Will I See Tomatoes This Year?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whitney Farms for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

A couple of weeks ago, my boss needed a rental car.  Inside, he found a flat of tomato plants that someone had left behind.  They were dried up and pitiful, and he asked me if I wanted to take them home and try and nurse them back to health.  You can see the three that survived over there in that picture (ignore Lillie, which may be hard to do since she is so adorable!).  They still look pitiful, but they look a whole lot better than they did.  I don't have a yard since I live in an apartment, so those planters were the best I could do.  I used a cheap bag of potting soil to plant them in, but I think I need something better for them if I want them to eventually produce tomatoes.  

Whitney Farms® has a full line of 100% plant foods and soils that would surely help out my little plants.  Their organic soil and organic plant food have no additives and nothing artificial.  They are designed to help plants produce big, beautiful flowers and vegetables.  You can click on the links to find a $3 off coupon, which will make trying their products even cheaper!

The best thing, in my opinion, is that there is no manure odor, which can be pretty gross, considering I have these plants in my apartment.  I am really hoping that I get tomatoes this season, but my daughters friend, who is studying agriculture in school, says that is unlikely.  If I can keep them alive until next year, she said I should get lots of tomatoes.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  

Financial Aide

College is expensive, there is no doubt about that. I have two kids in high school, and I worry every day how they are going to afford to go to college.  Ryan will be a junior next year, and Kasi will be a sophomore.  Like I did, they will have to pay for their own college tuition, which I hate, but can't really do anything about.  They will both apply for financial aide, which can be confusing.  The following graphic was designed to help take a little bit of the confusion out of the process. Check it out if you are like me, and have kids heading in that direction, or if you are going to back to school yourself.

Brought to You by SNHU.EDU Online College Programs

Goodbye Doctor

I found out some news a couple of weeks ago that is breaking my heart.  The doctor that the kids and I have been seeing for ages is closing his office.  I don't remember exactly when we started seeing him, but I know he was the one who told me I was pregnant with Brandi, so it's been at least eleven years.  He diagnosed Ryan with ADHD, and always made sure his medications were working the way they should.

I do not have health insurance for my kids, because I can not afford it.  They do have medicaid, which is such a blessing. I have no health insurance at all, which worries me sometimes.  I mean, if I were to get really sick, I have no idea what I would do.  I need to do some research to try and find some kind of affordable health insurance for myself, but honestly, right now, I don't have any extra money at the end of the month to pay for it.  I thank God everyday that I am pretty healthy, and I hope I stay this way.

I don't know what I am going to do about finding another doctor for my kids. I have made a few phone calls, and most of the doctor's offices I have called are not accepting new patients, or they do not accept Medicaid.  It's pretty frustrating.  The only good thing is that now that Ryan is off all his ADHD meds (due to blood pressure issues) he doesn't need to see anyone on a regular basis anymore.  The only time my kids do see the doctor is when they are sick, so I may end up using the night and weekend clinics for now.  I know this is not a permanent solution, but I don't think I have any other option right now.

I Choose Happiness

Brandi and I had a conversation the other day about happiness.  She woke up in a bad mood, and was cranky and crying about going to school. Her friends were fighting, and she didn't want to deal with that stress.  I sat her down and told her that every day she has a choice to make when she wakes up.  She can choose to let other people take away her happiness, or she can choose to be happy, and let that happiness filter to the people around her.I told her that every day, I choose to be happy.

Now, I'm not saying it's easy.  I have bad days just like everyone else, but for the most part, I choose to be happy.  I go to work every day with a smile on my face, and make the best of each day.  It probably helps that I love my job.  I'm not sitting in an office, dealing with the politics that comes with being surrounded by coworkers.  I get to be on the road, enjoying the sunshine (or rain, depending on the weather) and the constantly changing scenery.  I can stop pretty much whenever I want to take a short break (aka use the potty).  I could probably check out some Wilmington NC real estate if I was in that area.

My point is, I have learned how to create my own happiness.  I have walked away from the people who tried to take it away from me, and I am not one bit sorry.  I am hoping that by sharing my little secret with Brandi, and by setting a good example, I can show her how to find her own happiness.

A Mother

Written By Brandi

A mother is someone who supports
whether she is tall or short
Someone who gives birth
to a monster or a little squirt

A mother is someone who cares
helps when things get tough or life dares
Every moment she cherishes
whether it's nice or embarrassing

A mother is someone who loves
like an angel from up above
When bullies make us cry
you'll straighten them up, you're not too shy

I love you mom! You are so awesome and nice.

Debt

I don't believe in credit cards.  Some days I wish I had one, but I know in the long run, it is better that I don't have any.  It would be so easy to use one to buy lunch or cigarettes on a day that I am short on cash, but I know that doing so would cost me more money in the long run.  So I live my life spending only the money I have in the bank.

These days, there are so many people struggling to pay their bills every month, and they depend on their credit cards just to get by.  Falling behind on payments and getting in over their heads happens so quickly, and sometimes, there seems like there is no way out.  High APR's and late fees end up costing them way more money than they originally charged, and some people seek out Debt Consolidation Advice.  Consolidating their debt often leads to one monthly payment, and there is no credit check or upfront fees to start.  This is a better option to moving high interest debt to lower interest cards.

I am thankful that I do not have to worry about credit card debt.  I have enough other things to worry about.

Home Schooling Is Not For Me

Every now and then, Brandi asks me to home school her.  She loves school, but she is at that age where all the girls in her class can not get along, and she is always asked to take sides when her friends fight.  It drives her crazy, because she has such a tender heart and doesn't want to have anyone mad at her.  She has one friend in particular who is especially mean to her, yet she forgives her time and time again.  I hate that she is going through this, but I guess it's all part of growing up.

I would love to home school her, and I know there are many resources out there available for parents who do. From Kindergarten Printables to high school classes that are available online for free, she wouldn't be lacking in information.  The only thing lacking is the time it would take for me to actually home school her, and the patience I would need.  I love her, don;t get me wrong, but I'm not sure I could handle having to be responsible for her education.

So, I simply tell her to be sweet, and when her friends fight, she needs to stay out of it.  I tell her to be careful about what she says, because words are hard to take back, and I make sure she knows to treat other people the way she would want to be treated.  What else can I do?

My Tips For Saving Money

I am not a great coupon user.  Honestly, whenever I try to clip coupons, I find myself spending more money than I normally would.  I think it's because I feel like if I have a coupon for something, I must use it, even if it is on a product I wouldn't normally buy.  For instance, I don't usually buy candy, but if I have a coupon, I will buy it simply because it is for a great price.  Not only do I end up spending more money, it's money spent on something I not only don't normally buy, but something I don't need.

So, I am going to share with you some of the ways I save money, without using coupons.

Know The Prices Of The Things You Buy Most

This is a big one for me.  I do a big grocery shopping trip once a month, and then stop in again for things like milk and bread when we run out.  I do make a list ahead of time for the things we have run out of, like sugar and cereal, but when it comes to specifics like meal planning, I wait to see what is on sale.  I have gotten really good at knowing the prices of the things I buy regularly, which makes it easy for me to determine if a sale at one store is cheaper then buying the same thing at a different store.


Buy What Is On Sale

I love BOGO's.  I have been known to have twenty boxes of Mac & Cheese in my pantry at one time, simply because I found a great sale.  Stocking up on things that don't go bad when they are on sale is a great idea, especially when you can find several different ways to use them.  For instance, most people think of Mac & Cheese as a side dish, but if you get creative, you can use it in casseroles too, making it part of the main dish, too.

Only Buy Marked Down Meat

This one is a must for me, especially when it comes to chicken.  We only eat boneless, skinless breasts, so when I find it on sale, I have been known to buy every package in the display case.  Just last month, I bought 24 packs of chicken strips in one trip.  I have many different recipes, which helps us not tire of eating chicken every night. I find that stores usually mark down their meat a day or two before the "sell by" date, and some stores will even let you know what time of day they do it so you can plan your shopping trip accordingly. Buying meat that is marked down is fine as long as you use it that day, or freeze it.

Look For Meal Deals

I have a store right around the corner from my house that offers different "meal deals" every week.  Most times, you simply buy one main ingredient (which is usually a frozen entree of some sort, like pizza, pasta, or chicken) and get three or four side items for free.  Most of the time, the free itmes total more than the main ingredient costs, so it is a great buy.

Avoid Impulse Buys (aka: SAY NO TO THE KIDS!)

This is a hard one for me, but I try really hard to stick to it.  I try to never shop hungry, because when I do, the cart usually ends up full of things I wouldn't normally buy.  And when the kids come shopping, I find myself saying "no" a lot, which is hard to do, but necessary.  Otherwise, we would end up eating chips and ice cream for supper every night.

Try The Store Brands At Least Once

That one is pretty self explanatory.  Most store brands are just as good as the name brands, so give them a try.  They cost less, which can add up to big savings.

I don't have many tips for buying non-food items, because honestly, I am loyal to certain brands that I know work for me.  For instance, hanes makes great products when it comes to underwear for the kids, and I have specific shampoo, conditioner, and tampons that I use, even though they are a bit more expensive than the store brands. 

So those are just a few of my tips for saving money.  Fell free to share yours with me in the comments!

Brandi's New Glasses

Recently, Brandi got glasses.  She was having a hard time reading books, which is really odd for a child her age.  The eye doctor said she is very far sighted, and gave us some exercises to do with her eyes to help her learn to focus on objects close to her face.

Boo looks adorable in her glasses. She is on Medicaid, so the selection of glasses we got to choose from was very limited.  She wanted something colorful and funky, but they didn't offer anything like that.  I told her we would check out the eyeglasses on zennioptical.com to find her a pair she likes.  She had fun looking through all the choices, and finally decided on these:

They are cute, and I think she would look great wearing them.  The best thing I like about them is the price.  They are only $12.95! At that price, I told her she could pick out two pairs.  I also like the idea of having several pair of glasses for her, just in case she loses or breaks one of them.  I am not all hesitant about ordering from zenni, because I know several people who have gotten glasses from them, and they all have only good things to say. Plus, the glasses themselves are not cheaply made, which is what I was thinking since they are so reasonably priced.

Have you ordered from zenni? If so, let me know what you think.

I Can't Wait To Try Shout® Trigger

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I like to dressnice for work, even though it is not required.  I mean, I drive a delivery van, and spend most of my day by myself.  But ever since I've lost this weight, I feel better about myself on the inside, and I want that to show on the outside. The only problem is that I end up with the weirdest stains on my clothes.  Sometimes it's food, because eating with one hand can get messy.  Other times it grease from the products that I deliver.  Whatever it is, I am determined to get the stains out of my clothes and keep them looking nice.

I have tried several different products for stain removal, and I'm excited to try Shout® Trigger.  I only use cold water when I do laundry in an attempt to save money on my power bill, and some products don't work well in cold water.  Shout® Trigger works in all water temperatures and is safe for all colorfast washables.  It's triple-acting formula clings, penetrates, and lifts away stains, and it has a convenient trigger dispenser. 

I really don't like doing laundry, so I usually save it all up during the week and do a marathon laundry session on Saturday.  Any product that can help me quickly remove stains is awesome in my book, and I am really looking forward to seeing how well Shout® Trigger works.  They carry this product at Walmart, and if you click the link above you can print out a coupon to use.  I am going to print one out for myself.  Make sure you come back here and let me know if you try it, and how well it worked for you.