My five greatest accomplishments

Continuing with our 30 things series is a post about accomplishments. 

What have you accomplished that you are proud of?

• The biggest accomplishment in my life would have to be my kids. Obvious really, they are my entire world.
• Finishing my G.E.D. If you have read my previous posts on bullying, you will understand why I did not finish high school. But getting my G.E.D diploma is still an amazing accomplishment that I am proud of.
• Getting into College while raising my children. My first daughter was a baby when I started, and now I have been going for almost 3 years. It's not easy with kids but that's OK.
• I grew up. Doesn't seem like an accomplish to you? Well, I have been through so much in life that just being here today is amazing.
• Breastfeeding all of my children is an amazing accomplishment. Not many moms seem to understand the benefits of breastfeeding. I'm proud to say my children breastfed for at least a year each. (Besides baby girl, whom is still a booby baby)

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"Fire up February and Ignite Your Senses"

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Describe when you knew your spouse was the one or how I fell in love

Post 15 in my 30 things series


Mike is the best man out there. No man can compare to him. He is compassionite and unerstanding. He believes in me and everything that I want. We are bestfriends and always have been.

We met when we were kids, I was about to turn 16. It was young love, puppy love some would say. For us this wasn't true. As you can see we have three amazing children and a home together years later. 

It was by chance that we met. Honestly, I have been known to call it fate. It  should not have happened but it did.

My friend and I were going to visit another friend who lived up the street. How I managed to not knock on the right door is beyond me. I knew where that friend lived, yet I knowck on the door beside it. There he was, 6 feet something with a goatee and just that italian look about him. That was the beginning of my fairy take. Should I have went back to knock again after? Probably not. But I did, accompanied by my best fried whom egged on the situation. Love that girl. 
He smiled at me and my heart sank. My mom met him that very day. At least I had her meet him. If anything else, she knew I just met a complete stranger. But that is how all friendships start.

We barely spent a day apart after that. Of course, there were plenty of bumps along the way. Young love isn't supposed to last after all. We are both strong and didn't want to give up. So here we are today. Some bruises but we made it. 

It's not your average story, but it is ours. As different as it may be, I love it. 

5 and weaknesses and 5 strengths

Describe 5 and weaknesses strengths you have.

I've been participating in a series called 30 things my kids should know about me. I'm on post 14, Describe 5 and weaknesses strengths you have. If you want to read the rest of my journey I added a tab for it at the top of the page. 

This can be a difficult question to answer as I believe there are no weaknesses, just challenges we have to overcome. Everything we go through in life makes us who we are, and in turn, better people. With that said, here is a bit about my strengths.

• I'm a fighter! Not much can break me.
• I have a kind heart, and I try my best to make everybody happy.
• I am a perfectionist and want everything to be done right the first time.
• I'm too helpful. A good helper towards those who need it. Tend to go to any limits while helping someone in trouble.
• I lose patience sometimes
• I sometimes get nervous around people

Amazon and Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

Welcome to the Amazon and WalMart Gift Card Giveaway!

Hosted by Giveaway Promote.

In celebration of Giveaway Promote reaching an awesome milestone of 25,000 fans on Facebook 

They are giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a $25 WalMart Gift Card  

Giveaway Promote is my favorite place to list my giveaways and find other great giveaways to enter. Check them out!

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Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or a $25 Walmart Gift Card.

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Mean Green Cleaner Giveaway

1 Year Supply of Mean Green Products Giveaway

According to their Facebook page, Mean Green works on everything from Fabric to Concrete! Wow! 

Personally, I have used Mean Green products and I can tell you that from experience, this stuff rocks!
Spray a little on a greasy cook top, broiler pan. etc.. and it wipes right off. 

Mean Green Cleaner & Degreaser is a unique blend of biodegradable detergents and No Harmful Fumes makes it perfect for a house full of babies like mine. 

Blogger Opp! Giveaway is live!

Update: Rebecca is still excepting more Bloggers for this opp! 

New Blogger Opp

Full Review by Rebecca @ Love2EncourageYou

1 year supply of Mean Green Cleaning Products! Runs 1/18 - 2/5. 

ALL bloggers get a Free Facebook link just for posting and sharing. You can get a second free link for Twitter if you share this free blogger opp in a post on your blog. You will get 5 entry points in our Members Only Monthly Giveaway here at Love2EncourageYou Opps & More just for participating in this free blogger opp. 

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Mommy's best Cupcakes

Today my little pumpkin and I made the best red velvet cupcakes. It's kind of funny though, she hates chocolate! Such a silly little girl. One day she will see what has been missing. 

Luckily my little boy LOVES his chocolate. He actually kept stealing the cupcakes every time I would go nurse baby girl. I wanted to share what I do when I make cakes and even breads. I have this disorder where I can't follow the directions.  At least that's what the husband calls it. My opinion is that my changes make everything better. I hope you feel the same!

 I also let pumpkin take some photos. She did really well at that also.

Best Cupcakes Ever

Ingredients

3 large eggs

2/3 cups milk

1/4 cup oil or melted butter

1 package instant pudding

1 box Duncan Hines mix

If you are making the frosting you can do so according to the package, or use milk in place of the water.

You can see here I did NOT follow the directions completely. Trust me.

My little pumpkin

Her first time cracking eggs. It didn't turn out too badly.

Just follow the box directions, using the substitutions I gave you and you are golden.

Mix you Milk, and eggs, and oil.

Add your cake mix and pudding mix..

Fill your cupcake pan with your mix.

 Frost your cupcakes as you please.

 Enjoy

Enjoying his cupcake

Cover that bum in fluff! Blogger signups for Switch to Cloth

BLOGGERS SIGN-UP: FREE EVENT

Dates: February 14th to March 14th

Hosted by SAHM of Drama Queens & a Prince, My Cloth Diaper Stash, A Year With Mom and Dad, Mommy of One and Counting and Adventures of Mommyhood. The prize is an amazing cloth diaper prize package featuring over $250 in cloth diapers and supplies.

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Free Blogger Event

Hello Sister Bloggers and Business's!

We are hosting a LeapPad 2 Giveaway!

Bloggers: We are giving away FREE Facebook or Twitter links to those who create an announcement post found HERE. If you wish to not make this announcement post please Paypal via "gift" $1 to Snsdgiveaways@yahoo.com or add $0.20 to cover the transfer fee for regular money transfer.

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Once we reach the amount needed we will close this opp and launch immediately. The goal is launch on 2/1/2013 but that all depends on how quickly we receive our signups.

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FREE Blogger Opportunity

Planters NUT-rition Peanut Butter #Giveaway-- FREE Blogger Opportunity

Event Dates: 1/31-2/28

  I am very excited for this giveaway. This will be my first time hosting a multi-blogger event, and I am so happy to have you join with me!! We have a great prize pack up for grabs, and there will be TWO winners!! 1st Prize will get:  

• 3 jars of Planters NUT-rition Peanut Butter in the flavors shown above
• 4 Planters Nut-rition reusable water bottles
• Mr. Planters 1st place trophy

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• 2 Planters NUT-rition reusable water bottles

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When Kids wake up WAY too early..

Every morning it seems without fail, my pumpkin wakes up very early. It doesn't matter when she falls asleep either.

It's ok my darling 4 year old. One day you will be a teenager, and will learn how much it stinks to be woken up bright and early. ha haa. My son by the way woke up at 10:30 am. That is a record! He wins.

Parenting - Doing it right!

What is the hardest part of growing up?

My kids are growing up, lets face it, that's just how life goes. 

Watching baby girls' adorable toothless smile brings me so much joy. She is growing up and getting smarter everyday. Today, she found her feet! Well she has been eye balling them for some time but today she was really trying to play with them. The first of my kids to like their feet. It's OK, they get that from me.

It's really not just her though, my older too are also getting big. Well, obviously they are!

I swear it was just yesterday that I was holding my pumpkin in my arms nursing her! Now she is 4 and in pre-school. Acting like a mini teenager some days. Where did my cute little baby go? 

My son is all boy. This kid has bruises and I couldn't tell you where these thing pop up from. He has no fear, I swear. Then the nest moment he is giving me kisses asking for hugs. He is the most sweetest little boy in the world! He is still behind in speech, but I think it's just that he is intelligent. Even Einstein did not speak until he was 4. 

Honestly, I can't remember not being "grown" up. It must have been at some point that I was a kid. But when i was a teenager I loved being able to be free and do as I please. I went for long drives to Newport RI. ( not far from me) in the middle of the night. My best friend and I had so much fun just being together. I didn't go to party's they came to me. Somewhere between being bullied and becoming a mom I had a small window of popularity I guess. It took me until recently to notice that one. I was going through a lot during that time so I just didn't take much notice.

If I was to tell my kids one thing about growing up it's that they should not rush it. I remember wanting to be 21. It's nothing great. When you are 21 you want to be 16 again. Having that freedom is amazing. That life just wasn't for me. I want so much more for them. They need to find themselves in their own way. I just wish that they will always be able to ask me whatever they wish to. 

I met my now husband at 16 and here we are. I always wanted this life. It may not be perfect but it's mine.

Describe a Typical day in Your Current Life

Describe a Typical day in Your Current Life

My days Are usually the same day to day, but for the purpose of this post I'll use a school day. Who doesn't love school days?

While dreaming peacefully under my nice warm blanket and baby girl by my side, I get woken up by my oldest daughter jumping on my head at six in the morning. As she wakes her baby sister by touching her nose and pushing it in saying "boop". Oh lovely! Now I have no choice but to get up out of bed.

My son is usually still asleep at 8:00 am these days. I love that little boy. He's just growing up so fast.

We come downstairs and I change baby girls diaper. Than I make the older kids their cup of milk. My son wakes up and comes downstairs. With his still glazed over puffy eyes. 

I breastfeed baby girl while the kids drink their milk and watch some T.V. Usually while I simultaneously tell them to stop standing on the couch.  

Baby girl goes down for a little snooze.

After I change my sons diaper and wash my hands I start breakfast. My kids love their sausage and eggs. The are truly their fathers children. Speaking of daddy, he comes home from the gym around now. As you may or may not know hes working on getting his back working right again after having back surgery. He's doing much better these days. Hopefully the doctor will allow him to look for a new job soon.

Any who, after the kids get dressed and I do my pumpkins hair in the cute little pig tails she loves they go off to school. Luckily daddy does this sometimes so I stay home with baby girl. By now it is 9 am.

While baby girl naps I try to get a bit to eat and do a bit of sewing.

Afterwards I nurse her.

The kids get home from school at noon. They tell me what they did in school and show me their cute little art projects. While sitting down for lunch.

It takes about 10 minutes for the mysterious mess to appear. Nobody knows who did it or how it happened.

After cleaning the mess and lunch the kids wind down while running around the house in circles. ha ha.

I nurse Baby girl.

All of the kids go down for a nap. ( yeah, right!)

At this rate it is going to take me forever to write everything that happens from nap time to when i go to bed.

When the kids wake up and baby girl nurses again they all play together. Baby girl has tummy time. They all really do love each other. It is just adorable. 

Somewhere in there supper is made and ready. 

At some point the house gets cleaned and messed again.

When the kids are finally wiped out we put them to bed.

I nurse baby girl.

Again, I try to get some sewing and cleaning done (maybe). Or I just sit down and watch some T.V.

New People Baby Brush ~Review and Giveaway~!

If you are new to the site, Thank you for visiting! If you like what you see I would just love it if you could click on the Top Mommy blogger badge on the side of this post. One click a day will bring this blog to the top.


Now down to business.

Recently I was given this baby brush to try out, and I have to say I love it. At first glance, I thought it was similar to the "brush" we were given in the hospital.If you have kids you probably know what brush I'm talking about.

 It's real purpose was used for doctors and nurses to scrub their arms and hands to prep for surgery. Nifty little device though. I believe it is a one time use brush though, so that isn't much fun. 

Until recently there were no brushes out there like it. Other baby brushes just don't compare. 

The baby brushes I have used in the past were pretty much useless. Maybe they were soft, but to me they were way to soft. 

This brush is non-toxic, free of sharp edges, extremely soft and dishwasher safe (top rack). It’s made of Polypropylene an inert plastic. That means its landfill safe and recyclable. (sweet)

This brush by New People has bristles that are not only soft but are placed in just the right spot. Close enough to remove tangles and soft enough for babies with very little hair. (even for moms who feel the need to use it on themselves first, like me). As you can see below, even my 4 year old used it with great results. 

Before

After

It also worked great for baby girl. She has cradle cap right now and I like to use a brush with a bit of baby oil during bath time. This worked so much better. Hopefully we can kick cradle caps butt with it. 



Buy it: Head over to NewPeople to buy one for yourself and give it a try! It comes in 4 bright colors. You wont be disappointed.





Want to win one of your own? Just enter in the Rafflecopter form bellow for your chance to win one in GREEN. There are no mandatory entries. Open to US only.

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*I was not financially compensated for this review. However, I did receive a brush solely for the purpose of this review. All views are 100% mine.