I don't know how this email ended up in my inbox, but I sure am glad it did!!  I received an email from The Healthy Moms telling me about their weekly Potty Time Tuesday.  It's a weekly blog carnival for potty training moms to join and support each other during training while reading about tips, tricks and products.  It's like they knew we were starting potty training this week!!


Well this week's PTT has a giveaway!  They teamed up with Baby Signs to offer a free potty training kit valued at $39.95...what's so special about their kit compared to the hundreds out there??  It's aimed at potty training kids before the age of 2!!!  If I knew there was a product that could help me potty train before Kass's second birthday I would have bought 2!!!  If you're in the potty training stage visit The Healthy Moms for Potty Training Tuesdays!!


The kit itself comes with a parent's guide, DVD, a flip book and stickers...then their website Potty Train With Baby Signs has a ton of interactive and printable charts, stickers and certificates.  Based on some of the stories I've heard, I'm willing to try anything!!


In all honesty, I don't think potty training is gonna be such an ordeal with Kassie, I think she's ready!  When someone goes into our bathroom she instantly says for example, "mama go potty".  And when I am in there if, heaven forbid, I forgot to lock the door she comes right in and starts saying "mama go potty"...when she's all undressed getting ready for the tub, she likes to take toilet paper and wipe her bum, well try to anyway!  She's really in the "I do" phase, from putting on her socks to wanting to wipe herself when she gets her diaper changed, so I think once we get the potty training in gear she'll pick it up quickly- at least I hope!!! 


I also think the fact that most potty training DVD's (including this one by Baby Signs)has alot of songs to teach the kids and anyone who knows Kassie knows she loves anything with songs and will watch it over and over and over again until she knows the words and can do the movements...I think this is right up her alley!!


For more info on The Potty Training with Baby Signs kit, visit Baby Signs and for your chance to win a free kit, visit The Healthy Mom's Potty Training Tuesdays.

The time has come for Kassie to start potty training!  I have heard such horror stories that it's almost compelled me to say a novena before bed every night!!  I have started the hunt for pottys and anything that will make this ordeal as painless as possible.


That's how I came across "Deal"ectible Mommies...they're having a giveaway for The Potty Tot Kit which is a complete potty training survival guide!!  This kit comes with a story/guide book,  a DVD that has 3 potty tot songs and even bonus videos!  Not only that, there's an illustrated potty chart and an interactive progress/reward game! 


Check this out!  The Potty Tots website even has additional activites for your kid and a printable diploma for once they've mastered the potty!  Is that not the cutest thing?  I really hope I win this giveaway, but even if I don't I'd have to say that it's worth it's weight in novenas for only $19.95!!!


If your also in the potty training stage, visit "Deal"ectible Mommies and enter for your chance to win!!

This is my first week joining in the fun of Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays hosted by Lisa @ Blessed With Grace and her sister Lana.  This is not just recipes but kitchen and cooking tips, resturant reviews and anything else food related...This week Lisa has an amazing cream cheese pound cake- does it get any better than that???  Since my sweet tooth's up and running, I've decided to share my Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe.


Ingredients
4 pkgs (8oz each) cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs


Preheat oven to 350*F

With mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low until smooth.  Mix in flour, salt, vanilla and spices.  Add pumpkin puree and mix until well blended and smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until all eggs are incorporated.  Pour into homemade or store bought pie shell and reduce oven to 300*F.  (*When I make this recipe, I use store bought mini pie crusts and end up with extra filling.  You can take the extra filling, pour into a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months!)


Place pie pan in a water bath or place an additional pan filled with water on the bottom rack of your oven while baking.  Bake for 45-50 minutes (35 minutes if making mini's) then turn oven off but do not remove pie.  Keep cheesecake in the oven (with door closed) for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack before wrapping in plastic and refrigerating for at least 1 hour (or until firm). 


Here's what my mini pies look like when there done...

I wanted to say thank you to 5 Minutes for Mom for hosting last week's blog party and for all the cool new blogs I've found.  A BIG thank you for all those that visited me, I hope you continue to join me in my blogging journey...


There are plenty more blogs I intend to visit and I apologize beforehand for not getting there sooner, if you've peeked at my other blog For the Love of Scrap, then you know I've been very busy but I will continue checking off my "to visit" list and I will get there eventually!

Be sure to check back later today, I'll be picking the winner for my UBP giveaway!

It's about that time for....

Another Friday, another Favorite Family Foto....

So hopefully you've checked out the Ultimate Blog Party 09 being hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom...if not- What are you waiting for?????

I'll admit, it looks a litte intimidating at first to see over 1300 blogs linked up...but it's soooo worth browsing through the list.  I have come across countless blogs that I never would have been able to find on my own and have added an obscene number of blogs to follow!!!  I still have about 1217 blogs to check out but hey- why do laundry, feed the kid or clean the house when you can blog hop, right??  (Disclaimer:  I am only kidding, no need to comment and tell me that I'm a bad mommy!!)

I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone that's stopped by from the UBP, took the time to leave a comment and enter my giveaway!  I promise, if you've visited me, I will visit you!!  I'm off to blog hop some more, but I'll be back later to post about a few of my favorite new blogs I've found.  I've also got some stuff goin on at my other blog, For the Love of Scrap, to post about incuding some layouts....go check it out!!

I gotta thank my best friend Michelle from Blonde Ambition for introducing me to the blog Nicole's Nickle's. 


After you stop by Mish's (that's what I call her) go check out Nicole's Nickles for some great money saving tips and discounts from around the web.  You won't believe what this gal has on her blog: lists for the best sales at CVS and Walgreens, Friday Freebies from around the web, ways to get free prints and what has to be the giveaway of the year!!!


She's giving away a Burberry Watch...you heard me right- Burberry!!!  What woman doesn't love Burberry?  Exactly, none!  Here's a quick exerpt (I think I spelled that wrong??) from her post:


I have this beautiful pink Burberry watch to give away to a lucky reader.  This Burberry watch has a pink grossgrain ribbon-type band and a silver and white face with a Burberry design on it.  It is authentic Burberry and comes with a warrenty.  This watch is valued at over $250.


Umm, can you say, "Sign me up!!"?  She's even giving you options for up to 6 additional entries into this giveaway...don't miss out, get over there right now and enter- and while you're there pick up some money saving ideas too!!

It's the talk of the blog world...it's THE place to be this week...it's a great way to connect with people around the blogsphere...it's

I've got a list as long as my arm of things to "tackle" around here, believe you me!!  First thing to check off my list was my pantry...here's the before pictures:

Today was Kassie's 2nd birthday...I can hardly believe it!  It seems like just yesterday I was in the hospital (in excruciating pain, might I add) ready to meet her and have my life changed forever...


We threw her a small party, here at home, with close friends and family to help celebrate her day.  For weeks now we've been asking her, "How old is Kassie right now?", to which she'd reply "One" and hold up one finger.  Then we'd ask, "And how old is Kassie gonna be?" and she'd say, "Two!" holding up her pointer and pinky...she sure did show off her new trick today- she performed for everybody!

Yesterday we went to iParty to get all the stuff we needed to have a "princess" birthday and there was no shortage of options!!  We ended up with this:

So I was wandering around cyberspace today and came across a CT call for Digital Scrap Fun! and decided to submit some work for consideration...

I got it!

I am so excited...I can not even tell you!  This means that I receive kits prior to release to scrap with to show some ideas for using it and then I get to keep them!!  I get to tell people about sales and specials she's having and announce and participate in any challenegs she's a part of at the forums.  I get to show off both her designs and my LO's at a few different forums around the scrap community, plus meet great people while there...how cool is that??

I can't wait to get the first kit to start...The majority of this journey will be on my other blog, For the Love of Scrap, so be sure to pop in over there (you can subscribe to that blog too-so you don't miss anything!)...

Tomorrow is Kassie Grace's 2nd birthday, I've scrapped 2 new pages (wait til the birthday pics!), got an awesome present yesterday and have a secret I'm dying to share...it will all have to wait til Monday...wait til you get a load of this!

I don't know if you all know or not, but I have another blog...it's called For the Love of Scrap.  I just recently started it as a place I could post my layouts to share and talk about other digiscrap stuff...At DSP (digital scrapbook place) we were encouraged to set and share our scrapping goals for 2009.  My goals were to complete at least 15 layouts a month, join and complete at least 4 challenges a month (trust me, with all the challenges the digi sites offer, I could easily sign up to do 50!!!), start and finish Kassie's baby book up to her first birthday (considering she's gonna be 2 on Sunday, it's safe to say I'm a little behind!) and to comment on other's layouts in the gallerys that I post in.


Those are pretty reasonable goals and I hope to keep up with them...I have so many pictures I want to scrap and a ton of kits I want to use so it shouldn't be a problem!!  Check out my other blog and tell me what you think of my layouts, and if you're a digiscrapper too, feel free to leave some ideas or tips!!


There's so much goin on here in the bloggy world this week but I unfortunately have to wait til tomorrow to post about it!!!  Be sure you check back here tomorrow to get the scoop...

It's a St. Paddy's Day celebration here at Life, as it is...what's a St. Patrick's Day party without green beer?

Here's what you need:

A pale colored beer
A large, cold beer mug
green food coloring
a long spoon to stir

Take your pale beer, since it's St. Paddy's I suggest using Harp, and pour it into a clean, cold glass.  Make sure you tilt your glass to get the least amount of foam because food coloring sticks to foam.  Add about 6 drops of green food coloring for the perfect emerald shade and stir.  Much easier than squeezing shamrock juice into a glass, right?

I missed MPM last week but it worked out pretty good for me...I didn't have to stress over figuring out what was for dinner though because my mother in law did alot of cooking last week and kept sending it my way!  Thanks, ma!


This week, I must have my menu set because I have far too many things to do to spend time wondering, "What am I gonna cook tonight?".  I have an appointment on Tuesday (and it's St. Patti's day!), I have to finish planning and shopping for Kassie's birthday party on Sunday, clean my house for Kassie's party on Sunday, get a move on this babyshower, and all my other day to day stuff...so here's what's for dinner:


Monday- Honey Chicken Skewers with grilled corn salad

Tuesday- Corned Beef & Cabbage

Wednesday- Orange Beef and Broccoli

Thursday- Pistachio Crusted Pork Chops

Friday- Shrimp Scampi Pizza

Saturday- if you can find it, you can eat it day

Sunday- It's Kassie's Birthday so it's party food today...

Another week, another photo.

This week's photo is one of my favorite that I've ever taken, as I'm sure you can see why!

Budget. Check.

Guest List.  Check.

Location.  Check.

Theme.  Check.

Let's talk shower games!!

At my babyshower, thrown by my fab group of girls (see them all here), we played games that were fun, got everyone involved and got quite a few laughs!  The point of shower games is to break the ice, have some fun and give people a break from all the "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing" of opening gifts.  At most showers you usually have 2 sets of friends and family- his and hers- and in most cases, not everybody knows everybody.  Games are a great way to break that barrier and get everyone comfortable- games and an open bar of course!!

Since an open bar's gonna run you a pretty penny, let's break the ice at the shower with pocketbook friendly games, ok?

One of the games we played at my shower was "Don't Say Baby".  You purchase color appropriate mini clothespins (you'll need about 5 for each guest) and hand them out to each guest as they arrive.  They have to pin the clothespins on their clothes (duh!) somewhere so that they are visible to everyone.  Once everyone's arrived make your announcement that from here on out if anyone is caught saying the word "Baby" they have to forfeit a clothespin to the person who caught them.  At the end of the shower the person with the most clothespins wins (be sure to purchase or make seperate favors for the game winners)!!  You can't imagine how hard it is to be at a babyshower and not say the word "baby"...

Another inexpensive game, though you do have to purchase the supplies for it, is "How Big is Mommy's Belly?".  You buy a roll or two, depending on your guest list, of belly tape (you can find this at many party supply stores or at the sites I listed in Part 2) and have each person unroll then cut the length of tape that they think will fit around mommy's big pregnant belly.  Once everyone's chosen their length of tape, mommy has to take each piece and wrap (or try to anyway!) it around her to see who's guess was closest.  This is a great way for mommy to get to say hi to each guest too!  Jay tried to score points at our shower by cutting his tape waaaaay short!

The next game came from Plan the Perfect Baby Shower.com and is sure to keep things fun!

"Grandma to be....c'mon down...you're the next contestant on the Baby Shower Price is Right!"

Before the shower you purchase 10-12 small baby items-be sure to keep the receipt so you know the prices- such as:


Pack of diapers
Jar of baby food
A onesie
A bottle of baby lotion or powder
A pair of baby shoes
A bottle/pacifier
Orajel
Balmex
A stuffed animal


Print out a game card for each guest (don't forget about pens or pencils), write the items you purchased on the left side and leave the right side blank.  Hold up each item and have people guess how much it costs and have them write in their answer on the right side.  Have everyone add up their prices and whoever's  total price for all items is closest (minus tax) wins!!!  What's great is that when you're done with the game you can give all the items to the parents to be...they'll use 'em too!!

We've all been there, right?  Just missing out on or forgetting something bythismuch?  I know I have...and today, I'm 4 for 4!!

I woke up today and realized it was Wednesday and not Tuesday which screwed me up completely!!  Why, you ask? 

For starters, I missed American Idol last night...I'm watching it on DVR right now.  I missed it because I was totally wrapped up in organizing!!  It all started because Monday I had organized my pantry for Tackle it Tuesday (see that, Tackle it Tuesday, not Tackle it Wednesday!!!) @ 5 Minutes for Mom.  After completing my pantry and taking pictures of it, I had to upload them...which made me aware of how un-organized my pictures are on my computer.  Well that was it, I was off and running!  For an unhealthy period of time I sat and edited, renamed, saved, moved and stored pictures- I'm still only about 1/3 of the way done!!  I never did get my post up for Tackle it Tuesday...2 for 2.

Being so engrossed in my picture organizing, I absolutely forgot about the Spring Fling at SITS!!  For those of you in the know, I'm sure you can sympathize...for those of you that don't know about Spring Fling- the SITS girls held giveaways all day yesterday for some really cool stuff.  All you have to, or should I say, had  to do was leave comments for each giveaway.  C'mon, how easy is that??  Ontop of the SITS hourly giveaways, they had over 300 SITS-ahs hosting giveaways on their own blogs!!  Spring Fling is over but you may be able to get in on a SITSah giveaway or 2 still...here's the list.  Oh, and you can congratulate the people who haven't lost their brains, actually remembered about the Spring Fling, entered and won here...3 for 3.

Lastly, I forgot to post about another giveaway that I had entered (posting about it gets you another entry for a chance to win) hosted by Kat @ Mama's Losin It...She's hosting a giveaway for an adult/child chef apron set from Beansoup.  If you love aprons (you know who you are) you gotta check them out!!  The fabrics are incredible and their cobbler aprons for kids are adorable!!  4 for 4...kinda.  Hopefully it's not too late and I can get over to Kat's to tell her I posted about her giveaway...so more like 3 1/2 for 4- but not in my favor!!!

I posted a few layouts on my other blog, For the love of scrap.  Go check 'em out!

For this week's Favorite Family Foto I'm gonna cheat a little because the picture is not actually of my family. 

For those of you who don't know, Kat over @ Mama's Losin It has a weekly writer's workshop.  She gives you a list of prompts every week to choose from and then you write about which over one you choose.  You can choose more than one if you like and when you're done, you link up at her site, check out the other blog's of people who participated and of course leave some comment love!!  It's my first week, so here goes...


My week was off to any other normal week- filled with laundry, dirty diapers and dishes, bills and just plain ol' aggrevation.  Then the phone rang.  This was, by far, the best phone call I had received in weeks!  It was my lawyer.  Why, you may be wondering, do I have a lawyer?

When I got pregnant, I was working for a food service company as an Office Manager where I began as a waitress and very quickly moved up the ranks.  I had been with the company for just about 3 years when I got pregnant.  I worked throughout my entire pregnancy up until my 8th month when I had to leave due to some medical problems.  Since my maternity leave wasn't supposed to begin for another 2 months or so, I left work on short term disability.  My disability leave was supposed to run until the day I gave birth and that would start my unpaid 12 week maternity leave.

There originally were issues as to wether I was eligible for either short term disability or maternity leave due to my company being bought out by another and what the insurance companies considered my actual date of hire.  The problem was resolved (or so I thought) and I enjoyed my last 2 months of pregnancy at home waiting for my little bundle of joy! 

On March 22, 2007 after 30+ hours of labor, Kassie Grace was born at 8:38am by c-section and my life as a mommy began.  My maternity leave was to start on the 23rd of March and after 12 weeks I was to return to work.  Keep in mind that after the initial problem with my hire date, I had heard nothing that would cause me to think that there was a problem with my maternity leave.  That is, until I went for my checkup.

At my 6 week check up I was informed by my doctor's office, not my personnel department, that I did not have health insurance.  How is that possible?  I was on maternity leave, during which all my benefits were supposed to remain the same.  I called my benefits department, got no answer, left a message and wondered what the hell was going on!!  The next day in the mail I received a letter from my company stating that because I did not return to work the day after my short term disability ended I had abandoned my job and therefore was terminated!  I was shocked, angry, confused and really really pissed off!!

After what felt like hundreds of phone calls to every department in my company I was told that all my paperwork for maternity leave had not been submitted and therefore had not been approved.  Remember now, the only issue I had ever been made aware of was my hire date, which I fixed (obviously because I had been approved for short term disability) so I was pretty confused!  Here I am thinking I'm on maternity leave and I'm actually unemployed!!

Needless to say I jumped through hoops to try and get this fixed, but there was nothing I could do.  So being newly jobless, I decided to apply for unemployment.  I was denied because the company responded that I quit, oh sorry, abandoned  my job which makes me ineligible to receive unemployment benefits.  I had to appeal and wait 8 weeks for a hearing, all the while without any income.  After another almost 8 weeks from my hearing, it was found in my favor that I did not abandon my job, I should have been approved for maternity leave and was eligible for unemployemnt.  That's when I called a lawyer.

I filed a lawsuit against my company for wrongful termination and discrimination.  That was almost 2 years ago!  Most of the employees who worked on my case, no longer work for the company so no one really knows what they're talking about.  I, being the organized nut that I am, have every single piece of paper related to my short term disability, maternity leave and unemployment.  Absolutely no where is there a paper that says after my date of hire was fixed, was there any additional paperwork or info needed from me to approve my maternity leave.  My company is wrong, dead to rights- no ifs, ands or buts about it!!

Needless to say, you can imagine how happy I was when my phone rang and it was my lawyer with good news!  On March 13 at 10 am me, my lawyer and lawyers from my company have a meeting to sit down and discuss a settlement.  I thought this day would never come.  They owe me, and big!! 

I didn't just lose my job, I lost my career!  I had moved up very quickly in the company and wasn't going to stop at office manager.  I was moving up, training with the General Manager, whose job I often did while he was away.  I lost my insurance, had to cash in my 401(k) and during what was supposed to be the happiest time of my life, was filled with depression and anxiety.  Hopefully, we can come to some type of agreement and put this mess behind us- hopefully! 

Well, I'm sure you can see why getting a phone call from my lawyer was the best thing that's happened to me this week!

Now that you've figured out your budget, compiled your guest list and scoped out possible venues (see Babyshower Planning- Part 1 here) let's talk themes. 

The theme for your babyshower (or the one your planning) is so important because it dictates your invitations, decorations, centerpieces and even favors!!  Choosing a theme can be as stressful as choosing baby's name because trust me, the choices for both are endless!  Thankfully, I've come across a few websites that are worth their weight in gold when it comes to finding everything you could possibly imagine (and stuff you couldn't!) for your babyshower!   These are my favorite:

Simply Baby Stuff
Baby Shower Stuff
Shower Her Baby

For the most part, these websites offer the same theme ideas and items but there's a few items on each that are specifically their own- you just gotta look!!  There's also a difference in price between these sites, not much- but a difference.  A dollar here and there will really add up!  I personally find it better to have more than one vendor for the same items because it gives you the best oppertunity to save money.  The invitations may be cheaper on one site but another site may have cheaper party favors!

So just what items at your shower should follow your theme?  Well, just about everything should at least be within the color scheme of your theme.  You may be able to find printed table cloths but solid colored ones that match are just fine.  Same as your tableware, you don't need to purchase the ones with your theme printed on them- but make them the same color.  Your invitations and centerpieces should include your theme, as well as any other items decorating the room.  If you're using balloon bouquets, you could have one mylar balloon with your theme printed on it and the rest in complimenting colors.  Your dinner plates could be a coordinating color and your smaller cake plates printed with the theme. 

Once you have chosen your theme keep track of sites, stores and prices of items with this handy Shower Theme Planner from Baby-Shower .com.  It is by far the best way to keep track of all that info that I've been able to find in my searches!!

Well, I hope this information has been helpful.  Be sure to check back for Babyshower Planning- Part 3 when I'll be discussing centerpiece ideas and you can learn how to save possibly hundreds of dollars and learn how to make today's hottest shower centerpiece!

A few months ago I came across a post by the Crafty Homemaker that was part of a series called Try and Learn Mondays.  Her post was about crocheting and if you read my post about it, then you know that I had just bought the supplies to start this craft!!  It took me a while to get the hang of the stitches, and after many many failed squares of yarn, I was ready to begin a project.

Do you have any idea how many things you can make from crochet??  There's scarves, gloves, wraps, towels, shirts, bags...the list goes on and on!!  I thought I'd try something easy and square-ish shaped to make it easy on myself so I decided to make a wrap for Kassie.  I had this beautiful multi-colored yarn that after making my gauge swatch I knew was it!   I have yet to complete this project but I swear, I pick it up a few times a week!! 

So now that I can crochet, I'm always on the lookout for a new projects.  I can't afford both yarn and patterns so I'm constantly searching the internet for free ones!  Believe me, there is no shortage of sites that offer patterns- including freebies!!  Here's what's found it's way to my project list:

Coffe Cup Cozy
This is one of the cutest things I have ever seen!!  This website is a great resource for both free (you gotta search a bit) and purchaseable patterns for both crocheting and knitting.
Tea Mug Cozy
This is on my list because my mom doesn't drink coffee but she loves a good cup of tea!!  I'm always on the lookout for a new mug for her and now I can just buy a plain one and decorate it myself!!!

Loaf Pan Tote
Can you think of a better way to bring something homemade to your girlfriend's house? 
I can't.

Shopping Tote
In our efforts to help the planet, our family tries to make small changes that can make a big difference-like using reusable shopping bags!  The ones at my local grocery store are an
u-g-l-y  green and not very pretty.  These one's ARE!

Lip Balm Holder
I really don't have to say anything else other than- CUTE!!!


I found crocheting a little bit easier to understand than knitting, but it may have been because of the help from this video I found on YouTube. 



There's actually a series of videos  from the knit witch to help you with everything from the simple chain stitch to more complicated stuff like crocheting circles!!  It's totally worth taking a look at if you're new to the craft!

I finally found a little time to do some digiscrapping!!  Hop on over to my other blog, For the Love of Scrap, to check them out!!

Well it sure has been a while since I've participated in Menu Planning Monday...  With our current financial situation, menu planning is a great way to be sure I stick to our grocery budget (and put an end to the dreadful sound of "what's for dinner?")

Here's what we're having at my house this week:


Monday- mom's not feeling well today so we're ordering in! 

Tuesday- Brown Sugar Chops with Apple Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday- Citrus Ginger Steaks with fried rice (this was Monday's dinner)

Thursday- Italian Sausage Kebabs and sauteed spinach

Friday- Easy Garlic Broiled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli

Saturday- Spicy Orecchiette with Broccoli

Sunday- Roast Beef Dinner with all the trimmings- mashed potatoes, gravy and corn