Only 45 days left?!

Time is speeding by. My list of things to prepare for the wedding dwindles down, but I feel the need to pick up the pace and start the remaining projects with haste. While visiting my future in laws this past weekend, we were able to see how well my fiancés jacket will fit and add his com badge with rank pips to it.

He is now ready to captain the Enterprise. Okay, not entirely... His pants are all that is left. My sister and sister-in-law both have beautiful dresses ready to go. As does my mother-in-law who had a dress made and altered to fit the theme a little more. It is quite exciting!
This week, I will have my hands full. I have my second child needing at least 3 appointments, some bubble wands to turn into light sabers, job applications to put in, counseling on Wednesday.... so much fun, right?!
The bubble wands will be for our send off. Our guests will be able to hold them up or blow bubbles at us as we walk away. Plus, it will be great fun for the kids after the wedding.

Oh yeah. I also have a wonderful playlist started. I decided to share it with you all. So once I have it complete on YouTube, I'll post it on the blog.

Strengthening Relationship Foundations

Why does time speed up when your to-do list feels so long?! We are currently taking premarital counseling as a requirement before getting married. I went into it begrudgingly. No offense to anyone who believes in it, but I hadn't seen success in others that utilized such services. That, and it was draining our reserve money as well. Plus, it takes time away from other things we have going on. We are required to have 5 sessions of 1.5 hours long and it costs $90 a session. You do the math. But I considered it something I would approach open-mindedly. After all, I want this marriage to be strong in its foundations. To truly last. One failed marriage and rocky divorce is more than enough for me. I don't want any more. And I know we both come together with our personal issues.

The first two sessions have been great. I was steeled against the bombardment of questions and provocation that I believed counselors were all about. Turns out... I was wrong. As a matter of fact, even with just these 2 sessions, my fiancé and I have begun to talk more and be a little more open about things. Okay, more so me. I don't like to "complain" about things. Or tell him when I'm bothered by something. Don't know why, but I prefer to keep everything bottled up. Especially when I know there is nothing he or I can do about it. That's what my journal is for, right? Yeah... no. I clam up. I shut down. Emotions go out the window. I become... robotic? Bugs the daylights out of him. No matter how hard I try, that's my defense. Its the wall I put up. I am getting better about it.

Counseling has helped. It was a requirement that I now feel should be given to all. It should be embraced. Especially when you are planning to unlock the Lifetime Partner achievement. (We totally plan to have the minister hold one of these up at the end of the ceremony!)

We still have a long way to go. Both of us, however, have faith that no matter what the future holds, we will go through the remainder of our lives together. We will weather the storms and make the best of everything. Together.

Only 52 days left!

Wedding preparations may have slowed, but certainly not stopped. And now that we are less than two months from the day, things are starting to pick up. Last minute details are taking form.
I'm so glad that I had started purchasing some of the things we were going to need while I still had my job. Otherwise, I may have scrapped more of the smaller details I had wanted. But I also have had both sides of the family pitching in to help. My mother has given us money towards the wedding as a wedding present. Being that we both came from homes stocked with most of what we needed, there aren't a whole lot of gifts we can ask for on the registry that people want to get. So money towards the wedding itself is perfect! His family has contributed to items needed as well. My dress is in the process of being made, his jacket and pants are being completed, the cake is being worked on by his mom (only wish I was able to taste test the ones she is practicing on!). Overall, I'm really excited about how things are lining up!

So what other things have I added to the finished details? Well, I've finally created the galaxy jars.

And let me just say here... I won't try that again. I'm not so crafty, for sure. No matter how well I try to follow the video. I found said video on Pinterest. Do you know how dangerous that site can be?! So many great ideas! But of course, then you want to try everything...
Anyhow...
It took me hours, not 20 minutes like in the video, but several hours to finish my 12 jars and 1 test jar.

And they still didn't come out exactly as the video. I still like them. And when I get those tealight candles, they will be complete. As an added bonus, I even had the idea to add the canning stickers that came with the jars to the front. Each sticker has my fiancés name and mine, divided by the year. Below that is a space for our guests at each table to write a single word that describes one or both of us.

Just a little something to keep people busy for a bit while adding to our story later on.
There will be more projects I'll share with everyone soon. This week is a busy one, but I have some light saber bubble wands to create! Some bouquets to share (Michaels had flowers 60% off!)

Desperate times calls for creative recipes!

Flashbacks of living in a hotel with 3 kids for 4 months, while eating ramen and peanut better sandwiches every day have begun to hit me. Its been about 4 weeks since I lost my job. I only just received my final check from my last employer. Received one weeks payment from Unemployment. And Food Stamps won't reload with money until the 11th of this month. So I've had to get very creative with what we get from WIC and a few dollars well spent. From these hard times, I've created quite the magnificent dinner. My fiancé has dubbed it, Emily's Frankenstein. My kids ate it up. I'll share it with you, and I want to know what your family thinks about it. Enjoy!

Emily's Frankenstein

Double batch of 6 serving boxed mashed potatoes or the equivalent of what your family would eat
Pepperoni (however many your family would deem enough)
Canned corn (just half was enough)
onion, bell pepper, green onion to your taste
Half a package of cream cheese
Salt, pepper, garlic (or whatever seasonings your family likes)
2 cups of shredded cheese

Make your pot of mashed potatoes. Sauté the pepperoni (and/or sausage works), onion, bell pepper, garlic. Mix that, the cream cheese, and canned corn (I only used half a can as some of my kids don't like too much of it) with the mashed potatoes. Add your seasonings. Spread into your greased baking dish, sprinkle the top with cheese, and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. You really just want the cheese melted and everything warmed up.

Serve with green beans on the side if you like. Especially if you have several cans in .the pantry... Its simple, its quick, its fairly cheap. And our whole family loved it!

I would love to hear from you all. What crazy mash up have you used when money or ingredients were limited? How well did it go with the family?

Gardening is good for the soul

Gardening is good for the body too. You grow healthier foods, maybe beautiful flowers, or trees for some summer time shade. Whatever it is, it has purpose in the long run.
For my family, we are growing vegetables. One - to save money. Two - to eat healthier. I'm also having my daughter help in growing flowers. She loves to pick wildflowers everywhere we go. Do you have one of those kids in your life? The one you hear, "This is for you, Mommy!", as she hands you a wilted flower that has tiny black insects in the middle? You reach down and say, "Aw, thank you, sweetie." Then when she isn't looking, the flower finds a new home in the grass...

But the excitement we have while working together as a family, is what is truly important to me. We spend so much time as moms, or dads, that we miss moments with our kids. How often do you find yourself saying, "Oh? That sounds cool." Or, "Really? Well, just be careful." Were you really listening to them? Can you repeat their story back to them? Or did you get the gist and mumble your reply while focusing on your current task. Watching TV, washing dishes, folding laundry... Yes, these are important and must be completed. Yes, time is limited. But they won't be little forever. Before you know it, your baby is 8 years old. He has an attitude and doesn't want to stand next to you when his friends are there. Your little girl is 4 years old and wants to pick out her own clothing for school. And your 6 year old can do his homework without your help, but let's you "help" by reading the instructions just to spend that time with you. 
So, this is what we are doing. What about you? What will you do to have meaningful time with your loved ones.

Avery review via Shoplet.com

Shoplet is hosting another review through me for Avery products. I'm a huge fan of Avery. They are innovative in design and usefulness. Today I have their UltraTabs. These are quite nifty for the color-coded and organized mind. They are durable and 2-sided. But best of all, you can write on them and they are smudge-free. Index or flag notes so you know exactly where to look later. Each pack comes with 80 re-positional tabs. The only downside I can see would possibly be price. They are $11.19 a pack. A little more than I might like to pay, but you are are getting better quality.

They also sent a 5 tab moveable tab divider set. These are great for a 3 ring binder. They have the features of the other tabs included and ready to go. It is also made of a durable, heavyweight card stock with reinforced holes to make them last longer. They have printable divider sheets to make it easier for you to add designs to them. Sorta doll up or create a more appealing outward look. These are only $2.98 a pack. Avery is also wonderful about having free templates online. You just enter the product number, find the one you want, create the design, and it prints perfectly in line with your page.

What better way to keep things organized at home or at the office? So check them out and let me know what you think in the comments below! Also, keep in mind, that Shoplet.com offers more than just office supplies. They also have cleaning supplies, medical supplies, and office furniture.

***I was not paid to write this review. My opinions are my own. I am compensated only by being sent the products to test and write about.***

Label Daddy discount via US Family Guide

It has come to that time of year again. Summer camps and trips are fast approaching! Time to label your child's (or your own) gear so that there is no doubt what belongs to who. Label Daddy is teaming up with US Family Guide again to share information and discounts to help you prepare for those upcoming events. 

I absolutely love their labels! Easy to use, machine washable, and they make putting my kids' names on things look wonderful! I can't tell you how much I dislike writing their names and it comes out lopsided or funky looking. My handwriting doesn't reflect my skills with writing... Anyhow... 
I have been using Label Daddy for all my labeling needs. I especially recommend them to other moms out there. My son recently came home with another kids jacket, all because they had the same jacket. Which would have been avoided had they been labeled! 

Even if your kids won't be going to summer camps, there are other things to consider using them for. Camping trips, next school year preparation (can't start too early!), days at the pool, vacations or even labeling your own things if you live with someone else. They are also great for marking your personal lunch items that you take to work. Should make someone think twice about dipping into your things!