Why I Cook Dinner

I cook dinner.

Almost every night.

Even when I am doing a Pampered Chef party and I am leaving anyway.

My mom cooked dinner for us every night.

Some of my favorite family memories revolve around eating.

Serious.

My little sister and I ate Brunch at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel. Ok, I just googled it and there is no such thing. Dad, what hotel was that?

Anyway, it was good. VERY good.

My little sister and I stuffed ourselves. Like, so full.

THEN we went and got the creme brule for dessert. Maybe one, or two, or three. All I know, is that it was too many. And we got so sick, that we went back to our room and laid on the beds. We had to lay still or we were going to throw up.

Very, very, very still. When we talk about it it, we laugh and cry at the same time. It was hilarious. As we laid prone on the beds and groaned at each other until we were brave enough to move. Good times, good times.

If you have never eaten that much, you probably should. Just once. But make sure it is GOOD.

REAL good.

Anyway, I could name a million places and times that we have eaten as a family that were memorable.

But not more memorable than at home.

So, I love to cook for my family. Love it.

And, I am proud of what I feed them.

I asked a kid who was over at my house one time what their favorite dinner was that their mom made, and they said, Top Ramen.

You ask Abby and she says something exotic, but ridiculous like Crab Wontons.

I wouldn't say that is my goal,

But I do like to make sure they eat well, have a balanced meal, and are healthy.

They could eat more "greens" but couldn't we all.

Since a few of you asked, here are my favorite go to meals.

Chicken Curry (my kids seriously love this. All of them)


Mongolian Beef


Cashew Chicken


Peanut Sauce Chicken


Chicken Pillows

You will find that I like Asian Food. Yes, yes, I do. It is my favorite thing to cook.

And you will find that this bounces over to my food blog. Yes, yes it does. I have tons-o-recipes on there. Me and my sisters contribute. It is a great way to keep the family recipes intact and the greatest part about it is that I can view it from anywhere! So, I don't always have to have my recipes with me.

Love these modern days.

Would be great for college kids to have their momma's recipes.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Please tell me if you try them!

And cook dinner for your family more. Your kids will remember it! :)


Here is one that is NOT on the food blog, but my it is my husbands favorite go to dinner in the summer. You can make a bunch and eat if for days if you want. It is yummy, and I would say even better the second day.

SALT LAKE TORTELLINI SALAD

1 package of tortellini

1 bottle of Bernsteins Three Cheese, or Cheese and Garlic Salad Dressing

Avocado

Cooked, Cubed Chicken Breast

Red Onion

Steamed Broccoli florets

Olives

Cherry Tomatoes

pepperoni or salami sliced

Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 can of Chickpeas

1 can of Kidney Beans

Anything else in the world you want.

Cook the tortellini to package directions. Drain. and rinse with cold water. Add cubed chicken, red onion, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, pepperoni, chickpeas and kidney beans. Add salad dressing according to taste. (Usually doesn't take the whole bottle unless you make a lot.)

Stir and let sit. Add avocado, tomatoes, artichokes and olives right before serving and stir them in lightly.

Enjoy!

Now, here I have typed it all out, but yet, I found the link. Click on the title to be taken to the previous publishing.

We interrupt WHY I WEEK for a quick open letter to a celebrity

Dear Bret Michaels,


You are sick. You should really stay in bed. (We know that is where you would rather be anyway... ) You are making yourself look REALLY DESPERATE for cash. I mean, I know you should "Strike while the iron is hot" and all that, and, it has been surprisingly hot for you since you started your romp with as many women as possible show. (Oh wait, I think it is called Rock of Love).

Really, with Diabetes, a stroke, and a hole in your heart, I think you ought to spend some time recovering, because if you don't. . . well, I hear there is no "Rock of Love" in heaven. I am not sure that I am saying I think you should stick around this earth, because there are people all over the world who are donating the hair of their heads so you can wear it under a sweaty headband, and I think there are probably a few cancer patients who could use that hair. Just own up to your baldness man. It is a better move. You can keep the guy liner, but, come on.

Anyway, best of luck in your recovering hiking Mt. Everest. I hear is is a doozy, so, be careful. But make sure to have those video cameras on. Because it would sure be a waste to miss any second of your life on film.

Sincerely,


Lindsey

WHY I . . . Secret Shopping

I do secret shopping. If you live around me, you probably know that because I have to drop my kids off at your house, or, I ask you to go to lunch with me because I need another adult with me.

Why do I do secret shopping? I don't know. Seriously. I the only reason I can come up with is

A- I love a good deal (Free is always a good deal)
B- I love multi-tasking and secret shopping makes me the ultimate multi-tasker.

I have been doing secret shopping since 2005, on and off. I even got a friend on to it when I lived in Sandpoint, and she used the money to buy something great! But I will be honest, there are times when I am finding it is hampering me, more than helping me. Sometimes the reports that you have to fill out are long. Sometimes you make simple mistakes that get them cancelled, so, even though you did it, they aren't going to pay you for it. But for the most part, I think it is a pretty great deal. I have even gotten to take my family bowling or to miniature golf FOR FREE. Something we would never do without secret shopping because it costs too much $$$. (Seriously, have you BEEN bowling lately? It is EXPENSIVE)

I try to make sure that if I am going to do a secret shop, it is something I would have probably done anyway. The way that it has helped us the most is on date night. Because I can set up a shop on Friday or Saturday night and VOILA, we just had a free dinner. Add that to a $1 re-fillable Harkin's cup, and Harkins Costco movie tix, and you get a pretty cheap date. I can't say where we have been to dinner, but I can say that I have been reimbursed up to $70 for my dinner. That ought to tell you that it is not always McDonald's. But see? Even then, doing a shop at McDonald's is great because then you can take your kids and they can play at the play land and they think you are the best mom ever because normally you wouldn't be caught dead in McDonald's. See? Win/Win.

IF YOU WANT TO DO SECRET SHOPPING HERE ARE SOME TIPS:

• Sign up with a shopper "reader". This is where secret shop companies place adds when they are trying to fill a shop. It makes it easier to find shops in your area. But after that, you have to sign up with the company directly and from there, you can get the shops from them directly. It is just kind of a way to meet local shopping companies. I used ShadowShopper.com. It costs money, but they do have a free trial, and after that, you can cancel because you will have most of the companies that were looking for shops in your area.
• Get "certified". This costs some initial money as well, but it DOES help you get shops. Especially if you have never done shops before. You can get a certification here. I have the Silver level certification. They also have shop listing on their site and you can get those for free if you want.
• ONLY DO SHOPS OF WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO! I am not going to do a shop of a place that I would not normally go, UNLESS, it is strictly a cash payment, and that cash payment is worth it. Even then, I try to make sure it is close by, or on my way to something else. Like this shop.

If you have any other questions, please post them in the comment section!

TOMORROW: Why I cook dinner for my family!

Why I do PAMPERED CHEF.

What happened to "WHY I" week?


NOTHING!


It is just getting started a little late.



So, let me start with Pampered Chef.

This is what my entry looks like at least one day a week, if not two, or three, or... well you get the idea. I constantly have Pampered Chef product and boxes laying around my house and, I LOVE IT.

I do Pampered Chef because:

• Honestly, having something to "do" keeps my mind more active and I waste less time. I know, even as I sit here and blog. But it is true! I am more organized and make better use of my time, ALL THE TIME.
• I LOVE the product. Seriously. If you know me at all, you know that I love to cook and bake. Having almost ALL the product in my kitchen is seriously a dream come true. I love it. I feel like my kitchen is completely "decked" out with all the most fabulous latest tools.
• I love being able to do the things that I want to do without the guilt. i.e Get a pedicure (hello $40 goodbye). Get shoes at the Rack. And pretty much whatever else I want including my new SWAGGER WAGON. Ok, so it is an Odyssey, and it is used, but it is still going to save my life traveling around the West this summer. Serious. And if you don't know why it is such a big deal for me to have a Swagger Wagon, click HERE.
• So yes, I am making my very own car payment, and you know? I kinda like that too. It pushes me in my business, and helps me keep the ball rolling.
• I like getting out of the house and talking to big people. It is nice. I am not gonna lie, there are some days where I am like, "I can't believe I have to leave the house right now!!!" But most of the days, I WANT TO.
• I want to go to Maui, which is the incentive trip this year. . . I mean, who wouldn't? And me and the hubby got kinda snaked out of our 10 year anniversary this year, so, wouldn't it be nice if I got him an all expenses trip paid? Yeah, it would be. Even if I don't get Maui, I think I might have enough $$$$ left over to take him on a trip anyway.
• And finally, it is nice to have a little extra dough after these last couple of years where pinching pennies was a must. I still pinch pennies, but, at least I know I have a little splurge fund.

So, I have been averaging about $700 per month with Pampered Chef, and that is only a three month average. February, March and April. So, Really? That is a nice piece of change. I love the freedom it gives me and my family through this rough patch. Couldn't YOU use an extra $700 per month? It is possible. SO, if you want to, please let me show you how.

TOMORROW?

Why I do secret shopping.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Ok, someone won the citrus press.


Crazy huh.


Guess what?


You could STILL totally get the citrus press. . . FOR FREE.


If you hosted a catalog party with me.


Serious! I don't care if you live in Timbuktwo!


(Pampered Chef will totally ship there, I am sure!)


I can set you up on my website and you can have all of your friends order and then guess what. You STILL get FREE PRODUCT AND I will throw the citrus press in too.

Because I am nice like that.

And because I like FREE STUFF as much as the next person.

So,

If you are not KATIE! Who said, "I would love to win this! I make a lemon cake that requires TONS of fresh lemon juice and I hate squeezing them by hand!" (Number 38 by Random.org)

Then you can host an on-line party and STILL get your citrus press for FREE.


Awesome.

Come on, wouldn't it be nice to STILL get something for FREE?

PS- I WILL be doing my customary blog post on the Bachelorette, but I will be waiting my turn, because I have "Joined Forces" with Jeanelle and Holly, both of which obsess equally as much as me on The Bachelor. :) Holly will be posting tonight (or tomorrow - NO PRESSURE HOLLY!) and Jeanelle will do next week. I will be privileged enough to do week 3. We all started saying/thinking/and feeling the same thing anyway, so, it just made sense!

"Why I" week.

Don't you love it when I do "Weeks" on my blog.. and they turn into one or two posts? Yeah. Me too.

But I always have good intentions! I have ideas. And then I start them, and then... well, life happens. You know?

So, I am going to do "Why I" week. In which, I will answer questions like,

Why do you do Pampered Chef?

Why do you work out?

Why do you care about what you clean your house with?

And if you care to ask me some other "WHY" questions. I will consider answering them. :)

I have already answered the:

Why do you blog? HERE. And HERE kind of.

Stay tuned! Oh yeah, and a winner for my GIVEAWAY soon too!

ENTER TO WIN! :)

GIVEAWAY!

OK, have I made you wait long enough? I am finally doing my GIVEAWAY! Yippee! I have been so super busy doing PAMPERED CHEF shows (thank you everyone!) and doing some secret shopping, which I will post about later. You all want to know, don't you?



And the item for the month is:>

{Drum Roll Please}



THE CITRUS PRESS

I love this thing.

It is easy to use.

It is not flimsy.

You can squeeze ANY citrus in it.

Cut side up, or cut side down.

It makes your fish fantastic.

Your salsa stupendous.

And your Lemon Pies. . . PERFECT.

It is $17.

But today, for you, it is FREE.

Because I love ya.

Oooh. Oooh. I forgot to mention the winner will also get a SURPRISE item making this giveaway valued at over $30! Enter. It will be worth it!

RULES TO ENTER

1. Post a comment

2. Become a follower! (Only if you aren't already one)

3. Post about the giveaway on your blog.

4. Put my button on your blog. (Only if you don't have it already!)

5. Place an order with me and get 5 additional entries!

If you do any of these things, besides posting a comment, you can post an additional comment!

GIVEAWAY ENDS on MAY 23rd at 10:00 P.M.

Rollin Rollin Rollin

Hey!

I am coming YOUR way this summer.

In my hot new Swagger Wagon. Yo.

I am excited to get on the open road with that thing... Wanna hear about some of my "other" single momma on the road adventures?

Click HERE

or

HERE

Those stories are worth the clicks. Promise.

Anyway, in order to KEEP my Swagger Wagon, I also have to KEEP my business rollin'. So, I am looking for people who want to host Pampered Chef Parties in Utah or Washington while I am there!

(Please, oh, please)

I will make it worth your while and get you some FREE STUFF, feed you some GOOD FOOD, and get you some AWESOME PRODUCTS FOR SUPER CHEAP! Because in July, the Ultimate Mandolin, the Chopper and the Salad Choppers are all 60% off for Hosts. Yeah, I know. Don't miss it.

Please e-mail me with dates that you are available. IT WILL BE FUN!



NEXT UP? MY GIVEAWAY!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE JULY SPECIALS!

BLOG WORLD: I NEED TO KNOW

Hey Blog World:

I have had something on my mind for a long time.

Can you help me?

You can leave your comments,

or just take my POLL


---------------------------------------------------------->

Do you care about the chemicals that you clean your house with?

Do you think it matters/makes a difference?

Do you think the way you eat or take care of your body helps control disease and other things we can't control?

I care. I have a son with Autism, and I think this stuff makes a difference.

I have been working on it for some time. I was just wondering if you think about it too.

If so, what are YOU doing to make your house a better/safer/more healthy place?


Thanks.

Covet No More

Last year, I was coveting these. Oh my gosh. That was TWO years ago. My how time flies when you are living on the very edge and teetering back and forth in the wind.


Anywho.

I was coveting.



But the other day, I went to THE RACK.

I have a size 12 shoe.


If I find a shoe in a size 12, I buy it.

Ok, not all the time.

There are some homely looking size 12 shoes. I don't buy those.

But life is hard enough than to have to go barefoot too.


Right?


So, if I like it, I buy it.


So, the other day I bought these.

I love them.

Do you know how much fun it is to take pictures of your feet while you are walking? My neighbors think I am weird.

Know what else is super cute in awesome sandals? Baby feet.

Too Cute.

I have to make sure my see it and buy it philosophy doesn't end up drowning my girls in shoe options.

Maybe I don't have to worry. When I asked Abby if she liked my sandals, she said, "I think they are kinda weird lookin'"

Oh well, can't win them all.

You're a hard habit to break . .

Does anyone else hear a blaring horns section after that phrase? Just me?

Here he is, my perfect child. Outside playing. By himself. His older siblings having gone to school.

There was a mircoburst windstorm and he was thoroughly enjoying it. Laying out his blankie, takin' in the rays.

I glanced outside, and a smile met my face.

I grabbed my camera to document the super cute moment.

And then, I think he heard me.

And he started acting a little suspicious. So, I zoomed in with my camera lens. . .

Then I saw it. The FORBIDDEN BINKY.

Which we battled over.

Apparently, that battle isn't over.

Let's just say, he is SUPER good at hiding it.

The Swagger Wagon

Did I tell you?




I got my swagger wagon. . . Yo.

My Commentary on YOUR commentary.

I see. I see what you are saying... I can't go wrong with these pictures. All the looks are "good" and maybe "B" is only slightly better than the others.

For the record, I liked "B" the best too. If I was going to frame a picture of myself and put it in my house, it would probably be "B" and since you liked "B" so much. I will show you the "B" alternates. Because I had a dual purpose in taking these pictures.

I wanted to give my husband a headshot for his desk. Because he has no proof in his office that I exsist. He has proof of 4 children, but no proof of the woman who spent countless hours with an aching back, and swollen cankles. . who crossed through the valley of death for at LEAST 3 of them. (Do c-sections with your first count? Seemed like the easy way out really.) Who has miles and miles of stretch marks and vericose veins and dealt with wicked sciatic nerve problems! Who has wiped endless bumbs and noses, and . . . well, you get the picture. He has no proof of me.

So, I wanted to be sure he had some. I WAS going to give him "B". Until he saw them on Facebook and said he didn't like "B". . . because it looked like I was doing a math problem in my head. (Which, sadly to say, I am not good at) I was stunned, because, I LIKE "B"! But he actually liked a different one, and when I shared my "surprise" with him, he said he wanted to CHOOSE HIS OWN. Humpf. Whatever.


Anyway, back to your commentary.

I understand.

Do not,

under ANY circumstances.

ANY

choose "E".


It would be a horrible, horrible, mistake.

Haven't voted yet? Vote ---------------------------------------------->

Inappropriate Praying

You just never know what you are going to get around here when you ask someone to give a prayer.

From Abby, you get the wrote prayer, never changes, always stays the same. (We are working on that)

With Wade, you get the bushelful, non-stop prayer. It includes everything thing to what he currently likes, dislikes, all of his hopes and dreams and if you are lucky, he mentions the food as a side note.

With Jaxon, you get the inappropriate prayer. Which, a yesterday morning on our breakfast sounded a little like this:

"Dear Heavenly Father, I REALLY like Mommy, and I REALLY like . .[short pause] . . Mermaids, *snicker*, In the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN.

At this point, I would really like to thank my sister Hillary who stayed at my house for 4 days and made my boys watch Barbie Mermaid cartoons. Looks like it made QUITE the impact.

In other Jaxon news, he went from looking like this:

To looking like this! Well, minus the other one too!

Times are a changin' around here. But while we are on the subject of Jaxon, I want to post his best Pirate artist rendering to date.



See daddy swimming with the fishes? Actually, there is a big shark after him. (Scanner didn't go that far I guess) Not sure why he made daddy walk the plank. But everyone on the ship doesn't look so sure that daddy is going to make it out of that situation.

Capital T

Kaylie has been pooping in the tub. A rite of passage in our home, and yours too I am sure. The other day, before I put her in the tub, I gave her a chance to do her business in the toilet. You know, got her n*ked put her on the toilet, waited to see if anything came out, and then stuck her in the tub.



The look on her face when I did this was one of pure excitement. Like, you are putting ME on the TOILET?? I didn't know I could do THIS!!!! I remember laughing to myself that she was so excited. But relieved that maybe she might wait to do her business in the toilet, instead of the tub next time, since she seemed kinda like she knew what was going on.



Yesterday morning, at the early hour of 6:30, Kaylie woke up. Have I ever mentioned that NO HUMAN BEING ON EARTH SHOULD BE UP BEFORE 7:00? Yeah, I am pretty sure I have. Anyway, I changed her stinky diaper and got her dressed. She had a bottle and after that started wandering around the house. I didn't care much where she went as long as she wasn't trying to wake someone up.



I heard grunting. You know what means. I was surprised because I just changed a stinky diaper, but I was going to wait until she was done to change it. It sounded like she was in her room. Perfect, I will just sweep in there and get her up on the changing table. The grunting continued, and I thought, WOW. This is going to be serious.



After a few more minutes of grunting I walked toward her bedroom to see what was going on. She wasn't in her bedroom. I walked down the hall. Toward the bathroom. . . . I always HATE walking toward the bathroom to find my child, because nothing good is EVER going on in the bathroom. NOTHING EVER.



This is what I saw.

That is obviously not Kaylie, but that IS WHERE SHE WAS. Except, she wasn't crying. She was just doin' her business.

Sick.

Just Me

You have been staring at this picture for a LONG time.

Ever since I started my blog.

July 15th, 2007 to be exact.

It was a picture of me, that I cropped out of a family photo.

See that mysterious hand on my shoulder?

It's Abby's.

I like it, it is a good picture.

But, I think it is time for a more RECENT picture.

Plus, I needed a more decent headshot for some business cards.

So, I asked my girlfriend SARAH GOODMAN
to take a few.

But, I can't decide which one to make you stare at for the next 4-5 years.

So, I thought you might be able to help.

Please vote here!

---------------------------------------------------------->

I reserve the right to take your opinion into consideration, and then, do whatever the heck I want.

"A"

We brought our own fan.
Just kidding.
Thanks Mother Nature.

"B"

My husband thinks I look like I am trying to figure out a math question in this picture.

Maybe I was.

"C"

Know what I thought when I saw this picture?

"OPEN YOUR DANG EYES!"

"D"

Thank you Photoshop.

I heart you.

"E"

Yes, my head only tilts one way, OK?

I was born that way.




"F"

Yes, my teeth really stick out that way.
I have fangs,
Sometimes they get caught on my lip.
My husband sometimes calls me fang.



HAPPY VOTING!

LAST DAY OF TRIFLE BOWL SALE!

Today is the last day to get your Trifle Bowl for more than 25% off!

Just go HERE .

Order the TRIFLE BOWL

And when asked about the host you are using: put

FREE SHIP

(Just from me-you're welcome)

And enjoy.

I have always loved baby toes.

Even dirty ones.

For some reason, they look especially cute when they are sticking out from under a skirt.



I didn't dress Abby in skirts a lot when she was small. I personally didn't like wearing dresses when I was small. Those Gunny Sack dresses were... not comfortable. So, I rebelled. But then, Abby started wearing skirts all the time. Like all.the.time. so, consequently, Kaylie did too.
And I think she likes it.

And I like her toes sticking out at the bottom, oh, and that smile.

Good thing she's got those big brown eyes and that smile. Oy.

The BIG 7-0.

Sorry for the absence! My birthday has come and gone, my 500th post (which announced my winner for the Trifle Bowl) has come and gone and so have 4 house guests and my entire family. I had a few friends taking over my house. And when I say friends, I mean, family but it was so fun, I want to say FRIENDS!

My sister Hillary and her two girls came to visit for my Dad's 70th, and as you can see, Trevor became a very POPULAR person in our house. Namely, Kaylie's other daddy. Which I loved, and am now suffering severe backlash from.

TREVOR: PLEASE COME BACK AND SIT ON MY COUCH ALL DAY. thank you.

The PLAN: Get the whole family into town without Dad knowing and bring him to a D-backs game where he will be surprised by all of us in the APS Luxury Suite. (Provided by Lori).

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED



Sweet decor by me and Hillary. The d-backs stadium is like Fort Knox.
NO DECORATIONS.
We did what we could.


Waiting for the BIG MAN.

Did I mention it was exactly over home plate?

Yeah, it was.

Look! There is my whole family watching the game. If there is ONE thing Stewart Women love more than anything, it is hanging out with each other. Eventually, we all ended up in the chairs in the middle, completely un-aware of the game, which the d-backs miraculously won.

Anything for YOU Dad!

Of course, a Birthday wouldn't be complete without a schwanky dinner at Ocean Prime (no pix, sorry) and a Sundberg Swim Party. With most of the grandkids. The greatest part about this weekend?

It felt like MY birthday party too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! WE LOVE YOU!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MY WINNER!

Paula Michelle!

Oh, and thanks for wishing me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It was.


Congratulations Paula Michelle!

And don't forget. If you want the Trifle Bowl for $10.50 off, you can still get it RIGHT HERE!

And if you put FREE SHIP as the Hostess, I will even ship it to you free of charge. I am THAT nice. :)

Come back again soon!

My PHOTOSHOOT will be on-tap soon!

ONE MORE DAY UNTIL TRIFLE BOWL GIVEAWAY!

Click here, and

ENTER!

Burning Questions- Day 3

Anyone having fun yet? I know the people who have entered my giveaway for the Trifle Bowl are! I will be choosing a winner on THURSDAY! So, just a few more days left to enter!

I have had a few more "burning questions" trickle in, and one had to do with my post from the other day about Jaxon, my child with Autism. This one came from my friend Jessica. (I have a LOT of Jessica's in my life) She reads my blog regularly, but only comments on Facebook. She more had an inquiry about WHAT to teach your children if they are in a situation where they have to interact with someone who is different.

Well, Jessica. FABULOUS inquiry. To be honest, I am not going to pretend that I am the be all/end all on the subject, but I know what I try to teach my own kids. Believe me, it is sometimes even hard for Abby to be nice to Jaxon.. So, I feel like I totally understand both sides of the situation for the most part.

I think the main thing is: be a good example, and answer children's questions honestly, but kindly. Let's say we are in the situation and Jaxon is at the park and he decides to get aggressive with your kid. OBVIOUSLY that is NOT OKAY! And I am NOT asking for a FREE PASS, because Jaxon still needs to learn that it is NOT OKAY to be that way with other kids.

First, hear me out, and try to understand the situation from Jaxon's perspective. Jaxon may have gotten aggressive because he is being, chased, taunted, excluded, or feels trapped. Once he got trapped in a slide and instead of saying, "Hey! Let me out!" He just started to attack kids until he got out. Other people were upset and rightfully so, I made Jaxon apologize, of course, but then explained that he was trapped in the slide and wanted to get out. Instead of going straight to using words, he gets aggressive, pushing and shoving in attempts to GET OUT.

You can tell your child, it was NOT OKAY for Jaxon to push, or hurt you. But, Jaxon doesn't always know that he is supposed to use his words to get help. Or, Jaxon doesn't always know what the right choice is. Or, Jaxon sometimes doesn't know how to control his body when he gets mad.

I hope that those kinds of explanations don't EXCUSE the behavior, but rather, EXPLAIN the situation and then the child is more apt to dealing with the situation the next time they might be there with Jaxon. They may even defend him, or say, 'HEY! LET HIM OUT!' Or offer whatever kind of help he might need.

He is QUIRKY, there is no doubt. Sometimes he even acts like a cartoon character, which makes kids laugh, or try to get him to do it again. Sometimes he can just get too wound up. Maybe an explanation to your child would be. EVERYONE is different. Jaxon is different too! He likes to express himself in different ways, and it may not always be LIKE YOU.

I think in general, this is a healthy way to describe someone else. They are different, and they are not LIKE YOU. This doesn't make them, BAD, or NOT FUN, or NOT YOUR FRIEND, it means they aren't YOU. But, we can still be nice to everyone and treat them nicely, even if they don't act like you, or, don't do the same things that you do. If they don't make the right choices it is because they are LEARNING, and maybe haven't learned it as well as YOU. This would be a good opportunity to focus on YOUR child's strengths and abilities and foster the ability to be of help to kids who don't do it as well as them! Say, "Hey! Next time, why don't you tell Jaxon that he needs to be nice to his friends! And ask him if he wants to play a different game that might make him more happy! He wants to have fun, but maybe next time you can show him that being nice is MORE fun." Communication is key.

That seemed like a long drawn out post, and may be over-simplified, but I hope it helps. The best thing to do as a parent might be to think, "How would I want MY child with special needs to be treated?" You might not have a child with special needs, but I am SURE you could understand how devastating it would be if you did, and how you would try every day to help that child out.

Burning Questions- DAY 2

Jessica asked my second "Burning Question" ---What are the top three things I have done to meet our budget requirements?

Well, the list is/was lengthy. Do I really have to keep it to three? Since it is my birthday, I am gonna say NO! :)

THE FIRST THING: I started doing was COUPONING! There was definitely a learning curve when it comes to couponing. First, I thought I had to pay for a service to tell me how to get the best deal out of my coupons. THEN I found www.grocerysmarts.com a wonderful FREE site that does pretty much the same thing. The information I found most helpful as to WHY you should coupon and HOW to coupon came from the short tutorial on www.couponmom.com. It didn't take long to read and it really made sense! AND was a compelling argument as to why you should coupon whether you need to or NOT.

I could go on and on about couponing, but, those are the biggest things about it.

Now, when I started couponing I felt pressure to run out and get EVERY SINGLE DEAL! But then I realized that I was probably not saving a whole lotta money. I had MORE for my money, but I definitely was not saving money. However, my pantry had never had more food storage. So, look at is this way: for the amount of money you are spending now, you could TOTALLY build your own food storage by couponing with the same amount of money you are spending now.

Since then, I have decided I save more money if I don't shop! Going to the gym has helped that predicament because now, I go to the gym, I come home, take a shower, it is lunch and then nap time and I don't even have time to go shop. I do. But it is less often now. Going to the gym I guess would be an expenditure, but Pampered Chef has covered that.

THE SECOND THING: I did was try to cut back bills or combine bills. I combined our cell phone and home phone bills, (probably saved $20). I cut back our cable, Internet and several other bills as well including re-analyzing insurance, which is a pain, but it did save us quite a bit of money. I think by the time I had analyzed all of our bills I saved us about $200. Not bad for a few minor adjustments. I also started doing some "secret shopping" which really deserves a post of it's own. But I find that a major money suck is "date night". However, date night is currently saving our marriage and our lives because the stress that is upon us is so severe that if we don't take the time to go out together we both really start to lose it. REALLY. So, we ask for gift cards for our birthdays and holidays so that we don't have to spend lots out of pocket, and buy the discounted movie tickets at Costco. When I started doing secret shopping we got to eat meals at places that we didn't need a gift card for. The snafu is: You have to buy your dinner, and they don't pay you for 30 days, or sometimes LONGER! If you do it every month, it starts to even out, but if you REALLY don't have it in your budget, it won't work. We can sneak it in and float till we get the money back. Consequently, we have had some GREAT dinners out of it! (Nice restaurants).

And the THIRD THING is: wait, I can't really think of a third thing. Really, between those TWO things: Couponing and re-evaluating bills I bet you could save about $500/month right off the top. Don't believe me? Give it a try. If you have additional questions about it, be sure to leave them here so I can answer them. Does anyone else have great budget saving ideas? If so, I want to hear them, and so does everyone else?

Just out of curiosity, what do YOU do Jessica?

Burning Questions Week- Day 1

WOW! Your burning questions were so overwhelming! NOT. Either you think you already know all of my opinions, or you are boring. JUST KIDDING!

A little while ago I invited readers to ask their "burning questions". I always have one or two for the blogs I read. Especially if I have never met that person before. But, I did get a few, and maybe throughout this week, I will get a few more. But let's go back to the original post.

We will start with Leah's question. (Hi Leah! Love you!)

"My question...what are your thoughts about cosmetic procedures?! Botox? Face lifts?"

Here you have it Leah. I think that this has a very fine line. I have enough stretch marks and sags on this body to definitely NEED an intervention, that is FOR SURE! I recently got my Varicose Veins done in an outpatient procedure. (I totally have pix of the procedure, but never posted them) Remember the picture of them? This is where I wish I had photoshop, because I would draw a lovely circle around that big bruise like thing and say, "NOW GONE" and then I would draw little arrows to the tiny purple veins and say, "STILL THERE" and then I would draw little lines to the small incisions (oh wait, that would require a new pic) anyway, for all intents and purposes, I am EXTREMELY happy with the procedure (totally covered by insurance). NOW, all I have are those (stillnotverypretty) little lines and I am looking into getting them removed as well. (NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE- But possibly covered by PAMPERED CHEF) Anywho. . .

As far as touching the face, I would ask BURT REYNOLDS,
Little more sketchy on that end. I will do facials, facial peels MAYBE fillers (but the side effects and possible bad results scare me to death-- not totally convinced yet, but Courtney Cox looks pretty darn amazing for her age)

However, UNDER by clothes you better believe I am planning on a full tummy tuck and lift (You know where). I am doing my best right now to make it totally worth my time and money (Down 15 lbs!) But, I am not there yet. Once I get there, you better believe I will start saving my pennies. But don't tell me how much it is, I don't want to be discouraged.

What do YOU think about plastic surgery Leah? You definitely are the LAST person on my list who would need it, but, I am curious as to what YOU would do?

PS- Don't forget my GIVEAWAY ENTER BY MY BIRTHDAY on THURSDAY!

From One Mother to Another

I am guessing it is mostly women that read my blog. Prove me wrong.

So, I just wanted to take a minute to talk about m'boy Jaxon. (On the left)

Most of you know, he is Autistic.

Unlike other Autistic children he LOVES being around people.

LOVES.

The problem is, he doesn't always know how to act or what to say. Or, worse, he might say, or do something inappropriate.

If so, I am sorry.

VERY sorry.

I wish I could change it.

Believe me.

I wish I could.

Please accept my apology if he does something not appropriate.

But, will you do one other thing for me?

Talk to your child.

Talk to your child about children who are different.

He didn't choose to be different.

Tell your child that even though he is "different" you should still try to be nice.

Tell your child that even though you might think he is "weird" there are people in his world who love him. Dearly.

Tell your child that if they don't want to play with him, that is ok. But, try not to be mean to him.

Because, he still has feelings.

And he still wants to have friends.

Tell your child, especially your older children, to never hurt anyone physically.

Just because they might be bugging you.

Chances are, they are younger than you think they are and they don't quite understand what they should be doing.

Because his mom can't stand guard his whole life.


Sometimes, he is going to be on his own.

And I worry about him.

So, please tell teach your children about TOLERANCE.

For me.

Thanks.

GIVEAWAY!! CHECK HERE NOW!

Alright, it is time.

TIME FOR MY GIVEAWAY!

As you know, the Pampered Chef Trifle Bowl is on sale this month! YIPPEE! $10.50 off! That is a savings of MORE than 25% off. Normally, the only people who get discounts with Pampered Chef are the HOSTS! So, take advantage of it while you can. It is a great idea for Mother's Day.



But, just for fun,
I will GIVEAWAY ONE Trifle Bowl
RIGHT HERE ON MY BLOG!



See, you KNEW there was a good reason you were reading my blog! YIPPEE!




I will post the winner on my BIRTHDAY! (April 22nd) So, now is the time to enter!

RULES

• Post a comment (one entry)
• Become a follower (another entry-for new followers only)
• Grab my button and put it on your blog! (another entry!)
• Post my giveaway on YOUR blog (another entry!)

GOOD LUCK!

Truly Disappointing Pictures of a FANTASTIC night.

April 8th, was DEFINITELY a night to remember. A few years ago we decided that we would take turns each year planning our Anniversary, because, after THIS ONE, I had to start doing some payback.

Peter always seems to get away with the most extravagant experiences though. And I HATE SURPRISES. Seriously. All kinds. The "life" surprises, the "fun" surprises, the "un-intentional" surprise. Seriously hate. I might be the only person on the planet, but it really grates against the control freak side of me. So, I don't like surprises... Good or bad. However, Peter INSISTS, on the most part, to always give me "Surprises" and then he relishes in my contempt for the Surprise. We have a great marriage, no?

It is kinda cute of him though, to go through so much effort and be in so much complete bliss because he is surprising me. Anywho, he pulled off another biggie and tried to make up for the fact that we had been planning for the past 5 years to go to Japan on our 10th anniversary. But the events of the past two years kinda put that one on the back burner.

It seems as though Peter and I cannot pull off any flattering pictures when we are on our own. Think that might be due to the close proximity of my arm holding the camera? Maybe.

Peter chose Roka Akor in Scottsdale as our dining destination. This would be the sister restaurant to Roka in London, Hong Kong and Dubai. Of course. Only the finest. Only.

I must admit, our eating experience there was out of this world. We even had Saga Beef. Served right there in that big 'ol leaf. With smoke coming out of the base and 4 kinds of salt to be used in lieu of soy. Soy.... so, overpowering, so, not good enough for the food we were eating. We had a Black Salt from Hawaii, a Green Tea Salt and a Himalayan Sea Salt (which I actually cook with everyday. Yes, it is THAT GOOD people) And just to give you an idea of how good that beef was, it was 1/2 the price of our meal ticket. THAT GOOD. And totally worth it for a once in a lifetime experience.
Peter can't open his eyes in pictures. Unless it is forced. Just look at the beef.
Then he took me to the Hyatt to ride on the Gondola. Que romantique. Our gondolier even sang us an Italian Aria.
Then, to top off the evening, we went to The Melting Pot. We decided long ago that dinner at the Melting Pot maybe wasn't worth the hype. But the dessert. . . the dessert DEFINITELY is. Order the Bananas Foster. Oh momma. I could bathe in it. And check out the privacy! Drapes? We made good use of them. And then I swore Abby would never be allowed on a date to The Melting Pot. 'Nuf said.

Thanks Peter, it was a magical "surprise" of a night.

10

We weren't young, but we were, shall we say, unaware.

Unaware of all of the challenges life might have in store for us.

I have to admit, there have been more than I ever thought there would be.

Some of them have been daunting.

Some of them we will deal with for a very, very long time.

Some of them have arrived recently.

And have been sticking around.

I knew he was good then.

I didn't know he was quite so strong.

I didn't know he was quite so long suffering.

I didn't know he was so forgiving.

I didn't know he was the love of my life.

I didn't.

But he is.

I love these pictures.

Because they aren't posed.

Well, they ARE posed,

but more like you are getting a glimpse of a special and private moment.

It was a special and private moment.

It was quiet.

And a stunningly beautiful day.

It was picture perfect.

Eventhough life is not.

And again,

We were unaware.

Of the blessings we would have.

Of the joy they would bring.

Of the happiness that could be ours

after we got through all the bad.

We are working.

We will always be working.

It is a road.

But I am blessed to be on it,

with him.

Happy Anniversary Honey.
I love you.

TV+ 10LBS

Dearest Natalie, one of my most valiant fans, actually took the time to go BACK to my TV story and see if they posted the video of my spot, and, THEY DID!

I am here to tell you that the TV REALLY does add 10 lbs. Because I just LOST 10 lbs when I was doing my NO SUGAR thing.. and yeah, well, after I saw myself on TV, I was like, WAIT!!! I TOTALLY LOST THOSE 10 lbs! I should have consulted with someone on what NOT to wear when being filmed... i.e. white shirt. Mkay?

But since I love ya'll. I am going to let you check out the video anyway.

You can click on the link from my original post, or you can CLICK HERE.

Once you are there, click on the little (tiny) video icon below the story line and it will let you see the video along with ALL OF MY CHILDREN in their finest "acting" mode. Why can't kids just be natural? WHY? WHY? WHY?

And I also want to mention that I am a TOTAL VICTIM OF EDITING. Because my kids ALWAYS LOVE WHAT I MAKE! (ok, but they rarely dislike it) But they asked Jaxon what he doesn't like and he said, "Burned Pineapple" Which would mean, when I put pineapple, one of his most beloved foods, on the BBQ. He obviously doesn't like it when it is BURNT. End of story.. You watch the edit for yourself! :)

THINGS TO LOOK FOR COMING UP!

• ANOTHER GIVEAWAY! HiP!
• MY ANNIVERSARY (tomorrow... 10 years, thank you)
• A PHOTO SHOOT OF YOURS-TRULY
• ANSWERS TO BURNING QUESTIONS!
• MY BIRTHDAY!

STAY TUNED!

DWTS Really?

Was anyone just missing plain old entertainment last night?

I WAS.

It seems like ALL the performances were a little heavy handed in the DRAMA department last night.

Really? Is DWTS the place to show your firm conviction of same s*x marriage? If it is, I wasn't feelin' it. Because, if you didn't notice, Niecy and Louis are NOT the same s*x, FURTHERMORE, their dance of "forbidden love" was. . . Far from that. And her sour face was not so fun.

Then there was Chelsie and Jake's dance. Is it just me? Or do they seem thoroughly annoyed with each other. It is obvious that Jake has problems taking direction from a 19 year old girl. But Jake, let's get real for a minute. You may not like being beaten down by a 19 year old girl, but she IS the PRO. If you were teaching her to fly a plane, and she wasn't doing it right, would you get on her about it? Yeah, you would. Don't go too much further Jake, or I am going to think you are a P.I.G. an not the animal kind.. the chauvinist kind.

Ashley. Speaking of heavy handed. It was driving me BONKERS that you were talking in Buzz's ear during the judges critique. What the heck were you saying? Was is REALLY that important? It is a dancing show Ashley, and, Buzz isn't that good and it is the judges job to say so. Just give him a hug and get that chip off your shoulder GEEZ! EVERYONE had a chip on their shoulder last night!

I really cannot even respond to Tony and Kate's dance. The judges totally called it. Pedestrian. I would call it more stomping around, but pedestrian sounds more nice. Tony, if you want to know what to do, please read Ashley's instructions above. Just give her a hug and call it good, cuz she stinks. Oh, but Kate? On a personal note, PLEASE don't wear your super curly hair all pulled back in the banana clip and pull your bangs back again (hair-dressing WTH?) it is REALLY not a good look for you. Seriously.


DWTS- Next week, can you please lighten up? What is going on over there? For the "best cast EVER" ya'll are kinda stinkin' it up!

Burning Questions

My birthday is coming up.

37.


I can hardly even stand it.

I have never really cared about birthdays.

I mean, they are fun, and are a great excuse to eat my favorite thing. . . CUPCAKES.

But, I never really cared about the whole "another year older" thing.

Until this year.

I just don't like it.

I honestly don't feel a day over 27! I mean, if you could choose an age that you feel stuck in, what is it?

I don't feel any older.

Don't feel much wiser (ok, maybe a little wiser, hopefully)

My body feels older. . kind of.

So, I am finally starting to feel torn.

Like, I don't get it.

Getting older.

When I am talking to my 8 year old daughter it feels like she was a baby just a couple of years ago.

Weird.

Anyway, back to burning questions. . .

Do you have any?

Because I am an open book.

Literally.

If you ask, you shall receive.

I will post some answers to celebrate my 37 years.

Never too Early

It is NEVER too early to be ready for Mother's Day. Pampered Chef is giving you an opportunity to not only be prepared, but to get a great deal! Pampered Chef is giving you the Trifle Bowl for $10 off!



Pampered Chef RARELY gives a discount to anyone other than a host! So, this is a great opportunity to get a great deal.



I am going to make the deal a little SWEETER by offering FREE SHIPPING! If you order the Trifle Bowl from my website and enter FREE SHIP as the Host name, I will send you the Trifle Bowl for $10 off and with FREE SHIPPING! HOORAY!




This offer is not available at parties, and is only good on web-orders submitted in the way that I have outlined!


Need some ideas on what to put in your Trifle Bowl? Look no further!

These are just a few ideas! How about a gigantic Ice Cream sundae or you Mom's Favorite Candy! How about a few other Pampered Chef items! You choose! The Trifle Bowl is fantastic because the base is removable and you can store it right in the bowl. That makes it easy to store and easy to transport your Trifle for special occasions. It also had a lid to make sure it doesn't spill!

Get this great deal NOW! Valid April 1st through April 30th. Please share this post with others!