Confessions of a Social Media Addict and a Hopeful Mom

I constantly talk about simplifying my life....I mean always. But, I live everyday almost like it is groundhogs day. I have yet to clean out the junk and take it to the goodwill. I have yet to organize the rest of it.  Each time I check something off my "Big to do" List, I add 2 more things.  Each time I make a plan, something comes up and the next day I don't remember the plan. The truth is I leave the house everyday and I hope nobody notices that I havent shaved my legs for a week. I run my fingers through the mop on my head, throw on leggings and a tshirt and a pair of flip flops and look just barely ok enough to be seen outside my home.  I run to the store, the post office, to drop off customers orders, to pick up customers orders. I unload the dishwasher, take the dog for a walk, feed the fish, do a load of laundry, fill the bird feeder, write the bills, budget the checking account, make meals, weed the flower bed, compost the garden, sweep the porch, take photographs, edit photographs, feed the cat, do the dishes, put the laundry away......DO YOU GET THE FULL PICTURE?  This is all before I pick up the kid; take her to the park, try to get her to take a nap, do a craft with her, read to her, help her clean up her toys, make her snacks, make her lunch, watch her play on her playset. THAT IS ALOT of stuff and I DO try to streamline it all. BUT in between all of that I dont fit in learning the alphabet, practicing hopping on one foot, or even sitting down to eat a meal together

And I am forever posting the cute little crafts that I do and the recipes that I concoct and share with friends.
BUT, I have a few confessions....last Tuesday was the first night that I have ever played "baby dolls" with my daughter.  She is almost 4. THAT IS A SIN! THAT ISNT remotely acceptable....and I didnt realize it until I was midway through my persona as Princess Merida!
And you know what , when I confessed this all to a few of my closest friends, they told me that they too had moments just like this and that I was "NORMAL". It is, they are right.
BUT, it doesnt have to be this way.
I have a choice.
Tonight, I turned off my FB account on purpose for 90+ days.

For the first 5 minutes after I posted that I was FB Fasting til September 1st I wanted to log back on and see what everyone thought. How many LIKES did I get?  Ya know what? My friend Nichole sent me a text message and said: "You have inspired me mama, and I am JOINING you!"
I betcha if my computer counted, it would tell you that I WASTE HOURS on social media. AND if my kids toys counted they would tell you they dont even know who I am.
How sad is that? How sad?
My daughter, who I describe as the most precious being in my life is actually falling behind an update from a person I may not have seen in 20 years.  I love old friends, but as much as my daughter???  And really do they care that I saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico! NO!
So, I havent turned it back on in 1 hr and ya know how I feel? ya know how Nichole said she felt after doing the same thing? FREE!
My Gram baked pies with me, she showed me how to use the washer with the wringer. We planted seeds and picked vegetables. We painted rock and went swimming in the creek. My parents were busy...for the first 15 years of my life. I remember vacations with them. I remember spending time with them in their restaurant. They didnt have FB then...they had WORK!
I broke the back on this damn I phone twice in 1 week! Smart phone = dumb mom! There I said it.
I have gone to numerous kid events and watched 50% of the parents updating statuses about being at the place with their kids the entire time they are at the event.  PUT your PHONE AWAY! BE with your kid!
Mine is sleeping right now.  Before she fell asleep, I played Lincoln Logs with her. And WE loved it!
She said, you are the best mom ever and I am sorry for yelling when Lathan was here! She breathed a sigh and she got it....and ya know what...THAT is what counts!

Val and I went over REAL food ideas for our families today. And perhaps my husband will never "get it" but in the last week I have seen to many changes in my crazy daughter just by taking away artificial flavors and colors to not believe that she is what she eats...so I am running with that. She is SMART and I am going to feed her brain food. And guess what....I dont need to tell 486 friends about it. This blog is my diary and I just want her to know someday the journey I have been on as her mom!

This summer I am saying no to photo sessions on a Sunday and saying YES to sitting down and hearing JESUS talk to me. I miss him! I miss the person I am when I am filled to the brim with him! My tank is almost empty! Thank GOD he is patiently waiting to fill me up! I need him to fill my family up.
Jim and I dont always see eye to eye, and thank God that HE helps us stay heart to heart!

SO, goodbye FB and Thank God I dont tweet. Goodbye Kim Kardashian as my headline news! Buy maternity clothes! Goodbye the background news of TV...I dont need you! Goodbye Crappy food from my cupboards. HELLO LIFE...HELLO LIFE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY6VAy9y_iQ
HERE I AM!
Thank You God for renewing me!

Little girl growing

I need new pics on our walls. Seriously, I love my wedding pics...but this month I have been married 5 years. So, I helped my update along a little. At least I got a few pics of Audrey out of the way. She is growing so fast. Her legs are long and her smile is from ear to ear. All this for a piece of gum. Mommy's Girl

Planning a Simpler Summer

That's it.  I am not talking about it anymore....I'm doing it!
I waste too much time of this computer telling other people what I am doing. And I am pretty sure 90% of these people could really care less if I am going to the Apple Blossom Festival.  I should be spending more time just doing this "Mom thing". I have 16 months until my beautiful baby that I feel I just gave birth to goes to kindergarden.  WHAT?!  Yep, this kid of mine will be 4 years old in 3 months.
So, starting June 1st, that is just 1 month from now....I am turning off Facebook, switching off the TV, going outside in the sun, reading more books to my daughter, spending more time in my garden and at the park, and camping and putting my feet in the creek...and well everything that I remember doing as a kid...we are doing it!
Included in all this is eating healthier and local, getting outside more, buying local, visiting local.
When I was a kid, the tv went off and it didnt come on until like 1 hr or maybe 2 hrs before bedtime. My feet were filthy from playing outside, my nose was sunburn and half the time my mom couldnt find me....and it was WONDERFUL!
I dont need FB to run Just So Stacy. I dont need Living Social Deals and I dont need Pinterest( although, that does help..lol)
I need, WE need, sunshine and fresh lemonade, Drive In movie nights and bike rides.
30 days and counting....
Doesnt mean I cant blog it to keep record, but it doesnt mean I have to.

What a great gift to give my family this summer. For the 10% that want to know...that is what pen pals are for.

Stacy

Christmas in Springtime FUNDRAISER

Dear Friends:

Each Christmas, in cooperation with Mechanicsburg’s Operation Wildcat and Project Legacy,  the Upper Allen Fire Department adopts a family in need.  

The process and outcome is so rewarding. We get to see the kindness of our members and their friends and neighbors. More importantly, we get to see a family who would otherwise not have gifts under their tree, a warm winter coat, and food in their bellies, be blessed by it all.

In 2013, we want to give MORE! Each year, we see an unmet need that the families have throughout the year. Last year, we supported a family of nine: 8 children, 2 to 18, and a single mother.

This year, with early planning, many activities, and your help, we can do SO MUCH MORE!

JOIN ME

CHRISTMAS IN SPRINGTIME

FUNdraising EVENT

with Tastefully Simple and Silpada

Thursday, April 24^th at the Upper Allen Fire Department

104 Gettysburg Pike

Mechanicsburg PA 17055 (Across from Hoss’s and Stauffers)

Doors open at 6:30 pm.       

Come early take part in the Raffles, Door Prizes, Bingo and other Games and AMAZING Specials!!!

Sample and buy great food provided by Tastefully Simple.

Spring fashion forward with beautiful Silpada Sterling silver jewelry and accessories.

Proceeds from your purchases from either company will benefit the 2013 UAFD Christmas Family in BIG WAYS!

Give the 2013 family a SOUPER CHRISTMAS

Purchase one of the following Tastefully Simple Items for ½ price (we will pay the tax and delivery too) to provide to our Christmas Family (Not for personal purchase)

Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix: Christmas Family Price $4.00

Bountiful Beer Bread: Christmas Family Price: $3.00

Nanas Apple Cake: Christmas Family Price: $3.50

Or buy all 3 and provide a full meal to our family for just $10.00

For every $20 in Tastefully Simple or Silpada, you spend; you earn a raffle ticket good toward amazing donated prizes!!

ANYONE that books a party to be held within 90 days with Tammy spends OR $100 or more, $20 will be donated to the 2013 UAFD Christmas Family Fund.

Bring an uninvited Friend! Extra ticket for those who do!

Can’t make it?  Take advantage of specials anyway!

Outside orders received prior to the party will be assigned a raffle ticket # as well.  

Orders can be placed at mysilpada.com/tammy.tosti or tastefullysimple.com/web/ttosti

Or by contacting Stacy at 385-2118 or Tammy at 691-6304.

RSVP  to Stacy Salter 717-385-2118 by April 19^th.

Spring is just around the corner

....unless you count this giant snowstorm we are supposed to be getting this week.
Otherwise, Audrey and I are ready for Spring.

ZooAmerica is having $5 Fridays. This past Friday, we headed the 30 minutes to Hershey to enjoy the zoo on a cold, but manageable day. we had a wonderful time, despite the amorous Mountain Lions that I had to say were "playing", maybe in 20 years I will tell her about that. LOL
Then, we headed to Wendys for lunch. I gazed across to the Outlets at Hershey and decided to head to the Disney Store to see if they had any deals.  They did.
Our Disney Cruise takes place over Halloween, so we need costumes.  I got em.  3 of them to: Pocohontas, Mulan and Belle.  I cant wait for the trip...which is a little over 9 months away.
Other than that, we are spending alot of time indoors, and watching too many Care Bear Episodes.
Last week, we went  to Family Fun Night at Audreys school, which included great pot luck, a wonderful glow in the dark puppet show, and face painting and crafts. It was so much fun!
But alas, I am looking ahead to camping and nights on the boat in the middle of the Susquehanna, spending spring with my gal and her dad.

Just Being

Dear Audrey:

The last few weeks, away from the camera, and "just being" with you have been incredible.  I have managed to slow down and just enjoy the slow paced days with you...no running here and there, sometimes never getting out of our pjs.  These have been the best days for me.
I love working, but there is nothing more that I love than "just being" your mom.
We have painted and colored and baked and had movie marathons, and read books and played games. We have played dress up and dressed the house up for Valentines. I have managed to "feed" my soul and "feed" your dads belly. It has been simple AND JOYOUS!  It is everything that I always say I am going to do, and I have!
My promise to read you a new story every night has turned into 2 and 3 stories a night, and it has been ALL GOOD!
I must say, being able to curl up on a recliner with you and also read a good book for myself has also been a plus.
So, as the new month comes into the horizon, I realize that my plans to slow down need to be even more concrete. I really CAN still enjoy some independence and do my job and STILL keep myself centered around you and home.  I really CAN say NO and the world doesnt end. Saying no to everything else and saying YES to you is so much more rewarding.
The calendar for my business was such a good first step, and I am surely sticking to it, for you my SQWEETHEART( your silly way of saying it) and for me.
Thanks for being my most precious constant companion.

Love,
Mom

Another New year, another bunch of unfulfilled resolutions, right?

I am 37 years old.
I have made resolutions each new year for just about 25 of those years.
One year, I think it was like 1997, I actually made a checklist and I actually STUCK to and CHECKED off every one of those resolutions.
Alas, that was before I was a Wife and Mother and business owner, and everything else I am in between.
Lets face it, sticking to your goals is hard.
One year, a coworker, Jason and I wrote down 100 things we would accomplish in 1 year and we shared our lists...and ya know what...I accomplished MOST of it.
So basically, 2 out of 25 years, I have stuck to the proverbial resolution list and won.
But this year, I thought, what the heck, why not go for 3. It is a charm, right?

So, here it is January 13th, 2 weeks into the new year, and I am ready to share my "resolutions" with whoever reads this...maybe just my mom, or aunt, or cousin Amanda, and Val ( she stalks me...lol!)
But, here it is, none the less.

It isnt really a list per say, as much as it is a new year realizations compilation.

I waste $ on crap, er crafts really. Yep, me, the girl who gives so many others money saving advice and sticks to a budget.  NOPE, turns out, I dont!  I went to Michaels twice so far this year, and I have spent approximately $65 on well....nothing ....crafts that I have good intentions on doing, and well, I dont.
It gets worse. I wrote down my spending on an index card. I spent nearly $45 on bagels and burritos and fruit and nut salads. So, I wrote an eye opening, truth be told list to myself, based on these "realizations". And I made notes as to how I was going to change it. It goes a lil something like this: A: I LOVE lottery tickets. I walk out the door with $5 extra change at the grocery store and I spend it on scratch offs.  If I do that 5 times a month, I waste $25 on the lottery, which has yet to make me a big winner!  B: I am an uneccessary clearance buyer. Last week, I bought 20 Reindeer pez dispensers, because they dont go bad and I will give them to Audreys classmates next year. You're laughing right?! C:  If I have a coupon for Gymboree, I HAVE to use it. I have $25 Gymbucks waiting to buy $50 worth of stuff this week. My kid could go 4 months without wearing the same outfit, so what am I buying it for? Because, its Gymboree, and I cant afford their stuff when I dont have a coupon! BUT, Audrey cant wear two outfits a day. D:  I need yardsalers anonymous.  I guesstimate that I spent $500 on yardsale stuff last year. I love it, its exciting to me...many of those things were in my yardsale in October.  E:  I LOVE catalog parties because I love friends. So I host one to see my friends and get free stuff...and then I spend another $100 on the other stuff I didnt get for free. F:  My guesstimate on K Cups @ $6.99 on sale for 4 weeks a month. I bet I spend $35 a month on K Cups.  I need to drink coffee out of the pot more often! G: I have GAS ASS( pardon my bad word) I need to group my errand running and I ALWAYS have to be on the go...what's that spell???  A full tank of gas in a Silverado with the gas point discount $75! Whew! So I am planning better with errands and visits and client runs, etc... a schedule.  H: Applesauce costs $1.49 for 6. It costs $2.49 for 4 for the drinkable kind! What am I saying, easy and cheap is more expensive. I:  I use my freezer alot....the problem, the food I buy gets pushed to the back behind the food that I use, and I waste great meals because the ingredients get freezer burn...what does this mean??? This week, I went thru what I HAD before I went to the grocery store. I spent $37. Most weeks, I spend $125, and if I hadn't have stopped and built meals around my current ingredients, I would have spent the $125 again! I also waste by not freezing the leftovers for a following week or two. I forget them in the fridge and then viola....yuck! AND last on this list, but goodness knows there is so much more J:  BIG IDEAS: Lets see, the garden, the pool, the bike stroller...yeah, they are just a few of my BIG IDEAS...guess what? The pool doesnt work on a slanted yard, splash and spill, right down the back hill, the garden managed to yield 6 zucchinis and 2 tomatoes....and I dont even want to think of what I spent on setting up the 20 some plants. ALTHOUGH, I did like the garden. The Bike Stroller, $50 , for the beach. 1 trip and screaming later and the kid weighs 45 lbs....have you ever tried to pedal a bike with a 45 lb kid and 10 lb stroller attached. Well, good for you Lance Armstrong. These chubby thighs cannot do it!
So what do I plan to do to fix this?
I already had a FAMILY budget in place...but if the bills were paid and we could still do everything we like, I dont follow it.  HOW TO FIX THIS IS EASY. I make the budget a DAILY chore for myself. AND GUESS WHAT? The BUDGET IS the FIX to all of this...well that AND a simple INDEX CARD.
I carry it around like a cell phone, always at my reach.  Both of those things and a whole lot of HONESTY with myself.  If I buy it, I have to write it down....yes, even the $200 Disney on Ice Tickets! If I write it down, I have to type it into the budget. EYE OPENING...IT IS!

So really my resolutions are all tied to one BIG CHANGE( no pun intended) that I have just noted.
What does this change provide to me:
1.  Better Health( Eating out or eating at home...you do the math) Eating healthy, less eating fast food
2.  Family Dinner/More Quality Time. Make a point to make a menu and sit down with my husband and kid.
3.  More $ into Savings and Jims 401 K, BIG THINGS: I want to pay for my kid to go to college before college starts and I dont want to have to work everyday til I die.
4.  Simplify Everday, less running and more reading, more time on the playground and less time in the car. This is perhaps my biggest struggle.  I like to Go Go GO.  But ya know what I realized as of late. My kid likes me to play puzzles and practice letters with her and we dont have to go anywhere other than the living room hassock to do that.
5. BUDGET my own time more, I love everyone, but I dont need to know what they are doing 24/7.  So, I am going to try to limit my FB time to 30 minutes each day, 10 min morning, noon and night. AND, I have created a schedule for my business. I have to say NO and refer when its not on my schedule.

I am looking forward to this being 3 times a charm.
Realizations and Resolutions.