How we grocery shop once a month

I love doing groceries. After having Kayden, I feel as though my time is restricted. Kayden is in speach therapy, he just started junior kindergarten, and he does activities on the weekend during the fall and winter months. I feel as though, lots of parents can relate to me, we just don't have enough time on our hands. As you all know I currently use Walmart grocery pickup service, and it has been a lifesaver. I'm always looking for new ways to save money, but I will be honest, whether I looked on Pinterest or on the Internet I had done all the money saving tips they suggested.

I was constantly coming across blog post where moms talked about doing groceries two times a month, or once a month. This idea intrigued me, Curtis hates going to the grocery store every week, and I would love to go once and be done with it. My family currently shops at Walmart and Costco, we use Costco for the big bulk items, so items we go through quickly and use a lot of, and we use Walmart for the smaller miscellaneous items. The more research I did about doing groceries once a month the more inclined I was to try it.

Doing groceries monthly means that you will need to meal plan for the whole month in advance, luckily for me I already do this. What I would do is plan a meal for 3 weeks and then the last week I usually buy items in bulk so I will have double of some items or I will make big batch meals and freeze it. I usually plan 21 meals a month and have six to seven extra meals. I will also make two grocery list one for Costco and one for Walmart and as I meal plan I will write dow the items that I need, and as I finish items in the house I will add them to the list as well.

A week before doing groceries I will go on the Walmart website and get an idea of how much an item will cost. I have a set budget for $200 a month since the items I do purchase there are not items that I go through quickly / or they're cleaning supplies. I approximately spend $300 a month on Costco where I purchase meat, vegetables, snacks and other items I go through quickly. Believe it or not the $300 goes fast.

Once you have done your groceries for the month the rule is you can only go to the store weekly for fresh fruits and vegetables dairy products and bread. The reason they have said this is because these items you go through quickly and they spoil fast.

Doing groceries once a month has ensured that I have all my meals planned out in advance and I have every single item for a meal. Because my family is on a tight Budget prior to the s some weeks I wouldn't have a big butt into groceries and we would be extremely frugal, and it was hard for us. This allows our family to eat healthy and nutritious meals and it has helped us stay on budget with other things. 

Coconut Oil saved my skin

What they say is true. Your skin can change over time. When I was younger my skin was dry. Abnormally dry. I could never put enough lotion on my skin, to make the dryness go away. As I got older my skin completely changed and I became oily. About 10 years ago I was diagnosed with having a sun allergy, at the time, it felt like the worst thing that could have happened. I loved being in the sun and tanning but this was also a great wake-up call for me. I started to learn about the damage I was doing to my skin,  as a result of my skin allergy I had to put on sunscreen every time I went outside and for a while I was taking allergy medication. A few months ago I went to Costco and I got the Kirkland brand of lotion and it said it was hypoallergenic, but my skin got a reaction. I was telling my friend that after using the Kirkland moisturizer I was getting a rash that started on the inside of my elbows and all the way down to my wrist. I was so embarrassed about this rash because it looked abnormal and was itchy so unfortunately I was caving in and scratching. my friend told me about coconut oil and all the great benefits it has and she recommended I use it. she said it did wonders for her and she sent me a link which had a list, I believe it was 66 uses for coconut oil so I decided to take a look and I was shocked at the amount of things that you can do with it. Now I will admit I was a bit hesitant my body and face is sensitive,  and I was pessimistic about whether coconut oil would be able to do anything for my skin. I decided to buy a small container from Walmart to give it a try. I decided to use coconut oil 3 ways as a shaving cream, a body lotion and facial moisturizer. When using it as a shaving cream a little bit goes a long way. it goes into a liquid form upon rubbing it on your skin,  I could not believe the amount of hair that it took off of my legs and arms. My Razor ended up clogging and I had to wash it more frequently than I was used to and I got the closest shave I have ever had in my life. I will say though all the stuff that I did read online was true my bathtub was a little bit Slicker and the hair was sticking to the bottom of my bathtub, as a result I have to clean it more frequently than I was used to. when I was done shaving I initially didn't think I would need to moisturize but my skin got itchy and I knew I had to so I slathered it on my skin and if you wait 5 minutes It'll soak into your skin and stay moisturized and is the most luxurious feeling. My skin no longer feels dry, it is smooth and looks youthful and beautiful it has really changed not only how my face looks but how my body looks as well. I was hesitant about using it as a facial moisturizer because I know if my face did not agree with it I would just break out and I was so happy that I didn't because this is the first time that my skin has really really felt smooth without having to use a product that cost about $30 a bottle.

I purchase a small bottle of coconut oil every month, it cost me under $3 which is perfect for me. I do shop at Costco but when I did compare the price from Walmart to Costco I was getting more bang for my buck. Coconut oil has really changed not only my budget, but has also transformed my body. I do not get any more skin reactions, and my skin feels healthier and looks more alive.

Going Green

I never thought I would go the natural route. To be honest, I didnt completly understand it. It wasnt until I was watching a vlog on youtube, that it got my attention. They mentioned that they didnt like the chemical-y smell of regular cleaners, and I thought 'Neither do I!'.
Since having Kayden I have definitely started cleaning more, and trying to make better choices for the family. I hate the idea of chemicals around my child and dog. I feel like I am constantly cleaning, I dont know if it's because I live in an apartment, but there is always dust and dirt. Everything i would clean I always felt like the chemicals were getting in my mouth and I was eating it. On top of that, my building cleans with PineSol (Curtis' favorite), so I always felt like it smelled like a business not a home.
I kept seeing Mrs. Meyers and Method cleaners all over vlogs. I decided to look up the benefits about green cleaners, and as soon as i did I was completly changed. Kayden touches everything and puts his mouth on everything, to think the amount of chemicals that is going in his mouth is disgusting and scary. I want to provide a safe and chemical free house as much as I can. I spoke to curtis about it and he agreed. I decided to purchase their All Purpose cleaner from our local Longos. As soon as I sprayed it, I was hooked. My house smelled amazing and it cleaned just as good if not better then my old cleaner. I know what you are thinking, but the scent goes away. you are right, but it takes a long time before it does.

I am on my third bottle and I dont think im stopping anytime soon. I am looking into their other products since I am hooked. I am currently trying to finish my antibacterial spray, which wasn't my favorite.
The only thing that bothers me, is how expensive it is, one bottle of all-purpoae spray is about $5. It isnt easy on my budget, but I try to purchase it whenever I can. I like to think I'm paying a little bit more money to save the environment. One thing I have learned about other cleaning products is all the chemicals that you use to clean your house and do dishes goes down the drains and affects the pipes and water systems. On top of that, all these chemicals that we use in our house is not safe for children. I have seen online a lot of people struggle with the idea of using natural cleaners for one of two reasons, first is the price, and the other reason is the stigma behind it. A lot of people question whether or not it will clean as good as regular cleaners, and I will admit I was one of those people.
A great way to discover green cleaning products without having to break the bank is taking the path that I took. I bought one cleaning product and use it until the bottle was done. This allows me to focus on one product at a time and really get to know the product. I got to see how well it cleaned how practical it wasn't my day-to-day life and if it lived up to all of its claims. Once I was done with the one product if I liked it I would be purchasing it which is what I did with the method cleaners. Then I moved on to another product in my case I moved on to dish soap and that is how I slowly integrated green products in my life and got to see if they were able to do what I wanted to do.

Our Journey with Speach Therapy

i am like every other mother. I dont want to beleive that there could potentially be something wrong with my child. Kayden was on track for everything, and in some aspects he was faster with certain milestones, so me and his dad didn't see anything out of the ordinary. It wasnt until a year and a half we started to see his speech slow down, and closer to Kayden turning three it started to pick up again.

Curtis and I agreed that we would find a family doctor for him, since his pediatrician retired and closed his practice. Since that happened we had a hard time finding a family doctor/pediatrician. Pediatricians in my area stopped taking infants/toddlers that were deemed as normal i.e. didnt need extra care and wernt in the nicu. That was not Kaydens situation, so they wouldnt take him on. It took us awhile to find a family doctor we liked, and when we met up with him for Kaydens 3 year old check up, he didnt feel as though anything was wrong. I had a feeling something was off with his speech so I pushed seeing a specialist. I was told that it may take awhile before a therapist calls me. It was about a month before I got a phone call, which consisted of the therapist getting background info about kayden and seeing what his speech level was. After a 5 minute convo she advised me it would be about a 6 month wait.

We got a phone call close to 6 months from a private speech clinic. Normally we would have to pay for this service but because we got referred we didnt have to ( Thank God). 

The first appointment consisted of all of us going. Curtis and I went into the room first and expressed our concerns as well as answering some general questions about Kayden. the therapist asked us about his communication and how he is with other kids. Next Kayden came in and she asked him to do some mouth movements, this allowed her to see if Kayden was capable if making certain noises and move his mouth a certain way. Then she asked Kayden to say certain words, this allowed her to see what speech patterns Kayden has trouble with. Lastly she asked kayden to point certain things out in pictures which tested his ability to understand.

Kayden then left the roon and we were able to have another conversation with the therapist.

We had 3 more sessions with the therapist 2 weeks apart. Our first session the therapist gave us a copy of the report that she would be sending to the original speech clinic. We also got a better idea of what speech patterns kayden had trouble with. The next 3 sesssions focused on different speech patterns.

Fast forward to today, Curtis and I can see a difference with Kayden. Even though we are at the  beginning of this journey, we can definetly see a difference. kayden is pronouncing letters a lot better and speaking more. Because he has certain sounds down, it has been easier for him to learn similar words. There have been many times when I have said a word and kayden has said it back to me, or even surprised me and said words all by himself.

Curtis has even noticed a lot more self confidence. Kayden says hi to other kids and is the first one to engage with other kids.

Seeing kayden be more verbal has eased a lot if my concerns, the main one him going to kindergarten. I was worried that the other kids wouldnt be able to understand him, or even worse, his teacher.

Now I see Kayden picking up a lot more words, from just listening. He loves doing his activity books and learning new words. I also noticed recently that he is putting 3 words together, which is where he should be. These small milestones have made big strides in his ability to communicate more efficiently.

i cant stress enough how important it is to trust your intuition, ask the appropiate questions and dont be afraid to push for something. once I learned what was holding Kayden back it made it easier for me to be able to teach him how to pronounce certain words. I have better tools and techniques to help him get to the next level. 

Maybelline New York FitMe foundation Review

why is finding a good foundation so difficult?

It took me years before I found one that I couldnt live without. But if you know me, you know I barely wear foundation. Being a stay at home mom, my days consist of being makeup free and wearing comfy casual clothes. But on the weekends, we are out and about, and have friends  popping over. And who wants to wear a $48 foundation for that? I admit, I love my estee Lauder stay in place foundation, but I slowly realized, a drugstore foundation may be my best bet for day to day, or in my case, weekend wear.

i was heaistant to buy a drugstore foundation. even though i knew formulas have changed and improved I was afraid of buying it.

I figured if it has been on my mind for weeks, I might as well try it. I decided to try Maybelline New York Fit me Foundation. I had tried it in University, but at that time I didnt know anything about make up. I applied the foundation incorrectly and on top of that it oxidized a lot on my skin. After exchanging a few bottles, I gave up, and wrote it off.

FitMe foundation retails for $6.97 at my local Walmart, and you cant go wrong with that price. I figured if it didnt work I would only be out a few dollars. I got Matte and Poreless in shade 220. I get extremely oily on my nose and forehead and if a foundation can keep it at bay, then it is a keeper.

The packaging is sleek and comparable to higher end foundations

It is a short rectangle bottle packaged in glass with a black twist off lid. There is no pump, which i personally prefer. I always pour a little on the back of my hand and add more if i need it, which i usually do.

the first time I tried this foundation I wanted to test it in its natural element. I tested it on my skin, without primer, concealer or powder. We had a family friend coming over, so I knew I would have it on for a few hours, which would give it enough time for my skin to get oily. I wore it for about 7 to 8 hours, and I could definitely see oil peeking through. It wasn't horrible though.

The next few times I wore the FitMe foundation I applied concealer, powder, blush and bronzer.

Claims

mattify and refine pores for a natural and seamless finish

micropowders controls shine and blurs pores

leaves a natural seamless finish

Pros

I applied the foundation with a beauty blender and it melted into my skin. I got shade 220 and it was a perfect match. It had a natural finish and a 'my skin but better' look about it.

My bronzer and blush blended perfectly on top. I set everything with my Urban Decay setting spray and my makeup lasted. I did see oil peeking through at around 4 hours (a little earlier then they claimed), but a blotting sheet did the trick.

Cons

I did notice the foundation breaking up on my nose when I wore it for 12 hours one day. Unlike my higher end foundations it transfers onto clothing which is my pet peeve.

I would definetly give this foundation a 4/5.  this foundation is great for people who are just starting out with wearing makeup or want a no fuss foundation. it gives you buildable coverage so you can determine if you want light or full coverage. It is reasonably priced and does a great job of giving you a natural look.

Air Wick Freshmatic Life Scent Review

Let's be honest. No one likes a smelly house. And no one wants to visit a smelly house.

A few weeks ago we were at Walmart and we decided to visit the air freshner aisle. We usually do grocery pickup, so for us to browse to aisles, is a big thing.

We came across Air Wick Freshmatic and we reminisced about another version we had, by Glade. We couldn't find the refils for the Glade one we had, so we decided to purchase a new one.

Our Kitchen and living room, aren't cut off, nor is it open concept, it is a happy medium. Whenever we cook, it is easy for scents to take over the house, whether it is good or bad. I use to use the febreeze sprays every evening, but that easily gets exhausting and time consuming. I wanted something that was easy, and i didnt have to think about it.

The air wick freshmatic is a life saver. It is black and very sleek looking, and blends in perfectly with our decor. There are three different settings, so you can choose what is best for your home. We currently have it on the second setting which sprays about every 30 minutes.

It operates using batteries, which can get a bit pricey, but we have had it for about a month and havent had to change the batteries or the refill. We currently have the scent 'moms baking' which is one of my favorites. It reminds me of warmth and family, and you get all the perks of freshly baked goods without the mess and hassle.

The only downside, is the sound it makes everytime it sprays. I jumped everytime it went off for about a week or two. It is a loud 'psssttt' noise, which can get annoying, but after awhile you learn to zone it out.

The starter kit retails for $9.97 canadian and it comes with one refill. 

Getting Kayden Ready for JK

first day of school can be scary. Especially if you are starting school for the first time in your life. Kayden has been at home with me for 3 years, and will be starting kindergarten right before his 4th birthday.

as parents, we want to make the transition to kindergarten as seamless as can be. we have been working with him to become more independent, stepping up the potty training etc. The only thing we havent been able to give kayden is a school environment with kids. Thank goodness for the community center. We had enrolled Kayden in one activity in the fall , and really enjoyed the setup of it and most importantly, the price.

I found an activity which helps toddlers prepare for kindergarten. It mimics a classroom and does similar activities. There are about 15 children in Kaydens class, accompanied by 1 teacher. When the children enter the class they have about 5 minutes to play. Then it is circle time, which consists of the teacher reading a story. Afterwards they do a craft, one week Kayden did a Valentine's themed one, and this past week be did an easter one. Then it is back to play time. Everytime the children are playing the teacher spends a few minutes setting up an activity then she interacts with the children. the last activity they do is more focused on education, matching, counting etc. Right before class ends they sit in a circle and do an interactive song and then they gather up their work and go home.

the goal of the class is for parents to drop off the kids then walk out, similar to what you would do in kindergarten. The teacher will suggest when you should leave the room, and every class she wants you to leave earlier and for longer periods of time.

We stayed for the first class and never left. At the second class we left within 5 minutes, and kayden didn't seem to care. he was fine by himself, and didnt care that we wernt in the room. I was so relieved. I always worry whether or not kayden would feel comfortable with a teacher, and how long it will take him to get to that point. i was glad to see him playing alongside other kids. there are kids at all different levels, which helps kids bounce off of each other. unlike his last activity, there is a lot more interaction and doing things together. there will be two or three kids playing with one toy, and they will work on it together/play together, then clean it all up together.

Because kayden's speach isn't at the level it should be (which he is getting help for), i often worry about his transition to kindergarten. it is refreshing to hear other parents talk about their children and their fears as well. Seeing Kayden playing with other kids and following the teacher's instructions eased my mind. Since I can see in the classroom, it eased my concerns. Kayden transitioned perfectly (even if its for an hour), and loves going. He loves doing the activities, and there are toys there he has never seen, so that is also a plus.

I would reccomend these kind of programs to all the mamas/parents out there. I know a lot of parents can not afford daycare/preschool (not practical on one income at $1000 a month), so see if your city offers programs to help with the transition.