What I Ate Wednesday

It's time for another Keto: What I Ate Wednesday.

This week I didn't feel much like cooking much. So most of what I ate was in salad or wrap form. 

Hey, it got the job done. 😂

I DID cook a nice big batch of no bean Chili using diced smoked sausage as a bean substitute. Super yummy!

That's it for this week! Super simple and yummy. 

The Newest Addition to Our Family

We decided to add another member to our family. 

He's cute and sweet and oh so entertaining. 

And we're already head over heels in love with him. 

Are you ready to meet him?

Ladies and Gents, I introduce you to:

Drago.

Isn't he adorable?!

 Looking like a scene straight out of the Lion King. 😂

Drago says "Come forth... and bring it. "

Seriously, the whole family has been just chilling and watching this little guy. He's such a riot.

We can't wait to learn all about him and watch him grow. 💗

Earning Money On The Side

This is me. Snuggling with my youngest peanut. AND earning money from my phone. And no, I'm not selling anything. Say whaaaat?! 😂

Who doesn't want to earn a little extra money on the side? Especially while sitting and snuggling a sleeping baby? Does it get any better than that?! I think not!

My hubster and I are currently working on building up our Emergency Fund and then moving onto getting out of debt. (Dude, I can't wait for that day!) One thing that I've noticed is that we really don't have much money leftover after most paychecks to make any kind of dent in anything. So they say to sell belongings or cut spending in other areas, which makes total sense. Except that we truly don't own much of anything to sell and we don't have extras to cut. Literally.

We share a house with my mom and we pay half of everything (including the mortgage) every month, but bills are all in her name. So cutting cable? That's not my call. We can only cut the grocery bill so much when feeding a 19 year old who's home from college for the summer (and sometimes his friends), a growing 14 year old, a 6 year old, a manual labor working hubster, myself, and sometimes my mama. We also try to eat healthy, and the price of food just keeps going up up up. So then the option is to bring in more income. I will not let my hubster take a second job, as he already works 12 to 14 hour days. He works his fingers to the bone to provide for us. So that's off the table. I stay home with the kids because we couldn't even BEGIN to afford the cost of daycare if I was to work (and I'd make peanuts since I'm not really schooled or skilled in much.)

So what's a mama to do?! Whatever I can, that's what!

The first thing I did was signup at Ibotta. I grocery shop every week anyways, so why not earn a little money back on it, right? Between grocery shopping offers and a welcome bonus, in my first week and a half, I've made an extra $25.50. That's pretty freaking awesome for just grocery shopping like I always do!

Next, I signed up at Ebates. I don't do a ton of online shopping, but I've earned $10.47 through that in the past week and a half. Not bad!

But the BEST thing I've found has been Swagbucks. Now, I had tried Swagbucks in the past and didn't like it. I'm so glad I decided to give it another try tho, because that's where I've made the most money by far! Just from sitting and taking surveys (a lot of surveys) while the baby is sleeping and in any extra free time I have, I have made $58. In a week and a half.

Through Swagbucks, I ALSO qualified to take a special survey about radio stations where I had to listen to 503 clips of songs and rate them. Yes, that is A LOT of songs. It took me 3 hours total, thankfully I was able to complete it in chunks at MY convenience. For completing that I earned $40 (not credited for that yet- it will be paid out when the study is over in a couple weeks.) So through Swagbucks, I've actually made $98. Not too shabby for a week and a half of taking surveys!!!

That's a grand total of $133.97. That's over $100 that we didn't have before. That's free money that we get to add to our Emergency Fund and to help us reach our goals. Which makes me super happy!

If you are thinking about giving any of these a try, I can't recommend them enough! Heck, if you use any of my referral codes, you'll earn money and I'll get a little bonus. Win win for both of us!

Sign up at Swagbucks and start taking surveys, playing games, watching videos, etc and earn some side cash!

Earn cash back on grocery purchases at Ibotta. Join now and earn a $10 welcome bonus after completing your first $10 in cash back. (It adds up quick!) You do NOT have to link a debit card or anything. Which is great cuz I really don't like having to do that.

If you want to earn money while shopping online, sign up at Ebates. And they have a special deal going on. Right now, if you use my referral link, and spend $25, I get a referral bonus and YOU get $10! How freaking awesome is that?!

It may seem silly, but it's been so exciting for me to be able to contribute to our household, financially. I can't wait to see what I can earn in a month to put towards our goals. Bring it on!!!

Happy earning, everyone!!

How To Get Stuff Done With A Baby In The House

Maybe you're expecting your first baby and are wondering how you're going to manage your household when your bundle of joy arrives. Or maybe you're expecting your sixth baby but it's been a while since you last had a baby in the house and you're just looking for some tips on getting things done. Either way, look no further, I'm here to help!

I had my fourth baby back in April and it had been 6 years since I had a baby in the house. I'm older now (not to mention much more tired!) and I'll be honest, with the daily demands of a baby, plus my other kiddies, I struggled to find the time to get everything done! I focused on recovering first (that's the most important part!) and then started finding ways to do what needed to be done. 

I'm no expert and my house isn't always super clean (sorry, not sorry. We're busy making memories over here!) but I'm doing what I can while I'm in this particular season of my life. These are my (hopefully) helpful tips for you. 

I have to start out by stating the obvious: keeping a spotless house is not your first priority anymore. Your #1 priority right now (whether this is your first baby or your tenth) should be to relax (as much as possible, at least), recover, and spend time taking care of/getting to know your newest addition. Especially while they are in the newborn stage.. Seriously, take time to recover and spend time soaking up your precious new baby. They are only newborns for such a short time, but the housework will still be there later, I promise.

Now, with that said...

PICK AND CHOOSE: Once you have healed enough to be able to get around and do things more easily, and you feel like you have a bit of energy to spare, then absolutely start doing what you can, when you can. Start small. Make a list of the top three (or one if that's all you can manage, or even five if you're feeling ambitious) things you feel absolutely NEED to get done each day. Then focus on only doing those things. It's better than nothing!!! When you get that routine down and feel like you are ready to add more tasks, add just a couple at a time!

NAP TIME: An obvious tip is to get done what you can while baby is napping. Now this might not be possible if you have a newborn. You may be extremely tired (not to mention the fact that you are still recovering!) and if that is the case, go ahead and nap while baby naps. You need your rest, too, not only to help your body heal, but for your sanity's sake, as well! Work in 15 minute increments if needed. 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there adds up!

BABY CARRIERS: These things are a total Godsend! If you have one, and your baby tolerates it, for Heaven's sake, USE IT! Some babies really enjoy the closeness and movement while you go about your day to day routine while wearing them. If yours is one of those babies, send up a "thank you" and enjoy the snuggles while. you. work. It's an amazing thing.

BOUNCEY SEAT/ ROCKER: If you have one of these, drag it into the room you need to work in. As you clean or cook, talk to your baby. Or sing songs. Babies don't care if you have an amazing voice or not. Just hearing mamas voice will offer comfort while hopefully buying you a bit of time to get some stuff done.

DELEGATE CHORES!!! If you have a spouse or other children, there is NOTHING wrong with asking (or telling them!) to pitch in. I use to feel awful asking my husband to do things. He works manual labor for anywhere from 12 to 14 hours a day, 5 (used to be 6) days a week! I was the stay at home mama. It was MY job to handle all the household stuff while he worked, wasn't it?! But then one day a realization hit me like a ton of bricks. My job as mama is 24/7 and 365 days a year. I don't get a break. But when he needs help with something, I help him. WHY should I not expect the same?? Most days I would at least try to let him relax a bit first, after he came home from work. To give him some time to unwind after a long hard day. Or I'd wait till it was his day off. But there were absolutely days where I handed him the baby just a few minutes after he walked in the door. Cuz sometimes it just had to be that way and this is a partnership, after all, right?

NOTE: If you do decide to delegate, please don't nag when it's not done YOUR way. Just because it's not done your way doesn't mean it's done wrong. As long as it's getting done, consider it a total blessing and remember, these times are only temporary.

FORGET PERFECTIONISM: Some days you'll find more time to be able to get things done. Other days, you may only be able to find 15 minutes out of the entire day. When that happens, do what you can for those 15 minutes and don't sweat the rest! There's always tomorrow!

GROCERY DELIVERY: I know this isn't available in all areas, but if it is available in your area, it can be a super helpful thing. Peapod is one I've used and liked. My local Jewel/Osco and Berkots also deliver. Sometimes it's more than worth the small extra fee to have them do the shopping for you and deliver it. Then all you have to do is put it all away! Score, right?!

STOW AWAY: Keep a pretty basket in your main living areas. As the day goes on, you can simply drop things into the basket (which also puts it out of sight! Winner winner, chicken dinner!) as you get a chance, then bring the basket with you towards the end of the day (or during one of baby's longer naps) to put the items where they belong. (Better yet, delegate the putting away part to someone else. 😉)

One thing that I've heard over the years is NOT to let your baby get used to being in your arms. That unless they are crying or fussing or eating, there really is no need to be holding them. I have to wholeheartedly disagree with this. A baby NEEDS time in your arms, fussing or not. And there is nothing wrong with holding them for no other reason than to just be holding them. Especially in the first couple months. You CANNOT spoil a baby that young. It's just not possible. I'm not saying that you have to or should hold them all day every day, but certainly, when YOU want to hold your baby, hold your baby!

I hope some of these tips help you as much as they have helped me. 

What tips do YOU have for getting things done when you have a baby in the house? I'd love to hear them!

Happy 4th of July!!

What I Ate Wednesday

It feels so good to be back on track with Keto! Seriously, I feel my best when I eat this way. 

I'm not going to bore you with random ramblings, so here are favorite meals from the week. 

Three words: Keto. Freaking. McGriddle. So so so delicious! I found this recipe on Instagram!

Next up, we have chicken taco cauliflower bake. I really just cooked up some riced cauliflower and seasoned it with homemade taco seasoning. Then I added leftover shredded chicken (from chicken tacos the night before) and diced tomatoes and topped it with cheese and green onions. Baked till cheese was browned and bubbly. Super yum! 

Also, Loaded Broccoli Bake. This broccoli was loaded with triple cheddar cheese, feta cheese, and crumbled bacon. And it was soooo freaking good!

Tune in next week for more What I Ate Wednesday to see what other yummy keto stuff I shove into my piehole. 😂

Luau Party

This weekend we got to celebrate my middle daughter's 8th Grade graduation. I started planning it about a month in advance so that we'd be able to put a bit of money aside each week to prepare for it. I had such awesome visions for the party.

However, life happens, as it tends to do, and we just had too many bills to pay each week to be able to accomplish want I wanted. 

So we ordered a few cute decorations like the backdrop and the foil for the waterfall in the pic above. We also ordered a big grass skirt to go on part of the pool deck. Oh, and a bunch of leis and lei headbands, of course. (which were SO cute, btw!!)

Here's my Josie, modeling them. 

Then we set to work painting an empty diaper box to turn it into a card box to hold her cards. 

Front of the box:

Back of the box:

And we painted some empty soda cases and turned them into Tiki. 

And we whipped up some yummy cupcakes and decorated them with these super cute wrappers and picks.

We had some ridiculously hot weather, much too hot for baby Gwen (who is just 9 weeks old now) so I stayed in the house with her for most of the party and didn't get any pics of everyone... Which was kind of a bummer, but the party wasn't for me anyways. And my Lucy loved her party and she had such a great time with her friends, so it was all worth it!

Seriously, I can't wait to throw another Luau party! I think I need to start saving up money NOW. 😂