Resolution Update

Well it is just about the end of the month and one month into my New Years Resolution of "better time management". Thought I would give you a little update to let you know how I'm doing with it. This definitely isn't something that will change over night. To have better time management is almost changing who I am as person, because I am trying to permanently change some bad habits I have developed over an entire lifetime. So it has been a slow process, but I have really been trying to work on it. Baby steps are important and I think the only way I can be successful at anything. Because diving in head-first into something is just way too overwhelming and makes me want to quit before I have even begun. So some little things I have been doing....1. If I want to workout that day, I get up, gets...

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Best Chocolate Cake Ever. Period.

Austin and I are celebrating Valentine's Day tonight because he won't be around on February 14th. I wanted to make a really decadent chocolate dessert. I wouldn't say my favorite dessert is cake so I rarely make them. And I definitely have never made one from scratch before. But there is something fancy about cake so I thought it would be a good thing to make for a fancy dinner at home. Out of all cakes chocolate is probably my least favorite (gasp! I know). But this one might very well change all that! It is so moist, rich, chocolaty and just incredible! I kinda wanted to cry a little the first bite I took. I couldn't believe I...

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Valentine's Day

Do you guys, like me, just love the feeling of Valentine's Day? Well besides the obvious, it is a day you get to celebrate you and your hunny! But even as a kid there was just something about it. I loved all the bright, clashing colors, the yummy treats, and all the fun crafts. Maybe it had something to do with all the love in the air! Of course as a kid I didn't really have much of a concept of love, but I did always kinda wonder if the boy I had a crush on would give me a Valentine. Oh my gosh I almost forgot about Valentine's Day cards! Those cute, corny little things with cartoon characters on them that we would pass out in class. And I...

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Off Days

This is something I have come to decide is very important for mental health. I came to this realization talking to Steph the other day. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, some days are just destined to be "off days". The important thing to note here is that it's okay. I think sometimes when you fight so hard to make an off-day a great day, it is almost doing the opposite of the intended purpose. It seems that when I fight so hard to make an off-day a great day, it almost just exhausts me. What do you do when you wake up to an off-day? I say just give into it. Stephanie said something along the lines of "I think some days are just going to mediocre". I mean everyday can't be totally amazing, right? Because then the really good days wouldn't seem so good. Kinda like you can't fully...

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Think Happy Thoughts!

Peter Pan had it right! Something I try to always do is keep a happy thought it my mind! I keep it there in the back of everything. When I feel myself starting to fall into a negative place, I pull that thought back up and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside or even rejuvenated. It is such an easy yet effective way to try and keep yourself feeling good. A "happy thought" is more then just a nice idea, it is something that is really strong and effective to YOU. The “thought” can be a memory or even just a feeling. And it can be so simple. You know that feeling when the house is completely clean, physically and mentally you’re...

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Happiness is a lot of work!

Something I have been focusing on this month is a positive outlook. I think it’s something to work just a little harder on during the winter months. It is so easy to get down when it's cold and gloomy all the time. There’s nothing wrong with little tricks for yourself to help get you through the chill and lack of color in the world. I'm sorry but I'm just not one of those people who wakes up every morning whistleing zippity do da. After all these years I have come to peace with the fact that to be in a good mood every day, I’m just going to have to work on it a little harder. Most of the time it needs to be a constant conscious effort for me. And I think that is Okay. So I am working on a series of posts on things I do that helps to put me in a better mood and make each and every day...

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Health Benefits of Lemon Water

As I was drinking my warm lemon water this morning, I thought...."hmmm, I should do a blog post about this..." The first thing I do every morning while I'm still waking up, is make my warm lemon water and sip it as I read e-mails and check my usual web sites. Lemon water is such a great feel-good thing to do first thing in the morning. I drink it mainly for stomach and digestive purposes but it has so many other health benefits as well. Drink it first thing in the morning, before you eat anything, and it helps to cleanse and detox your body. I found a website that lists the top 10 benefits of lemon water. After reading it you'll be drinking...

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Great Winter Dish

Turkey Osso Bucco with Gremolata - Recipe I was looking for something really different to make for dinner. I was starting to feel like I was cooking the same things over and over. I was watching the Foodnetwork (of course) and saw Giada De Laurentiis make this Osso Bucco. I really wasn't sure what Osso Bucco was but I did know that this dish look super yummy and comforting. Perfect for a winters night. And boy talk about an aromatic meal! This might very well be the best smelling dish I ever made. The aroma that filled the house was like a big hug! The Gremolata sounded weird but I had all the ingredients...

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Be Joyful Series

I came across this really nice series from LifeAsMom on "14 Ways to be more Joyful". She points out such simple things that we can all easily do everyday but usually overlook. "And having a good attitude — in all of life..— is a choice. Sure, there are physical and hormonal circumstances that can derail us. I don’t dismiss those. And I don’t pretend that Pollyanna never had a tough moment. But, many times when I don’t have a good attitude, it occurs at moments when I do have a choice to be impatient, to respond in anger, to raise my voice, or to feel sorry for myself. I want to be a woman who makes better choices. I want to make...

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Deals: Snapfish 8x11 Photobook for $6.99 shipped

Since I decided to start sharing some of my favorite deals with you guys, I thought this photobook deal from Snapfish for $6.99 (reg. $24.99) sounded good for you guys too. It would be great for you guys to start making some wedding albums for gifts (or yourself..I know it took me a good 2 years to make one for us!)....

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Deals: Earth Friendly Laundry Detergent on Amazon

I thought I'd start to share some especially good deals from the many money saving blogs I frequent, like moneysavingmom.com (which has completely transformed..my whole life really..from how I view spending money to how I take care of my home and family.) This deal on Ecos Liquid Laundry Detergent looked especially good to me because I was just thinking this morning that I needed to stock up on some good, non-chemcially laundry detergent. I never gave much thought about the toxic chemicals in my laundry detergent before having a baby and starting cloth diapering (which I still LOVE by the way..I'm excited to do a bunch of posts on...

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Healthy Chocolate Muffins

Tiffany's post about baking made me want to share this awesome recipe again. I made these Healthy Double Chocolate Muffins the other day and they were soooo good. Even better than the first time I made them. The recipe is from Tiffany's blog HERE. I love this recipe because it's almost impossible to mess up as long as you follow the basic guidelines. I will put the recipe below and tell you what changes I made in red at the bottom 1 1/2 cup almond meal (finely ground almonds) •1/4 cup spelt flour •1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder •1 T baking powder •1/4 tsp Sea Salt •1/2 cup agave nectar (or other form of sugar) • 2 whole mashed bananas...

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Baking Day: Introduction

                                       I'm going to use this blog to help me get motivated to do Baking Days again. Helps with accountability.  I've gone over the Freezing Cooking basics here already and how it helps me with preparing regular, homecooked meals and keeping our grocery budget to around $40/week. Freezer Cooking is only one part of this strategy, which also involves regular Baking Days as well as Menu Planning....

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The Best Times to Buy Anything

This is a link to a website that lists the best time to buy things. It goes month by month and tells you when things are at their cheapest. Thought it was worth a share.http://videohive.net/item/my-journey-v2-hd/113...

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The Power of a Walk

I took Koda for a long walk yesterday afternoon because he was driving me crazy.  I began the walk as I normally do, head down and a mind full of the days tasks. I just wanted to get the walk over and done with as soon as possible.   At some point about half-way through the walk I lifted my head up and it was the first time during the whole walk that I noticed what a truly beautiful day it was.  The air was crisp and refreshing, the sky was bright blue, and the sun was so bright and crystal clear.  Instead of wanting the walk to be over as soon as possible, I enjoyed the feeling of being outdoors, and how good...

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Decorpad.com Obsession

I'm completely obsessed with this new decorating website I found: http://www.decorpad.com/.  My poor science-y brain cannot visualize anything creative on its own. So, when it comes to decorating our house, I really need to find a picture I love and then copy it. The problem is actually finding that picture, my biggest obstacle..until I found this site! There are thousands of pictures of beautifully decorated rooms. You can browse by room, color scheme, or even categories like rugs and ottomans, etc.  When we were snowed in over the holidays I spent (way too much) time browsing and copying any pictures that...

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Living Room Updates

I know you both might be horrified that we got Lazy Boy type chairs. You guys are a little more contemporary then I am. But I really like them! They add a really cozy, comfortable, homey touch to the room. At first when Austin pointed them out I said "No way!" but that all changed the second I sat in one. They are by far the most comfortable things my bottom has ever come in contact with. Austin and I are all about comfy and cozy. Even before style. And it was either this set up or a sectional couch that Austin really wanted. I did not want a sectional! It's not that I don't like them, I just think they are so impractical. Sure it might...

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Digital To Do List

Immanuel found this and I wanted to share. It's a FREE "to do" list download. It's called Wunderlist. I've tried many digital "to do" lists and so far I like this one the best. On their homepage if you scroll down a little you'll see a button to download for Mac or PC. They also have a video on their homepage where they show you how to use it. It's super easy to use. I know you guys aren't into the digital stuff as much as I am but I figured I'd share anyway. And maybe someone else out there might find some use from it. Click on the link below. Wunderlist ...

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"A Day in the Life...." from: GOOP

Hey gals! So since we have been discussing time management I thought this would be a fun blog post to share from GOOP. In the article they cover 3 very busy working women and mothers (one being Gwyneth Paltrow) and what a typical day is like and how they balance it all. It makes one realize just how much can be accomplished in one day while still giving time to your family. I'm always in awe of strong business women and how they are able to juggle so many things. So anytime I can get a little glimps into their life, or advice, I'm all over it! They also include time saving tips. The link to the site is below: http://goop.com/newsletter/112/en/ ...

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New Year's Resolution!

I too love the idea of a new year! A fresh start! I used to think resolutions were silly, but whats wrong with wanting to focus on bettering yourself over the next year? There are many things I want to work on, but if I had to pick a "resolution", something big and most important, it would have to be time management. There are a lot of hours in the day, and I'm sure I only use a couple of those hours to get actual work done. The other hours are spent with slow mornings, talking on the phone, playing on the internet, and Oh Hey! My favorite Food Network show is on. Better sit down with a cup of tea and watch it.. If I actually used the hours in the day in a  productive way then I bet I would even amaze myself and what I could accomplish. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing...

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2011 The Year of Organization!

                                                                   (Photo from RealSimple.com) Hi sisters! So it's the beginning of a new year. A chance to make a fresh start! I'm normally not a big fan of new years resolutions, but I have decided that is will be the year I get organized! (Tiff I know you are already giddy with excitement...

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