Wisdom Wednesday

Hey Guys!

The past month or so has been tough. My family has been going through a tough time, and my boyfriend has been working 2 jobs, which means he is home less. Often times when he is home, he is sleeping (which I don't blame him for). I remember back to when we learned he was going to work nights, I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I was hopeful of our new beginning. Then I learned he would be working days as well, and that worried me a bit. It would be less time with the family, he would be stressed, overworked and tired. I wondered as well, would I be able to handle this? Kayden is about to reach two, and we just hit a sleep regression, he is in his terrible two's stage, and well potty training and transitioning him to a toddler bed is next on the list. Phew, I am exhausted just thinking of all of this. I took a step back and tried to look at this from an outside perspective.That is the moment everything hanged for me, I started thinking of all the things that could go right.Our lifestyle would be more comfortable, we would be able to celebrate holidays and milestones, and finally redecorate the house. I knew it would be tough for me to handle Kayden by myself everyday without help, but I knew this was just another 'mom challenge' I had to face. I knew this was a new beginning for all of us. It is so easy to get sidetracked by all the what if's in life. I even thought about working from home, to try and bring some extra cash in the house, and it would be something I would do for myself as well. But I got worried that it would take away from the little time I would get with Curtis. With every negative thought you have, there is always two positive thoughts that should come with it. I use to be so scared to talk to people, or put myself out there,because I was so concerned about being judged or if people would like me, and I will admit I am still not carefree about it, but I have gotten a lot better. whats the worst that could happen? So what if I don't click with them, on the flip side I could make a great friend and expand my circle. Life is so unpredictable, we should take these leaps, and opportunities instead of pondering on the negative. 

Cornbread Recipe

Hey Guys!

So growing up there are a few recipes that my boyfriend loves. If you read my recipe post last week, I posted a recipe for beans, and I mentioned that freshly baked cornbread is always on hand with this dish. I usually bake cornbread in large batches and freeze some for later, because it is so handy to have, and it goes with so many dishes. I found this recipe while looking up 1 year old friendly meals for Kayden. My boyfriend was skeptical I could bake cornbread from scratch, but I was determined to prove him wrong. He even bought a prepackaged cornbread mix from Bulk Barn, which went horribly wrong. I told him to keep an open mind, I baked this, and he loved it!

Ingredients
Cornmeal 1 Cup
Flour 1 Cup
Sugar 1/2 Cup
Buttermilk 1 Cup
Eggs 2
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Melted Butter 1/2 cup

Steps
Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees
Mix butter and sugar in a bowl, then add eggs and buttermilk(  Heres a tip! There have been times when my local grocery store is out of buttermilk, use regular milk, and add some lemon to it. Let it sit for 5 minutes and you will see is transform into buttermilk.)
In another bowl add flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt
Combine ingredients

Pour in pan or muffin tin. It takes about 30 minutes to bake, but I always check at the 20 minute mark, and make sure that the top is golden brown.

I got this recipe from pinterest which got it from The Cupcake Diaries. She had added cut up hot dogs in the middle to make it a child friendly meal. My son loves cornbread, it is always the first thing he eats on his plate, and always wants more! I had never had cornbread before baking this recipe, and I will admit it, I fall in love with it every time I bake it.

Ways to save money with baby/toddler

Hey Guys!

When Kayden was born, my boyfriend wasn't working at the time. He had recently left his job, and we didn't have an income coming in. Having a newborn, and bills coming in, I panicked, as any new mom would. For almost 2 years I have found ways to save money which has allowed us to get through the tough times that life throws at you.

1. Diapers

Before Kayden was born I stocked up. I got one box of newborn, 1 box of size one and 1 box of size 2. If you read my post about signing up for things when you are pregnant you will know I got a small pack of newborn diapers as well. This allowed us to be prepared. You never know how much your little one is going to weigh, or how fast they will go through diapers. So i bought a small box of newborn diapers, and only got one box of each size, so I wasn't wasting money.  I'm so thankful I got those sizes, because by the time he had gone back to work, I had some wiggle room till he got his first paycheck. This allows you to find sales and buy them at a great price. With Kayden, we haven't had luck with non brand name diapers. To be honest, he leaks all the time, and im constantly changing him because it doesn't hold up. We end up paying more money and going through them much faster. As a result, we look for sales when we know Kayden is running low, that is one way we prevent spending a lot of money on brand name diapers. We don't have a Target in Canada, so Walmart is the cheapest place we have found to buy diapers. Another thing we have done, is use points for diapers, and other baby products. If you have a points card at a store you regularly visit, that's another way to cut back on the costs.

2. Clothes

We bought some basics on our own and of course got presents from friends and family, which we were so grateful for. We also went to an outlet store and we were able to get a lot of things for less. This was a lifesaver, the Walmart near us doesn't have a lot of boy clothes, you get 2 aisles for boys and 5 for girls. So there wasn't a lot to choose from. I also went shopping with a friend towards the end of summer, a lot of stores were having end of seasons sales, so I got clothes for when he was older. Going to Old Navy, The Children's Store, Baby Gap etc. didn't break our budget because they had amazing sales. With newborns, they clothes don't need to be overly decorative, because you are constantly changing them. We did splurge on a few pieces, for when he was going out/we had guests over. For 6 months and up, we were able to get some pants, and shirts etc. and keep them in the closet. Once Kayden reached that age, if we needed more sweaters or onesies, we go to the store and pick those items up. But to be honest, we didn't have to, because what we picked up, and the presents we received held us over. The great thing about baby clothes, is they don't go out of style, so you can buy something right now (end of summer) and it will still be in style the next summer.

3. Snacks

As Kayden got older, solids came into the picture. When he started solids the Gerber snacks were great. They were a decent price and it took about a week for him to get through a container. But before long, in a sitting or two he would Polish them off, which isn't budget friendly. Now I spend less in Bear paws, fruit cups etc. And they last for over a week. I buy his snacks when they are in sale, which is often in my area (Thank Goodness). I find that he enjoys them more and they are often quite healthy as companies are realizing this is important for parents.

4. Books

Kayden loves books, it his favorite time of the day when we cuddle up and read a story together. I quickly noticed he was getting bored of the same ones. At a bookstore, books can easily run for 8-10 dollars. Not very practical when you are trying to build his collection. A family friend told me, how his mother found a $40 book at a bookstore for $5 at the dollar store (probably even less, I cant remember the exact price). I was shocked when I heard this, and the next time I visited I decided to check it out. I found Scooby-Doo books, and even children's classics for $1.50 and retail price is close to $10. This was such a deal. I visit the dollar store monthly and everytime I'm sure to pick up a book for him, and I must say his collection has grown. The only time I went to a bookstore was for his 2nd birthday gift, for Curious George books. His father and I spent months looking for them an couldn't find them anywhere so we had to shell out the money. I even noticed at Walmart, they  have deals 2 for $5 and 2 for $10 which Kayden really enjoyed when he was younger.

5. Footwear

Kids grow out of shoes fast. As a result we have a rule, we pay money for one good pair of shoes. These shoes are a neutral color, so he will get a lot of wear out of them. The other pair of shoes, we don't pay as much. For instance Kayden has a pair of Lacoste shoes, we got them.on sale but they were still a bit pricey. Kayden wears these all the time, and we have gotten our.moneys worth. His two pairs of sandals are about $10 combined. Lacoste shoes, have held up a lot better then his other runners which we paid less for. Once again, splurging on items that are worthwhile. We went to Walmart for his sandals, because that is a seasonal item, and he has worn them everyday in the summer ( 3 months) and they have held up. He does have a little bit of trouble sometimes wearing them, as he trips over his own feet.

I know raising a baby/toddler, can get pricey which is why when I discovered I was so relieved. Coupons in Canada have gone down in quality, I remember 4 years ago, I saved so much on my grocery bill, now it doesn't impact it at all which is why I stopped. I had to find other solutions, because I realized after having Kayden, every penny counts. I hope these tips are able to help some of you mama's out!

Wisdom Wednesday

Once I became a mom, there were a lot of changes in my life. I will admit, like most moms, I got frazzled and lost my cool once in awhile. I remember Kayden going through a sleep regression at around 18 months, I had no sleep, he was always hyper at 1 am, and I felt like a hot mess. I read something online that said if your child wants to be held embrace it, because there will be a day when your child doesn't want that anymore. That stuck with me, and changed my attitude on how I approach situations. I just kept thinking, that all of this will only be for a short time, his temper tantrums, him throwing food on the floor and wanting to be around me every second. With that mentality, i became a lot calmer. Once I realized this is a phase, or a small stepping stone into the next stage I became a lot calmer. It is so interesting, because I remember my boyfriend saying to me, he will sense your mood, and if I am stressed or anxious he will feel the same way. Because my boyfriend works days and nights, I take care of  Kayden by myself most days, and I will admit, it has gone a lot smoother. Sure there are times where my emotions get the best of me, but hey, I'm human. Try to remain calm in every situation, i wont discuss things or tackle situations if I know my emotions are going to get the best of me. There are times when I wait a few days, because I want to ensure I am not thinking with my emotions. this also allows me to see things from the other parties perspective. Like the caption says, it is a superpower. It isn't the easiest thing in the world, so just try to take it one situation at a time, and take a deep breath!

Favorite Bean recipe

Hey Guys!

So today I am going to share a beans recipe. I got this recipe from my boyfriends mother. We were going through a hard time and we didn't know what to make. I called her up to get some ideas and she told us to make beans, it brought back great memories for my boyfriend since he ate beans growing up. It is such a simple recipe, but so delicious! It has turned into one of my favorites.

Ingredients
Beans ( We use black beans and kidney beans)
Garlic
Onions
Meat
Seasoning

Steps
We buy black beans in a bag, so we soak them for about 2-3 hours ( we usually use about half the bag)
Take a large pot and cover the beans with water (cook on high)
Cut up a whole onion, and a head of garlic, add it to the beans
I use whatever meat we have in the fridge. We have used pepperoni, sausage, turkey etc. so feel free to add anything you would enjoy.
let the beans simmer, and add water once the water level goes down (cook on medium)
I add spices as well, I use whatever I have. Last time I made beans I used, pepper, seasoning salt, oregano and parsley. I don't measure the amount of spices I add, I just eyeball it.
I let this simmer for about an hour and a half
I add the canned kidney beans at the end, because it takes less time to cook. I let this simmer for 30-60 min.
 

I serve this on top of rice with hot sauce and a side of cornbread.

My boyfriend has made this in the crockpot as well, and it turned out as delicious. We always make a big pot of it, and freeze some because it is such a favorite. My son loves it as well, he goes crazy for beans. This is the type of recipe where you can put it on the stove and check it periodically to see if the beans has soaked up the water.

Wisdom Wednesday

This right here, speaks to me. As you all know, I took a much needed break from blogging. I need time to get adjusted to some life changes and not push myself to do more then I can handle. As life throws challenges at us, as mother's, it is very easy to stretch ourselves thin. I am constantly repeating the above phrase to myself. My boyfriend use to always tell me to relax, and to take things one day at a time. I am always thinking 3 days in advance and playing the what if game. I use to always think that I didn't clean enough, I could've made our guests experience better, or there is so many things that we don't have. It is so important to put your feet up and realize that everything you have/did is enough. At the end of the day, you shouldn't stress over the small things, but rather look at the bigger picture. it is so easy to get caught up in the things that should've happened rather then acknowledging all the great things that have happened.

A small update

Hey Guys!

The past few weeks have been so hectic, that I couldn't blog, so I wanted to apologize. I just wanted to update you all so we are all on the same page.

My boyfriend is still working nights but he will be starting a full time job on Monday. My schedule is still hectic with him working nights and the past few days he has been getting ready for his new job so we have been running around.

I also fell sick so for 3 days I did absolutely nothing and I have been visiting my parents often. Since it's summer time I can't forget that we have been entertaining almost every weekend!!

By the end of the night I am exhausted I can't even think about doing anything so I have been taking time for myself. If you have read my previous posts, you'll know how important that is for a mommy.

With my boyfriend starting his new job tomorrow there are a lot of emotions happening, but I am excited and this will be a new change for all of us. It is going to be so much more important when he is only working his day job and he has a day off that we really make the most of those days.

I look forward to blogging regularly again, and once again I apologize I didn't mean to take this big of a break from it