictures! Have a good night!

The Latest

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:39:00 +0000

My, have we been busy. I'm going to attempt to give all of the updates person by person here, so bear with me!

As far as the entire family goes, we're all doing great. Life as a family of 6 is definitely getting easier - and personally, I'm very relieved. I wasn't sure about all of that "large family" business. A little scary - seriously. Our only current "challenge" is deciding what the best solution is for our living arrangements. We're in the process of buying this house, and we didn't know I was pregnant when we moved in. Jason and I have taken it as a sign, though, that this is the house for us. We just need to get creative! Austin is still in our room, which is perfectly fine, but the time is fast approaching that we will no longer care to be roomies. No offense to the little butterball, but that's just how it is.

Also, in case you didn't know, my grandmother passed away at the end of April. We were completely expecting it, but it was obviously still very hard on all of us. Mindi and I were the only grandkids, and she totally adopted Ben and Jason. Jason had the opportunity to spend alot of time with her. He would go to her house frequently and just hang out. Those two had a very special bond. Jason and I were very blessed to spend her last moments with her.

In other news, my parents are definitely moving here next summer. We knew it would happen eventually, but no one knew for sure when. Aside from our little clan being here, my dad's brother also lives here. Oh, and I'm holding out hope that my sister (who is in NY) will move back, too. Hey - a girl can wish, right? Jason and I are really excited about the whole thing. It was really great, because they had a serious chat with us about it all. They did NOT want to move here if Jason wasn't totally up for it. How many in-laws will do that?! Anyway, because we are so fortunate to all have a very close relationship, they're headed this way. Yeah!!

Jason continues to do AWESOME at his job. He does the majority of his work through Handyman Connection, but he is also building his own customer base. Right now, he's working on an addition for the local dance academy. I'm not kidding you - that guy can do just about anything. Yes, he would probably be embarrassed by all my bragging, but it's so true. He's incredible. He gets up with me in the morning, cooks breakfast, takes Logan to school, works hard all day, comes home to help out with supper if I need it, and then just totally throws himself into our family. I'm so lucky.

I'm cruising along with my usual gig. I feel as though I have finally been able to get back in the swing of things lately. It's been so nice! I've had quite a bit of catching up to do, but the list is getting shorter every day. I started running a couple of months ago, so that's my current "project". I'm hoping to do the Tulsa Run in October, but we'll see. It's LONG. Yikes. Also, in the fall I'll be teaching 2 days each week at the preschool. It's a great deal. Peyton, Addison, and Austin will all go (for free!) while I float around the classrooms. On Fridays, I'll be trading babysitting duties with a girlfriend so that we can each have a whole day to ourselves every other week. It's a perfect situation, and I'm super excited about it.

Logan just finished 1st grade and is really looking forward to the summer break. We always have a blast when school is out, so I'm looking forward to it, too. Logan did very well at school this year, and he says his favorite class is P.E. His favorite subjects are math and writing. He also LOVES to read. Jason and Logan (and occasionally, Peyton) were very involved in Cub Scouts this year. It was quite fun for both of them. Also, on Passover Sunday, Logan became a Christian. Jason and I were so thrilled. I don't think we realized what a special feeling we would have as his parents. He will be baptized this week, and Jason does a special Bible Study book with him each day. Logan also became involved at Awanas this spring at church and already finished his first book. He's really come out of his shell - he's doing so great!

Peyton had a GREAT year at preschool. We absolutely love, love, love his school. I had quite a time finding him a good place to go, so it's been a huge relief. He was so devastated when the school year ended! We're continuing to do some work with Peyton's nutritional issues, but he's definitely getting better. He is eating like a horse and he's finally ADDING some weight, which is a huge relief. He'll be going to a specialist in the next month or so, just to check for any kind of problem with the structure of his digestive system. We are so thrilled that 1 of the 2 specialists in the state is about 15 minutes away. He has had many tests ran, so we know he's not allergic to anything at this point. Currently, we're doing an elimination process with certain foods (dairy for now) to find the ingredients that he's intolerant to. There's a big difference between allergy and intolerance. To be honest, it's taken some time to get used to the process, but it's totally worth it. Jason and I were in agreement that we would take the time to "get to the bottom of it", even if that meant loading up with vitamins/supplements and spending many hours researching. It's been completely worth it, and we're glad we didn't just medicate him.

Peyton also got to start Cubbies this spring, which is the younger Awanas group at church. He loves it, and Jason teaches in there each week. It's worked out so well, because now the boys each have an activity that they do with their Dad.

Let's see - who's next? Oh yes, that would be Addison. Oh my. There's just so much I can say about this girl. She is absolutely a hoot. She has grown up so much in the last six months. Even though she is not quite 2, she is always helping to cook, clean up (including putting her own dishes in the sink), check on Austin, and anything else that the older boys do. We are constantly amazed at what a big girl she is. Of course, because she's not quite 2, she also has random moments of needing to still be the baby. We have to remind ourselves of that from time to time! Addison loves playing with her babies, playing outside, going for walks, and watching Barney. She also loves to sing and dance (she's beginning Baby Ballet in the fall), and now, she also enjoys imitating the boys when they play boxing on the Wii. It's quite a sight. It truly is a blast having a little girl running around - even if she is onerier than the boys!

My little Austin is 6 months old now! It has gone by so fast - it's shocking. Like most 4th (or more!) children, he has gotten the shaft - at least a little bit. I just got his portraits taken for the first time (Logan had about 8 by now), he almost always wears onesies (Logan and Peyton were always completely decked out in jeans, etc.), and he eats in a pink highchair (we're not convinced it's worth it to pay for a new cover - he doesn't seem to mind). I just have to say that he is the happiest baby I think I've ever known. That kid is always smiling and squealing. He just goes with the flow of our crazy lives, and as long as he's not away from his mommy for too long, he's set. He's also a chunk, and we LOVE it. We're always squeezing him - he's just so much fun. Oh, and in case you're wondering (I don't know WHY you would wonder), HE IS IT. THE LAST. THE YOUNGEST. EVER. I'm serious. If something crazy happens, I'm sueing. Mark my words.

Last, but certainly not least......Max. Maximus. Maximillion. Maxipad. (Hey - you call your dog what you want, I'll call my dog what I want) He's one cool dog. And he completes our little group. Oh, and he sleeps right between Jason's and my feet. (Is that gramatically correct? Mom? Jen?) And he follows me around everywhere. Yes, he fits right in. And he's great.

Well, that's about it. Good grief. I think I covered all the important parts. Are you still there? Are you still awake? Hello? Have a good night!

Teacher Gifts!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:51:00 +0000

Ok, so my friend Jen and I decided to connect with our inner Martha Stewart and make some really fun clipboards. We saw them on Etsy for $15.00 and realized we could do SO much better. Didn't we Jen? Hee hee. The funny thing is that we tend to think we could do SO much better quite often. And sometimes, we don't do ANY better. At all. But hey - we try.

Anyway, this is how the clipboard started it's boring life:
And THIS, my friends, is how it looks now:

I actually bought 4 of them. These are the 2 I have finished so far. They're for Logan and Peyton's teachers. Aren't they just too fun? They actually make me WANT to write a to-do list just so I can stick it in this clipboard. Well....almost, anyway.

Hopefully I'll get around to finishing the other 2 in a few days. They're a bit time-consuming, but really fun to make. I hope the teachers like them!

Getting Organized

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:34:00 +0000

I know I haven't written in awhile, but it's actually been for a pretty good reason! I've been spending alot of time lately sorting, organizing, evaluating current systems, reading, etc. After having Austin, I spent SO much time wandering through my days - taking life one hour at a time. Only within the last couple of weeks has the fog been lifted - and I'm very glad.

We also have been so busy with Peyton's nutrition stuff. I'll post the latest updates on that within the next day or so. The ever-growing list of supplements had begun to create some confusion around here! Because all 4 kids take various vitamins, etc., I really needed a system in place. Jason cooks breakfast every morning, and that's one of the times that they take everything. We were both getting a little overwhelmed.

I decided that I would start my household overhaul with the simple task of making a re-usable list of the vitamins and supplements. I wanted something that would be in plain sight, fun and colorful, and easy to follow. I came up with this:
I got some scrapbook paper and stickers and went for it. I put it inside a sheet protector, put magnetic strips on the back, then hung it on the refrigerator. I have a marker hanging right next to it. We can easily check off the list and clean it off at the end of the day!

I'm eager to start this! It's these little things that make life so much easier around here. As I work my way around the house, I'll be posting my problems and solutions. If I'm feeling really brave, I'll post before and after pictures. Let me give you fair warning - some of them will be really scary.

Have a great Saturday!

Max

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Well, I made the leap today and found my family a dog. We are now the proud owners of a carkie (cairn terrier/yorkie mix) named Max.

He is ADORABLE. He is so sweet and perfect with the boys. Addison and Austin haven't met him yet, so that should be interesting. So far, he's just been checking everything out. We did give him a bath, flea treatment (just in case, although we didn't see any), and a good brushing.

I'll post pictures in the next day or so. He really is cute. And free. That was the best part. Gotta love Craig's List. It took quite a while for us to find what we wanted for free or really cheap, but we finally did! I'm wondering if we should really name him Maximillion to stick with the whole "ending with an n" thing. Hmmm.....

Inappropriately Chubby

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:14:00 +0000

That's how I would currently describe myself. I'm taking the plunge here and telling the whole world (well, or at least my 3 readers) that I seriously need to stop painfully stuffing my midsection and butt into my jeans. And my pajama pants. And my undies, for that matter. It's just so scary. And like I said above, inappropriate.

If you know me at all, you probably know that I've always been thin. It's true. It's just never been an issue for me, really. Well, it's an issue now. I've been pregnant or nursing or postpartum since 2006, so needless to say, the metabolism/hormone combination has taken a good beating. So much so, in fact, that I believe I no longer have any metabolism. Is that possible? Is it possible to take 3 days to digest a meal? I think it may be.

Anyway, here's the deal. I'm not pregnant, nursing, or postpartum anymore. I AM planning on swimming this summer though. In an actual bathing suit. I am also planning on bending over and not ripping the butt of my pants. I would also like to bend over and not black out. I'm dangerously close to that last one. I think I saw "floaters" yesterday when I reached down to pick up Austin's burp rag. So sad.

I'm the type of person that will whine about something for awhile. I will also have good intentions of accomplishing goals, although it sometimes takes me some time to get going. However, when I'm ready, I do it. Well, I'm done whining and ready to go. I have never been okay with buying bigger clothes. That's dumb. I mean, come on. Am I seriously going to spend money on new clothes because I cannot stop stuffing my face? How ridiculous is that? Like I said before, I just stuff my face and then stuff my butt and other surrounding squishy parts into my regular clothes. When that no longer works, I stop. Although, I would LOVE it if someone decided that maternity clothes were "in" for regular people. That would be AWESOME.

As of tomorrow, I'm beginning South Beach. I'm ready and excited. I will admit that I have gorged myself all day today. I mean GORGED. I feel a little nauseous as a matter of fact. Again, so sad.

Well, I just thought I would share. Since I'm SURE you'll be SO curious to know how it's going, I will be posting about the whole dang thing. :)

Oh, and one more thing - I already exercise alot, and will continue to do so. I'm actually starting training for the Tulsa Run that's held in October, which is a 15k. It's just that from now on, I will reward myself with a highly tasty celery stick after working out. Instead of a highly tasty candy bar.

Have a good night!

Oprah

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:16:00 +0000

I think I have a love/hate relationship with her show. I used to watch her quite frequently, but it's actually been a few years since I was any kind of "faithful" viewer.

I had the idea a week or two ago to start recording the shows to watch at night occasionally. I'm kind of wondering if it was such a great idea.

Let me give you a fair warning: if you haven't watched this week, I'm about to spoil your fun. A few nights ago, I decided to watch the episode about motherhood. I mean, I figured this could be really great, you know? Oprah said they were talking about how mothers REALLY feel, etc. I was so excited. Fast forward about 3 minutes into the program and I was completely let down. If you've read my blog long at all, you know I keep things pretty real around here. I have never claimed to have it all together, and I certainly have never pretended like motherhood is perfect every day. BUT - I was really disappointed that there were so many women "confessing" that being a mother just really sucks. I couldn't believe it!!!

I began to wonder how I would feel if Logan was sitting next to me on the couch. Or how the children of these women would feel if they heard what their mothers were saying. I'm not talking about things like admitting that you don't bathe your kid every day. That's just real life sometimes. I'm also not talking about the feeling of being alone and overwhelmed that we get occasionally - that's totally normal! I'm talking about complaining about your kids and how they're just a big pain in the butt. I'm talking about the mothers who said that they need to practically be drunk to handle their kids. And they were laughing the whole time! And so was the audience!

I did learn something from Oprah that night (and the rest of this week, for that matter). First of all, I learned that I won't be watching her show unless she's interviewing someone super interesting. I didn't make my decision off this one episode. The rest of the week was quite disturbing, too, in my opinion. Second, I learned that I am so thankful for the fact that I thoroughly enjoy my children. No, they are not perfect all of the time. Not by a long shot. But would I ever wish they were "out of my hair"? Never! I also learned that I am so thankful that I have a great group of "mom friends" who feel the same way. I hope that the moms who spoke on Oprah can find some friends like mine. Maybe if they step back and see their children as blessings instead of burdens, they won't feel so frustrated!

So thank you Oprah. Thank you for helping me realize that when you surround yourself with positive people, you'll be much less likely to complain so much. Thank you for helping me realize that I truly have better things to do with my time (well, at least most of the time).

Yoga

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:22:00 +0000

So......I tried yoga tonight. For the first time - ever.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but just in case: I am not coordinated. Oh - and I have no balance either. Not a good combo when you're attempting yoga. I was laughing so hard at myself as I was doing tree poses and warrior stuff. I was also making a mental note to NEVER do yoga outside of my living room. I wouldn't even let Jason come in and watch me. He may never look at me the same way again. I just couldn't have that, you know?

Anyway, I think I'm going to stick with it. Without going into a bunch of boring schmoring weight loss crap, let's just say that I need to lose a few pounds. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that 15 pounds would not be too much. Therefore, I'm doing running/walking intervals 5 days a week and now I'm going to do yoga 3 days a week, too. According to Denise Austin, I can be fit in 21 days. We'll see I guess. I mean, I would REALLY hate to embarrass myself in a bathing suit this summer. With that being said, I've decided to believe Denise Austin. She better be right.

Oh - and one more HUGE piece of news: I no longer drink Diet Coke. Good grief, I really never thought I would say that. I seriously hated the first 3 or 4 days, but I'm happy to report that I'm no longer gnashing my teeth. According to the lady from Flat Belly Diet (no, I don't have the book - I saw it on Oprah's website), you can lose quite a bit of flab by cutting out a few things for a week. Soda was one of them. I don't know what the other things were. I pretty much ignored the rest of it. :) ANYWAY - I'm just a water girl now. Like my friend Mellany pointed out, I guess I will no longer have Coke Reward codes to enter. Therefore, I will apologize now to my friends and family. You will no longer be getting fabulous Coke Reward gifts for Christmas. You will have the pleasure of not sitting next to a fat girl by the Christmas tree. Take your pick.

Ok, that's all the mind-stimulating information I have for you today. We'll see what tomorrow brings!

Addison's Update

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:08:00 +0000

I'm SO excited to report that I took Addison to the pediatric cardiologist today, and she's doing great! The hole in her heart has closed, which they were pretty sure would happen. The pulmonic stenosis (the "sticking" and narrowing of the valve) has actually improved, which they did NOT think would happen! The best case scenario that they gave me was that it would not get any worse. That's all they were hoping for. That would have been fine, as she would not require surgery with the problem being at that level, but I'm really excited that it's actually healing.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! We don't even have to go back for a whole year - and that's just for another routine checkup. Yeah!!

The BE Well Method

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:45:00 +0000

The BE Well Method is what we're using in our family to make sure we all get the proper amount and kinds of nutrition. It's a really easy system to follow, and the kids love picking something from each category. Basically, you should pick 1 thing from the "B" group and 1 thing from the "E" group for each meal AND snack. Of course, you can do more, but the idea is that they should be even amounts. For example, you should not eat way more protein than carbs or more carbs than protein. Also, 2-3 times a day, you should pick a vegetable from the vegetable list to add in. This is the hard part for us. I must say, veggies are not a hot item around here. I'm the only one who really loves them!

As a side note, notice where corn and potatoes are. NOT in the veggie group. They're actually considered a carb. So don't do what Jason does and count corn and potatoes as part of the daily veggie allowance. That's cheating. :)

The kids have been completely excited about the whole program. We've made a commitment as a family to try new things. The fact that we're all in it together is a really big deal! Our rule is that you must take 2 bites of everything on your plate. That way, at least they do taste the new stuff, and I don't get all upset that no one is eating what I made!

The other thing I was doing wrong was making their snacks too small. These are actually a "mini meal" (for adults, too). Alot of times, I would give them a banana or some graham crackers or something like that. Those were healthy choices, but they didn't contain nutrients from both groups. Since I've changed this, I've noticed a really positive difference. The "I'm hungry" whining has stopped. You know - the kind that kicks in about 30 minutes after they just ate.

Ok, here are the "groups". We have a handy little chart with columns which works really well. Then you can just pick from each column for meals and snacks!

The "B" Group: Building Foods
- lean meats including: chicken, turkey, pork, beef, fish, and shellfish
- eggs
- nuts and nut butters
-beans
-dairy (cheese, milk, and yogurt)
-soy milk and protein products (**note from me: Make sure you really read the labels on this stuff. Some of it is highly processed)

The "E" Group: Energy Foods
-grains including: cereals, breads, pasta, rice, tortillas, and crackers
-starchy vegetables limited to potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, and lentils
-fruits and fruit juices: juice limited to 4-6 oz. per day. And only drink juice WITH food. Not in between

Non-Starchy Vegetables
-tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, onions, peppers, cucumbers

Nutritionist Visit - #1

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:26:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm very impressed with Peyton's nutritionist, Amy. She's very knowledgeable, and we're really on the same page. What I mean by that is she is very much into sensible, natural-as-possible food. No sugar-loaded Pediasure, etc. I love this woman! The other really cool thing is that her instructions are not just for kids - they're for adults, too!

I have gotten TONS of e-mails about my last post. It's so encouraging to me to know that so many of my friends and family feel the same way I do about this stuff. It makes the journey so much easier! I've decided to post some of the details of my visits with Amy to share with you. Partly because it just gives me an outlet to write about what's going on with Peyton, but also because I know you guys will love this info. And hey - it's free! I'll just pull some of the important parts of our discussions and pass them along to you. Keep in mind that this stuff is coming straight from the horse's mouth. It's not just MY opinion or anything like that. This is what the nutritionist says to do. Most of it is common sense anyway, but it gives a fresh spin on things, I think.

This past week, we discussed some very basic eating and drinking habits. Jason and I do most of these things already, so it was nice not to have to overhaul too much yet. We will meet with Amy the week after next, and in the meantime, Peyton will be doing some food intolerance/allergy testing. This is a MUST anytime you're dealing with food issues of any kind. And in case you didn't know this, I'll tell you! If you or your kids have ANY kind of behavior issues (including ADD/ADHD), I HIGHLY encourage you to have them extensively tested for food intolerance/allergy. It is PROVEN that many kids with ADD/ADHD and similar disorders have food problems.

Ok, here are a few points. I'll post some more tomorrow. :)

1. Eat Breakfast Everyday.
2. Eat Every 3-4 hours with balance.
3. Balance your meals with the BE-Well Method. (I will post the details tomorrow, but it's basically a protein/carb + vegetable combination)
4. Do not eat or drink between meals (she counts a snack as a meal, by the way). Water is ok.
5. Learn to respond to hunger appropriately, with balance, add treats only after a balanced meal or snack has been eaten.
6. Be active between meals.
7. Exercise everyday.

**My favorite (well, and least favorite) point of the week? School lunches are quite possibly the worst thing for kids to eat. Ever. Well, great. I guess it's time to stop slacking off, huh? I told Logan he will only be eating at school 2 days/week from now on. He was bummed, but he understood. He wants to be healthy, too.

I Forgot One!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Thanks to my friend for reminding me about one of my most favorite "habits". The chiropractor!! It's true. My kids go to one. It started when Peyton was about 4 weeks old and I was willing to try anything to treat his colic. It definitely helped.

I will honestly tell you that I don't fully understand why and how it all works exactly. I just know that it does. The chiropractor can explain everything waaaay better than I ever could. I have tons of examples I could give you, but a couple stand out to me more than the others.

Like I said above, it helped Peyton's colic. Also, he had acid reflux, and after he was adjusted, his body was able to "get it all out" if you know what I mean. It was nuts. Also, all of my kids sleep much better when they're not "out". I can really tell a difference. Addison was about 1 week old when she got her first treatment. Age is not a factor!

I really encourage you to give it a try. When the body is "in sync" (don't you love my medical terms?), everything else just works better.

Here in Jenks, we go to Russell Prentice. No, he has no idea that I'm promoting him here. He's REALLY good. He's great with the kids, he has a playroom in the office, and you hardly ever have to wait - at all. Also, when he's done, the kids get a vitamin C. Don't laugh. They love it!

Again, share your experiences here if you have any. The more we can learn from each other, the better!

Why I Do The Things I Do

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:48:00 +0000

I was so excited today, because I got to go to the nutritionist with Peyton. I'll post details on that within the next day or two, but basically, my gut is telling me that he has some sort of food allergy or intolerance thing going on. I have no idea what. Anyway, it was an awesome appointment, and I seriously could have just visited with her for hours. Before I post on our current and future experiences in this new little "journey", I want to give you some background about our beliefs in this area. First of all, I've had numerous people ask me about the things we do with/for our kids. Second of all, I post random opinions throughout my blog, but I think it needs to be all in one spot. It just makes more sense that way.

Also, I am in no way an expert. I will say that I have done a massive amount of research on most of it, though. It's just fun for me. I will also say that there are plenty of people out there who make even more healthy decisions than I do. Right now, I just do what I can. And I don't make any decision without really looking into it first. These aren't just random ideas I have or anything. :)

Let me make something VERY clear. This is what WE do in OUR family. We do feel very strongly that what we are doing is right, but I will not judge someone else for having a different point of view. In fact, if you feel like arguing with me, go ahead. Just keep it nice, please. This is going to be in a sort of "FAQ" form. These are questions that I get from people alot, so I think it will be easier. Here we go!

1. Why do you do all the natural, "alternative" stuff?

Well, and I'll try to keep this short, I stumbled upon it all through trial and error. Logan was not a healthy child between the ages of 1 and 3. In fact, he had so many ear infections, respiratory infections, etc., that he had antibiotics 24 times in that time period. He also did breathing treatments. I didn't know any better. I did what the doctors prescribed. I deep cleaned my house with chemical cleaners to "kill the germs". Finally, I had enough. Logan had a round of croup that had lasted over 15 days. No amount of breathing treatments or oral steroids would cure it. I said "What the heck?!" and called the natural doctor in our town. He did a complete work-up, gave me orders to overhaul everything that he ate, everything that he breathed, and anything else that could go into his body. The doctor did needleless acupuncture and sent us on our way. Logan slept 15 hours that night without one cough. No more croup. Ever since that day, I've implemented more and more natural "habits". And ever since that day, Logan has been sick MAYBE a handful of times. He still has ear fluid trouble, but he also has a very small ear canal and scar tissue now. The fluid never gets infected, though. Our other kids are extremely healthy, too. And trust me, it's not genetic luck.

2. What kind of vitamins do you use? Honestly, I tend to hop around a bit. Typically speaking, I buy Animal Parade vitamins for Peyton and Addison. Logan takes GNC kids multis (he needs more iron). All of the kids take probiotics DAILY. I buy Garden of Life, or if they're out, I buy Country Life. Our main philosophy is that whatever we buy, it has to come from the health food store. You can find vitamin information easily (just compare labels), so trust me when I say that vitamins from Wal-Mart are not even close to being the same as vitamins from the health food store. You get what you pay for, so don't waste your money. Yes, we spend quite a bit of money on vitamins and supplements. We're okay with that. It saves money in the long run, and it's very worth it to us to keep our family as healthy as possible.

3. Do you only buy organic? Yes and no. I try to buy as much as possible. Except in rare cases, I have always bought organic beef, chicken, eggs, yogurt, and baby food. My kids don't drink milk, so I don't worry too much about that. I do buy 1/2 gallon of organic to use in cooking, though. I could spend hundreds of dollars at Whole Foods every week if money was never an issue. Because money IS an issue, I just try to eliminate the really "bad" stuff. Hormones, antibiotics, etc. Our most recent overhaul has been to eliminate any artificial colors and sweeteners. They're everywhere!

4. Do you never buy "bad" food? Oh my goodness. Currently in my pantry, I have a box of organic "fruit by the foot". Right next to that is a box of Pop-Tarts. Moderation people. The kids each get to pick out one "junk" item each week. I'm fine with that. I don't deny them McDonald's, it's just that we only go about 1 time each month. Sometimes I make Kraft Mac and Cheese - with organic milk. Yes, I know that's like people eating a whole pizza but insisting on a diet soda. Whatever! Like I said, I do what I can.

5. Do you vaccinate? Yes. I DO NOT vaccinate according to the "recommended" schedule. We feel that there is WAY too much evidence out there proving that injecting a baby with so much at one time is overload. I actually have a friend that's a doctor and a friend who has an autistic child that can give me REAL case stories. Of people they actually know. Freaky. So don't worry. My child won't give your child the measles or anything. We just do 1 or 2 at a time, and we wait several months in between (after 4 months). And we don't do flu shots or chickenpox shots.

6. If you don't use chemical cleaners, how do you kill all the germs? Well, hold on to your hats. WE HAVE GERMS. Millions of them. Everywhere. And you know what? That's okay! Our society has become so "clean" that we're almost TOO clean. We aren't supposed to disinfect everything. I had a very hard time accepting this. It just didn't seem right. Currently, I clean with vinegar, baking soda, Basic H, and Method (in the bathroom - it's addictive). That's it. And so far, we don't smell too funky or anything! Another perk? I don't have to freak out if one of my kids touches the mop bucket.

7. Are all of your household items "natural"? No. Again, I think I would love it if they were, but they're just not. The kids all use natural bathing products, and I USUALLY always use all-natural stuff in the laundry. Unless I run out or get lazy one week - which happens. I don't use anti-bacterial hand soap anymore, so that's a biggie I guess. We wash our hands very frequently and use hand gel (not anti-bacterial), so I didn't want that on our hands. Otherwise, I just use regular stuff and just try to eliminate fragrance, etc.

8. How do you feel about medicine? It depends. I think Americans are so used to taking medicine for everything that we don't stop to think about what we're taking anymore. Like everything else, there's a time and a place. When we get a cold, we take a spoonful of honey (only over age 1), run the humidifier, and sometimes use baby Vicks. I also keep homeopathic cold tablets on hand. On the other hand, I just had a big-dog antibiotic filled last Sunday. I somehow got strep, a double ear infection, and a sinus infection all at the same time. I felt like I swallowed razor blades - the blisters on my throat were really bad. Each day got worse, so it was time to get some good 'ol fashioned drugs. Thank goodness! So we do both. We try to go without drugs, but we'll never NOT take them.

I think that pretty much sums it all up. Like I said, those are the questions that people ask me the most. In a nutshell, Jason and I firmly believe that people will be very pleasantly surprised if they "cross over" to this way of thinking. We have seen with our own eyes how lives can be transformed. I know it's much easier to go to the doctor, get a prescription, and go on your way. Let me tell you that it does take a lot of time and effort to do things this way. The good thing is that it's much easier now than it used to be! There are so many things easily available - even at Wal-Mart.

If you have a success story, please leave it here for the rest of us. That kind of thing ALWAYS helps!

What's Going On Around These Here Parts

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:38:00 +0000

It's been a busy few days around here! As I mentioned in my last post, the kids and I went to Nixa for a few days over spring break. My mom came back with us Saturday morning before she headed back Sunday.

We had a great visit, although as usual, it went by very quickly. There are so many people to see, and with 4 kids in tow, I seem to always "leave someone out"! Things were going smoothly until Friday morning. I woke up with a sore throat, but didn't think much of it. The day went on, and by late afternoon, I had a 102 fever, too. I rarely get sick, so I thought it must be a quick bug of some sort. Wrong.

By 7:00pm, it was up to 104, even with medicine. I thought my head was going to explode. I somehow made the trip back the next morning - thank GOODNESS my mom was with us! By Sunday afternoon, I was in tears, and headed to the ER. As it turns out, I have a double ear infection, a sinus infection, and strep throat. Fabulous. To top it off, they had to give me an antibiotic shot. If you haven't heard by now, I'm a huge pansy. Yes, I cried. BUT - I don't think the nurse saw me. I asked for pain medication. The doctor said "For your throat?" I said "Yes, but mainly for my butt - that shot hurt really bad". Sad, I know. And I couldn't get any because I drove myself there. I made a mental note for next time. Take the bus if Jason's busy.

Enough about that - yeah, I'm dog sick. There's nothing I can do except wait for the antibiotics to do their job (I think they're starting). Oh, and hope my children will cut me just a tiny bit of slack.

The big news of the week??!! Drum roll please.....Austin sleeps through the night consistently now. 12 glorious hours, baby (ok, I do have to shove the paci in a couple of times a night, but I don't count that). Thank you Lord. Thank you alot. The older boys stay up until about 8:00 most nights, but the babies are down between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, and no one wakes up until at least 7:00am. I just cannot express enough excitement here. This is how things used to go around here, but having 2 little ones so close in age means that it's been a VERY long time since I slept that much.

Oh, and I'm very fully aware of the fact that tonight, they will all be up all night long. Just because I got on here and said something.

That's about it for now! I'm finishing up my 7th load of laundry for the day, and then I'm hitting the hay!

Hot Fudge Sundaes

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I've had a touch of writer's block lately - obviously. I've been digging around in my mind, trying to figure out what it is I want to do with this blog. The two blog carnivals I participate in have new hosts, which is totally no big deal really, but it's making me wonder if I want to try something new. I'm not sure yet!

One thing I do know for sure is that I want to get back to writing more about my family and the day to day stuff. This blog was starting to be about frugality more than anything. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all, but there really is so much more to my life than that!

Ok, anyway, I want to write about what I did tonight. Many of my readers already know this, but in case you don't, you should know about my grandmother. She's 86 years old, and she's very close to the end of this life here on earth. She's wonderful. She currently lives in a nursing home where she's being cared for and kept as comfortable as possible. You see, she has cancer in her liver, lungs, and bones. They're quite sure there's more, but she's opted out of any more testing/treatment. We all know that there's just not much time left with her.

This is the second time I've come back to MO since we got her diagnosis. I got to spend a great deal of time with her a few weeks ago, but I felt like I left with something "undone". I couldn't decide what it was. I wrote her a long letter, we talked, hugged, etc., but I just had a feeling that I was forgetting to do something.

I took the kiddos up to see her this morning, which was great, but obviously a very brief visit. I was going to try to go up tomorrow by myself, but ended up going tonight after the babies were in bed. As we were talking, the nurse assistant came in to get her ready for bed. I went behind the curtain and waited on the other side. We were still chatting, and then it "hit me". I realized that this very well could be the last time I see my grandma. What are you supposed to do in this situation? I've never really known ahead of time that someone was going to die very soon. I've been at a loss. I didn't want to start bawling, so I was praying really hard for some sort of direction. I didn't want to look back and wish I would have done something different.

I asked her if she still ate dessert. Weird, huh? The thing is, when my sister and I were growing up, we went to DQ with them all the time. Anyway, she said "All I can get, why?". I said "Great, what do you want? I could go for a treat, too." (Since I'm on a diet and all) She said that she would love a hot fudge sundae from Braum's. Oh- one more thing. My grandma was always very in control of her figure, and hot fudge sundaes were a rare treat, and even then, she only ate about half. So.....

Fifteen minutes later, she was in her nightgown devouring her entire double dip hot fudge sundae, and I was sitting next to her eating my low-fat Reese's Cup (extra cups) mix. It was great. It was the best time ever, as a matter of fact. When I walked out, I had a much better feeling.

I don't know if I'll see my grandma again, but if I don't, I'll know that we shared some ice cream together - one more time. And it was my favorite ice cream ever.

Works For Me Wednesday - Greatest Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0000

If you didn't know, WFMW has a new host - We are THAT Family. Also, with this being the first Wednesday of the month, there is a theme - and it's Greatest Tips. I'm supposed to re-post or come up with a new tip that's my favorite. This is going to be hard!!

I think I'm going to have to go with my homemade laundry stuff - hands down. Not only does it work, but it's sooooooooo cheap. I've done the laundry detergent for awhile, and the fabric softener for a couple of weeks now. The links are below.

What about you? What's your favorite "works for me" tip?

Laundry detergent

Fabric softener

OH MY GOSH - I deleted my stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 03:42:00 +0000

I DO NOT know what I did! I was trying to re-do my labels on my posts, and instead of deleting the labels, I deleted the posts! All of my writing for about the first 50 posts are totally gone. Does anyone know ANYTHING about this kind of thing - oh yikes.

Frugal Friday - Another GREAT laundry recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:55:00 +0000

I spent quite a bit of time over the past couple of weeks digging around for more homemade household recipes. I haven't done any new ones in a while, so I was having withdrawal.

Last week, I found an awesome recipe for fabric softener! Let me tell you that I am a Downy and Snuggle FREAK. I have a sick obsession with fabric softener, so I'm quite hard to please in this area. Anyway, I found a few different recipes, but the one below is my favorite. It's very inexpensive and the clothes are soft. Because of what's in it, (or maybe what's NOT in it) there is not a really strong smell. They do smell fresh and clean, though.

A couple of thoughts:

1. If your family has sensitive skin or you don't want fragrance, just buy all-natural, unscented conditioner. If you have a Whole Foods (Wild Oats) nearby, you can get their 365 brand of conditioner for about $3-$4 for a good size bottle. I recommend buying all-natural anyway, but that's just me. You can get scented - it's just not loaded with chemicals!
2. If you don't care what kind of conditioner goes in, just go with the cheap stuff. It works just as well as anything else, and you'll just be saving even more.
3. I store my homemade fabric softener in my Downy bottle. When I pour it in the fabric softener thingie, I fill it up with my stuff - I don't add water.
4. Make sure you shake it up before each use.

Okay - are you ready? Here you go!

6 cups water
3 cups vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner

One more thing - I cut this recipe in half, and that filled up 1 Downy bottle. Have fun!

Works For Me Wednesday - Sleepytime Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:50:00 +0000

I think I have finally found the best way to end the day. It's called Sleepytime Tea, by Celestial Seasonings, and it's my favorite addiction. Well, aside from my morning Diet Coke Addiction. And my Grey's Anatomy addiction. And my Reese's Cups addiction.

A while back, I wrote a post asking for help on how I could settle myself down and get to bed at a decent time. One of my readers suggested this tea, and I just bought some a couple of weeks ago. I'm not a big fan of tea, but I thought I would give it a shot.

It's great! I love the fact that it's safe and natural - the valium wasn't working out too well for me. :) I can drink this tea and it's just so calming - it really does help you drift right off. And the best part? Because it's not a sleep-aid, you don't wake up feeling all weirdo.

Have you ever tried this tea? Are there any others that you recommend? Share them with us!

Putting It Into Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Recently, I started subscribing to a newsletter from Living On A Dime. I just read today's e-mail, and it was really great.

She was talking about the economy. Who isn't, right? Well, her point of view was a little different. In a nutshell, she was basically telling us that most people in our country are living quite well - despite "these hard economic times". Many Americans are spending and playing just like they always have. High dollar cell phone purchases, expensive jewelry (charged, of coure), massive holiday spending, weekly golf games, etc. The point was that there is nothing wrong with those things - at all. It's just that there are statistics out there proving that even though people are losing their jobs, homes, and cars, many of them don't slow down - one bit.

I think what stood out to me the most was the information about how wealthy we REALLY are - compared to the rest of the world. She mentioned pastor Bob Coy, who quoted facts from the Global Rich List website.

Check this out:

If you make $35,000/year, you are in the top 4.62% of the richest people in the world
$50,000? top 0.98%
$75,000? top 0.82%
%100,000? top 0.66%

Kind of puts it into perspective, doesn't it?