No More Excuses

Wow it has been a long time since I have written anything on this blog. However, it has not been "out of sight out of mind for me." Yes, Christmas and the first of the year were extremely busy. But as the holidays passed I did think a lot about my blog and often I would get an idea to write about. However, there were many excuses and negative voices (my own voice not my family or friends they are very supportive) that prevented me from just doing it. 


One major excuse was not having time and forgetting my ideas when I do have the time. I would come up with ideas while in the shower, driving the car or cooking dinner and could not go to the computer right then. When I did have free time on the computer I would forget what I wanted to write or that I even had something to write in the first place. Yes, I am what you may call ADHD, a multi-tasker or a SHE (Sidetracked Home Executive). My mind is always going a million miles per hour and I easily jump from one thing to another. Now, I am taking the time to jot notes when I get the idea- or at least when I can safely write. Don't worry I won't be writing as I drive down the highway. And no, I don't have a waterproof notebook in my shower but if I did the world may be in trouble.


Another main excuse was I didn't have the "right" photos or logos or whatever I needed to make each article look professional and polished. I would think "I could write _____ but wait what kind of graphic could I have with it?" Or "Do I really want to spent all that time coming up with a graphic for such a small article?"


Well, since mid February I have been slowly taking baby steps in reclaiming my home from CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) by re-starting the Flylady plan. One of the points she makes is not letting perfectionism stop us from cleaning our house or doing other things we want. For those of you not like this, it may sound super strange. I mean you would think a perfectionist would have a perfectly clean house and do anything they thought of doing. Well for born organized perfectionists this may be true, but for SHEs like me it is quite opposite. The idea of doing something wrong or imperfect is so crippling that the task gets left undone. But fear not, I am learning that you cannot climb stairs until you take the first step and you don't have to see the end of the staircase to take the first step. (The second part is a paraphrase from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) Flylady likes to say that "even house keeping done incorrectly can bless your house." This does not mean to just do it half baked and think "eh... good enough." It means not to let concerns of doing something the "correct" way or trying to do things the way your mother or mother-in-law or whoever else would do it keep you from doing it the way you can. 


I have taken this way of thinking on as I think about my blog. So, it may not always looks super polished and have perfect graphics but the content may actually help or encourage someone and that's the point. Also, lets face it, I don't have a whole lot of readers and of the readers I do have 99 percent of you are either my friends or family and you know me well enough not to expect perfection. I doubt I will every make one penny on this blog. If the time comes that I actually do I will have probably learned quite a few things about producing a great looking blog.


So, if you my, dear readers, are willing to try again I am back on the saddle again. Many of the ideas I have are discussion questions or topics so please feel free to leave a comment below of on the FB page.

Give and Get is Here!

Give and Get is Here!: "Enjoy 30% off from November 11-14 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy plus we'll make a 5% donation to a non-profit."
If your looking for a way to give back this holiday season this program looks great. When you shop at Gap, Banana Republic or Old Navy November 11-14 not only will you receive 30 percent off 5% of your purchase price will go to a non-profit organization. Please check out the link for more information.

New CVS Tip

Have you gotten any of the 10% off shopping spree coupons at CVS yet? They are printed on the bottom of your receipt with ECBs or coupons.
Here's what you need to know about them:

• There is a limit of saving $99 with it but that shouldn't be a problem for most people. (I don't think I know of anyone who would spent $999 at CVS in one trip)
• No matter what order the cashier uses it, the computer uses it  last after all other coupons and ECBs. So for example if your purchase comes to $100 and then you have $20 worth of coupons and ECBs bringing your total down to $80 you would get 10% off the $80 which would be another $8 off your total.
• I do not know if these can be used in conjunction with the 20% off CVS brand coupons that are also printing.

My coupon expires mid November so be sure to use it while it's good. I think both of these percent off coupons would be great for building up your stock pile. They would also be great to use to get stocking stuffer or gifts. If you take advantage of the current deal on Toy Story 3 DVD and add this coupon you should get some real savings. (In case you haven't heard if you spend $25 on P&G products you save $16 on Toy Story 3 DVD)

I am assuming you can use these in conjunction with the $5 off a $25 dollar purchase or $10 off a $50 purchase the $5 or $10 will just be taken off first then the 10% will be figured on the remaining.
For more tips on saving at CVS click here.

Raising a non-picky eater

Wow! It's been awhile since I posted anything. That was not my intention, but sometimes life gets in the way of plans. My husband was very sick for about three weeks, five days of which he was hospitalized. (However, I'm happy to report he is completely well. Although the doctor never did diagnose the problem. Where is Dr. Gregory House when you need him?) Then my three year old had a bout with asthma. He also required an overnight stay in the hospital. So needless to say, my blog got put on the back burner and as things in my family life normalized the blog remained on the back burner.

So now without any further ado, the topic of today's: kids and vegetables. My girls loved and still do love vegetables. In fact they gave me a hard time for not serving brussel spouts because it is one of the few foods I don't really like. One year my oldest actually requested lima beans for her birthday dinner. So when I would read parenting magazines and see articles about getting your kids to eat vegetables I skipped passed those and wondered what the big deal was all about. When a friend told me in shock that she couldn't believe that at a family gathering all the kids stood around the fruit and veggie trays chowing down I thought of course why wouldn't they?

Fast forward several years to the birth of my son. The only one of my children to nurse without a problem and without much of a weight loss drop when he was born. When he started on rice cereal and then baby food he loved it all. Then along came finger foods and he still loved them. For first birthday party I served a taco bar and included avocado chunks because it was one of his favorites. (He loved the taco meat too).

Then suddenly between the ages of 2 and 3 he became picky. Foods he loved he now turns his nose up to. He rarely will eat a vegetable at all and will only eat processed meat- hot dogs, chicken nuggets, breakfast sausage and McDonald's hamburgers (not homemade ones). He used to like spaghetti, now he doesn't touch it.

I know he won't starve to death. But my concern is teaching him healthy habits now that will stick with him for a lifetime. I don't want to make an issue of eating and food and make it a point of contention so I do not punish for not eating. There are natural consequences though and he needs to eat some type of healthy meal before having dessert.  Having two adults, two teens and two little ones to cook for there is rarely a meal that pleases everyone so I often serve the little ones a different main corse or make it a little more kid friendly. ( For example: not too many 1 and 3 year olds will eat blackened fish but the rest of my family will request it.)

So, I was wondering how do you encourage your kids to try new foods? What things worked great and what failed.