I spent the day at Hershey Med Center and got some good news!!
I have an awesome surgeon who will schedule surgeries, whenever I want
them. But, only surgeries to cut scar tissue out, remove some metal and
somehow take some rheumatoid arthritis out so that I can have a little pain
relief from injections.
I can get a series of 3 injections, 3 times
per year and they actually help the top of my left foot and I'll be able
to move it a bit better, just for a month, so, I have
to schedule them for the best times. The first few days are way more
intense then my regular eye watering, ear piercing pain levels, but, it
subsides and helps that 1 section. (which is 1 of the worst, because, I
can't lift my left foot up and it always feels like there are cinder
blocks on the top of my foot.)
I still won't be able to wear shoes
BUT once neurology, rheumatology and pain management give him the go
ahead, he can start more bone fusions and fix the distorted fusion I had
done on the top of my foot.
I just have to go into some sort of
remission before he even thinks of scheduling those surgeries, but, at
least I can have the others for now
It wasn't more than 2 months since my last emg, mri and blood work, but
at least nothing went downhill as of today's tests, so, that's also
kinda cool.
This winter has been crazy for pain! Well, this winter has been horrible for many things! No internet service, ice storms, snow storms, high winds, wind gusts, below 0 temperatures, it has been freezing cold! There are days that Alaska was much warmer than Pennsylvania and I just can't believe that, lol. I can only hope that this is soon over and spring is almost here. I just want to open the windows, go outside without having to ice skate, start our garden and pick strawberries and chase the kids out the door everyday so they can play and get fresh air!!
We have had a storm almost every 3 days since the beginning of the year. I know there are other areas that have had much worse conditions and some areas who have been getting hit with strange weather that they aren't really used too. Fortunately, we are used to this in PA. Well, maybe not the extreme cold and having ice storms so often, but the snow is pretty typical here.
I believe the weather has a lot to do with my pain levels and on many different levels. Rain, snow, cold, humidity, wind, thunderstorms, snowstorms, ice storms, you name it. But, if I could just get outside, I would be so much happier!!
I am looking forward to meeting with a fresh, new team of doctors once in awhile and getting some new brains in there to help try and figure out what we can do here. Hopefully, these injections will help for a little while, until I can get into a remission of sorts so that I can hit my new surgeon up for some, well, surgery. Not that I want any more surgery, but, some of this has to be fixed so I can get around a bit better.
If you are a fellow chronic pain/auto immune/obscure disorder, neurological disorder patient, please comment and find me online! I always love to chat and sign up with support groups and meet new people. Sometimes just talking helps ;)
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
Make Online Shopping Even Easier With Return Saver And A Giveaway!
This giveaway is sponsored by Returnsaver.com. All opinions are my own.
I love shopping online! We shop for anything and everything and have ton of favorite websites that we frequent and check for sales each week. I order everything from produce to canned goods to dog food to toys and gifts to clothing and everything in between.
Since we live in a very small town and aren't near very many stores, we have very limited options as to what we can buy. So, I shop locally as often as we can in the few shops we have and for the rest, I head to our own personalized mall complete with pajamas, coffee, my laptop and the comfort of my own home. Sometimes I tend to have things that didn't meet my expectations or don't fit as well as expected. It doesn't happen all the time, but often enough to be annoying and it ends up being a stressful situation.
Just recently, over Christmas, I ordered our traditional, "Christmas pajamas" for the whole family, from a well known retailer. Seeing that this is a family tradition, it was very important that we had these for Christmas Eve as we do every other year.
Our winter in Pennsylvania has been a brutal one. We have had so much snow and ice, below zero temps have been the norm and wind gusts sometimes up to 55 mph! The last thing I wanted to do was to have to run outside and gather all of our gifts and our pajamas and drive for an hour to shop.
What happened next ended up being the worst return experience I had ever had and honestly, is the reason I may not shop with the retailer anymore. I didn't believe it would be such a hassle to make a return or even get somebody on the phone when I received somebody else's order. But, since it was Christmas season, the phones were tied up. I emailed, tweeted, chatted online, messaged on Facebook, all I needed was a return label to return my items and hopefully have my refund or a replacement.
A couple weeks went by and still, nothing. I had already spoken with about 5 different customer service reps but, they didn't know what to do since all of the items had come from different stores and they claimed they needed to go back to the individual stores. A different person would tell me that I would have a return label emailed to me each time I called.....so, I checked and checked and nothing.
I spent several hours playing phone tag, trying to track down my newly appointed, "returns manager" and finally, after I had already replaced everything by making the ridiculously cold trek on my own, I finally found a customer service rep who knew what to do. On Christmas Eve. I actually just recently received my refunds from this retailer and it has been over the 10 business day wait time. (More like 60!) I don't have time for this kind of debacle, I don't think anybody does. So, imagine my squeals of joy when I was introduced to Returnsaver.com.
I was offered a free 30 day trial for Returnsaver.com and figured I would check to see if my regularly shopped stores were available and of course, they were! I am very pleased with the easy to navigate website, how quick and painless everything is, I mean, they even help you find a Fed Ex location to drop off your returns and printing a label is super easy!
Will I keep Returnsaver after my free trial? Most likely, yes. I believe the amount of money I will save in a year of free return shipping is at least twice, close to three times the amount of money spent on my membership. Besides that, my time saved is priceless!
If I was a member of Returnsaver.com, all I would have had to do, was this:
Create – Log in to ReturnSaver.com and fill out a simple return label form in under a minute.
Print – Attach the prepaid return shipping label to the package.
Ship – Go to any FedEx location to return your purchase.
This would have all been worked out and on it's way out in a tiny fraction of the time that I spent just on the phone!
What happens when what seems to be your perfect find online doesn't fit you right or doesn’t look exactly the same? Warning: Most of the time, the retailer makes you pay the return shipping. So you have three options: pay the shipping charges to send the order back; return it to the store (if that’s even an option); or keep it and lose money.
Personally, I prefer to NOT have to deal with any of this nonsense. If you love to shop online but hate the hassle of the return process, then meet ReturnSaver.com.
With Return Saver, all your returns are now stress-free. All Return Saver members need to do is follow the store’s return policy and ship it back, via FedEx Ground®, for free! Return Saver members can return an unlimited number of their online purchases every year — to any online retailer!
Members benefit from the world-class service and reliability of FedEx Ground®, the exclusive shipping carrier for Return Saver, meaning they can track their packages and relax knowing their returns are in good hands.
Oh, this is one of the coolest parts of this post.... I have an exclusive offer for you! Normally this program goes for $49/year, but for a limited time, my readers can enjoy this time- and money-saving service for only $39/year!
Click here to sign up and stop worrying about return shipping costs!
How it works in 3 easy steps!
- Create – Log in to ReturnSaver.com and fill out a simple return label form in under a minute.
- Print – Attach the prepaid return shipping label to the package.
- Ship – Go to any FedEx location to return your purchase.
Sounds easy — because it is! With ReturnSaver.com, you never have to worry about return shipping costs while shopping online ever again. If something does not meet your expectation, you can easily return it!
Now for the giveaway! To help you get started on your worry-free shopping, ReturnSaver.com is giving 1 lucky reader a $150 American Express Gift Card. Just enter on the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway runs from March 2 at 12:01am EST – March 16, 2015 at 11:59pm EST. It is open to US residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway This information was provided by ReturnSaver.com and SavingYouDinero.com. Blogger is not responsible for fulfilling the prize.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Help Us Find Hylee For A Chance To Win With Hylands
** This is a sponsored post, thanks to Hyland's. All opinions and statements are my own. **
ALERT!!
The Hyland's baby fairy, Hylee is missing! But, if you help find her, you'll have the chance to win a pack of Hyland's Teething Tablets OR a Hyland's gift basket!
Hylee must be found in time for National Tooth Fairy Day!! This is a real emergency and we are asking that everybody is on the lookout!!
If you happen to stumble across, Hylee, please make sure to let Hyland's know, by entering her location, here!
You could end up winning 1 of 500 full size Hyland's Teething Tablets or you could hit it big and win a Hyland's gift basket, filled with lots of Hyland's goodies!!
This promotion runs all week and everyday will be a new opportunity to #FindHylee and enter her whereabouts on the Hyland's Facebook page.
Oh, I almost forgot, she will be holding a sign with the day of the week so that you know you know you have her.
So, where should you look? Well, other than Hyland's Facebook page, you may be able to find her on Instagram, Twitter or she may be flying around the Hyland's Pinterest page!
Our youngest daughter, Genevive has a loose tooth right now and is just moments away from loosing this and will be very sad if she doesn't get a visit from the tooth fairy. (This is why I must repeat how important it is that we all pitch in and #FindHylee!)
If you aren't familiar with Hyland's Homeopathic, you can find information about them here.
Hyland's offers a full range of homeopathic medicines for your whole family. From babies through adult!
We have been big fans of Hyland's for many years. Maybe not since they started, (By the way, they have been around since 1903!!), lol, but, our oldest daughter is 22, almost 23 and we were using Hyland's Teething Tablets when she was just a tiny baby girl ;)
We have 4 children, ages: 4, 8, 11 and 22 and 2 granddaughters, ages: 9 months and 2. All of these little ones have had quite a few Teething Tablets in their tiny mouths at certain points in their lives. There were times we did try other products, usually because we ran out of Teething Tablets, or because a grandma had something different... (We didn't have internet back with our first baby! So, it wasn't as easy to restock as often as we can now!) But, nothing and I mean, NOTHING ever came close to the easy peasy Teething Tablets!
Not only are they super fast and a cinch to get inside their little mouths, they actually work! Almost in an instant!! The time saved with these little morsels from heaven is priceless. I can't think of anything I would rather have then a sleeping, content, happy, teething baby during those crazy times. and I'm sure our little ones are grateful, well, I know they are, because, they don't have to worry about crying or being in pain or being cranky when they have Teething Tablets!!
I actually most recently had to give a bottle to my son in law while they were visiting because he had quite the painful toothache and even if our youngest is 4, we always have Teething Tablets in the medicine cabinet. Yes, they actually helped him enough to be able to stay and visit so I could see my little princes granddaughters a bit longer!! I do use them for my little ones if they have a toothache, especially when they have loose teeth. Maybe it's magic? I don't know. But, they comfort them and when they are comfy, so am I!!
While you are searching for Hylee, check out the other products Hyland's has to offer. They are always out and about on social media and are always more than happy to answer your questions! I have Tweets sent to my cell phone, via text and I have my favorites set to alert so I don't miss a thing. I can promise you, out of all of my favorites, (and there are a ton!), Hyland's Health and Hyland's Teething Tablets are 2 of the most active and helpful accounts out there. That's another reason we love this brand and continue to use their products for anything from colds, to nerve tonic to restless leg, to allergies to skin care.
Have you ever tried Hyland's Homeopathic products before?
We love comments and would love to hear about your experience!
Which products have you used? Which products work best for your family?
Are there any in particular you haven't tried but would love too?
ALERT!!
The Hyland's baby fairy, Hylee is missing! But, if you help find her, you'll have the chance to win a pack of Hyland's Teething Tablets OR a Hyland's gift basket!
Hylee must be found in time for National Tooth Fairy Day!! This is a real emergency and we are asking that everybody is on the lookout!!
If you happen to stumble across, Hylee, please make sure to let Hyland's know, by entering her location, here!
You could end up winning 1 of 500 full size Hyland's Teething Tablets or you could hit it big and win a Hyland's gift basket, filled with lots of Hyland's goodies!!
This promotion runs all week and everyday will be a new opportunity to #FindHylee and enter her whereabouts on the Hyland's Facebook page.
Oh, I almost forgot, she will be holding a sign with the day of the week so that you know you know you have her.
So, where should you look? Well, other than Hyland's Facebook page, you may be able to find her on Instagram, Twitter or she may be flying around the Hyland's Pinterest page!
Our youngest daughter, Genevive has a loose tooth right now and is just moments away from loosing this and will be very sad if she doesn't get a visit from the tooth fairy. (This is why I must repeat how important it is that we all pitch in and #FindHylee!)
If you aren't familiar with Hyland's Homeopathic, you can find information about them here.
Hyland's offers a full range of homeopathic medicines for your whole family. From babies through adult!
We have been big fans of Hyland's for many years. Maybe not since they started, (By the way, they have been around since 1903!!), lol, but, our oldest daughter is 22, almost 23 and we were using Hyland's Teething Tablets when she was just a tiny baby girl ;)
We have 4 children, ages: 4, 8, 11 and 22 and 2 granddaughters, ages: 9 months and 2. All of these little ones have had quite a few Teething Tablets in their tiny mouths at certain points in their lives. There were times we did try other products, usually because we ran out of Teething Tablets, or because a grandma had something different... (We didn't have internet back with our first baby! So, it wasn't as easy to restock as often as we can now!) But, nothing and I mean, NOTHING ever came close to the easy peasy Teething Tablets!
Not only are they super fast and a cinch to get inside their little mouths, they actually work! Almost in an instant!! The time saved with these little morsels from heaven is priceless. I can't think of anything I would rather have then a sleeping, content, happy, teething baby during those crazy times. and I'm sure our little ones are grateful, well, I know they are, because, they don't have to worry about crying or being in pain or being cranky when they have Teething Tablets!!
I actually most recently had to give a bottle to my son in law while they were visiting because he had quite the painful toothache and even if our youngest is 4, we always have Teething Tablets in the medicine cabinet. Yes, they actually helped him enough to be able to stay and visit so I could see my little princes granddaughters a bit longer!! I do use them for my little ones if they have a toothache, especially when they have loose teeth. Maybe it's magic? I don't know. But, they comfort them and when they are comfy, so am I!!
While you are searching for Hylee, check out the other products Hyland's has to offer. They are always out and about on social media and are always more than happy to answer your questions! I have Tweets sent to my cell phone, via text and I have my favorites set to alert so I don't miss a thing. I can promise you, out of all of my favorites, (and there are a ton!), Hyland's Health and Hyland's Teething Tablets are 2 of the most active and helpful accounts out there. That's another reason we love this brand and continue to use their products for anything from colds, to nerve tonic to restless leg, to allergies to skin care.
Have you ever tried Hyland's Homeopathic products before?
We love comments and would love to hear about your experience!
Which products have you used? Which products work best for your family?
Are there any in particular you haven't tried but would love too?
Friday, February 13, 2015
Harvestland Review AND A Giveaway!
* I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet
program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the
manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and
post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product. *
How could I pass up on a brand who says, "Eat Like Your Ancestors"? I mean, that alone like, totally won me over!!
Not just that, but you can find some mighty tasty recipes on their site, errr, I'm sorry, "Old Time Recipes" < another winning tagline in my book! Especially in this day and age when there are so many icky headlines each day about how somebody found this or that in their food, or somebody did an experiment on this and found that this is bad... How about we play it safe and just stick with what our ancestors ate, eh?
Some information about, Harvestand:
With the HARVESTLAND® brand, the only thing you'll ever get is purely all-natural* chicken. We also know our chicken needs to taste good, too. So we pay attention to the little details, right down to the USDA Process Verified "Tenderness Guarantee" on our boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
HARVESTLAND® Turkey
Raised to the same high standards as our chicken, HARVESTLAND® turkey is fed an all-vegetarian diet with no antibiotics ever. And, of course, no hormones or steroids**.
HARVESTLAND® Pork
The latest addition to the HARVESTLAND® brand. Raised on family farms in the Midwest, fed an all-vegetarian diet with no animal by-products, our hogs never, ever receive antibiotics, hormones or steroids**.
HARVESTLAND® Organic Chicken
Our USDA-certified organic chicken represents our highest commitment to providing you the most-natural food. Raised without antibiotics on all-vegetarian diet of certified organic ingredients, our organic chickens live in a free-range environment on organic farms.
I had a bit of a time trying to track, Harvestland down but I ended up calling my local Redner's and finally demanding that they get this product in a little more often then when it's just on sale. (For the record, I live near absolutely nothing lol! Harvestland IS sold at Redners and Walmart... Redners just opened up not to long ago, about 15 miles from me and they always have a couple select Harvestland products in stock but they are still learning. Now, they have Harvestland chicken breast and chicken legs at all times because I finally drove them crazy!)
When I did find them, I was delighted and so excited that I gave up 1 of my coupons to the cashier that night because I went on and on and on about how wonderful this brand was and why I was grabbing 5 packs and using the coupons they provided! She was such a patient and kind cashier I just had to share. (I had a few other coupons, had to do a price check on Harvestland because the sale price wasn't marked on the packages and I had a cart full of groceries, it was the least I could do.)
Oh, before I get to crazy here about Harvestland chicken, turkey and pork products, I have to tell you about the packaging!!
If I could have jumped up and down, I would have! (I have medical issues with my bones, tissues, tendons, neuro chronic pain arthritis fibro RSD MS blah blah blah so, I actually can't jump up and down, lol!) But, there are times I am so excited about what may seem to be the tiniest things to some and since I can't jump up and down, I kind of scream and giggle and yell things like, "OH MY GOD! Didja see this??" and yes, my husband usually just rolls his eyes and ends up calling me a nerd. My kids all laugh and they get excited to and then it's just a big old family cheer about weather models, a new cooking trick or utensil or uhhh the way my chicken breast was packaged.
Ok, so, the chicken breasts come inside a package, right? But, this next part is unreal.... The chicken breasts are then packaged separately in their very own packs so that you don't have to repackage them or even waste or anything crazy like that! YES, you heard me correctly, THE INDIVIDUAL CHICKEN BREASTS ARE WRAPPED UP SEPARATELY INSIDE THE PACK!
Do you realize what this means? Well, let me tell you what it means! It means, you can open these when you get home from the store and freeze them separately and defrost separately. You can grill one up for a lovely grilled chicken salad for lunch while the kids are in school or you can use 1 and a half packs and not have to bag up the other half and use tomorrow. The possibilities are endless really and yes, so exciting! (You can also just take 1 out so you can make the best chicken salad ever. You know that kind that has all of the neat stuff inside that only you eat and you don't want to waste it so you just want to make a small amount?)
I planned a week's worth of meals ahead of time to use our new chicken. (Yes, I would have loved to try their kielbasa and turkey however, my closest Redners does not carry these products, YET. But, I found a Redners who does and they are just a little further away.) I asked the kiddos what they would like to use our new chicken for and they helped plan our meals. (I found that the more I include them in meal planning and preparing, the better chances I have of them actually eating those meals.)
We are big fans of Frontier Soups so, we rummaged through our leftover bags (I'm between orders!) to find a suitable soup for our freezing cold, windy, snowy night's dinner. This winter has been a pain, I don't remember a colder, windier winter. I do remember snowier winters but we have had snow and ice storms almost every other day since we came home from Wow Summit, in November! So, we have been eating lots and lots of soup!
Frontier Soups are very versatile. You can add chicken or shrimp or whatever your soup lovin heart desires! We chose their South of the Border Tortilla Soup and added Harvestland chicken that I roasted in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. (I usually only use olive oil, salt and pepper.)
I can sum this meal and Harvestland chicken up in one sentence.Our 11 year old son said, "MOM! Now, this, is what chicken should always taste like!"
He's right. I didn't really expect such a difference in taste. I was way wrong for thinking that. I seriously don't recall a time we had chicken this good and I can't imagine eating anything but Harvestland chicken. Our 8 year old even went crazy and said, "You should always get this chicken now! It tastes like real chicken!" That was night #1.
I had one chicken breast left from the first pack so, I decided to keep an extra one out of the second pack for chicken quesadillas for the next day. ( A snow day, like every other Monday this winter.) and who doesn't love quesadillas? Plus, we had leftover soup too! (Yes, I use paper plates on busy days, lol!)
I usually roast the chicken but sometimes I will use my George Foreman grill to make the chicken and I always use the Foreman grill for quesadillas! They are fast, easy to make and much healthier. These are also made to order since some like, "little chicken" some like, "extra chicken", some like, "no cheese" and some like, "extra cheese", so basically, I'm at the grill until every single quesadilla is done and everybody is almost finished. This was another success story! Our 4 year old who is super picky, he even ate some of the chicken he keeps hearing everybody rave about!
I was starting to think that maybe the fact that Harvestland was the talk of the town at the moment, (ok, the talk of our house..), that maybe that was somehow feeding into the almost Hollywood esque type of comments, eyes popping out of our heads, it was starting to look like we were all in some commercial. So, I defrosted our normal brand of chicken and decided to make some chicken karaage.
I thought if I make 2 pans of chicken karaage, one of Harvestland and one of our normal brand, I could tell for sure if all of the cravings and late night leftover snacks was all just in our heads or was this real.....
I marinated the chicken in Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki, for about an hour. Then, I coated chicken pieces in a cornstarch, planko and spices mix and then I baked at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.
I did make more of these and fried them in olive oil and just used cornstarch after receiving a better recipe and they turned out just as good, if not better!
Of course I knew which pan was different and even though I could tell the difference right away and yes, it is a very big difference, I still thought, maybe this is in my head. Well, sure enough, EVERYBODY could tell the difference. I quizzed each member of the family and unfortunately, the Harvestland pan disappeared and all we had left was our normal chicken. I got stuck eating some of that and after eating Harvestland, not even a vat of teriyaki sauce was going to save it.
Next up was chicken cordon bleu!
I cooked the chicken in a frying pan with olive oil, salt and pepper and then added chicken stock, garlic onions, cooked a bit more and then added swiss cheese and then ham.
This is always a hit for the grown ups at our house! The kids will eat it just fine as long as I make some without swiss cheese and ham.
(Yes, I know, paper plates again. It was a super busy week!)
I know this is super long, I promise you are almost at the very end. I just have one more picture to share with you and this was our chicken and waffles dinner.
I don't know if this is a Pennsylvania thing but, we eat chicken and gravy over waffles here. I did add veggies and made a thicker gravy with some hidden ingredients like, parsley, garlic, rosemary and a few other herbs I had leftover. I was making some bland waffles and I'm all about flavor!!
No leftovers after this dinner. None at all and sadly, this was our night to bid farewell to our Harvestland stash. (Until I get back to Redners of course!)
I did receive coupons that were good for $5 off of my purchase of Harvestland products and I used a few and gave a gift to my cashier and I am reluctantly saving 3 to give to one very lucky reader!!
I also received the cutest, old fashioned magnet timer and my new favorite set of measuring cups! They are copper and so pretty!! Both of these items fit Harvestland's whole brand and I appreciate these extra gifts very much!
These coupons expire on 5/31/2015 and can be used wherever Harvestland is sold. (I can find them at Walmart and Redners but I think if you check their site, they are available at more stores!)
The winner will receive all 3 coupons and you will probably have a wrinkled envelope, the wrinkles will be my dried up tears since I parted with these but, I really think something this awesome must be shared ;)
If you are not going to enter the giveaway, kindly check out Harvestland's social networks!
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Instagram
Google+
Now, for the giveaway!
Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
How could I pass up on a brand who says, "Eat Like Your Ancestors"? I mean, that alone like, totally won me over!!
Not just that, but you can find some mighty tasty recipes on their site, errr, I'm sorry, "Old Time Recipes" < another winning tagline in my book! Especially in this day and age when there are so many icky headlines each day about how somebody found this or that in their food, or somebody did an experiment on this and found that this is bad... How about we play it safe and just stick with what our ancestors ate, eh?
Some information about, Harvestand:
- No Antibiotics Ever
- Fed All-Vegetarian Diet With No Animal By-Products
- Raised Cage Free
With the HARVESTLAND® brand, the only thing you'll ever get is purely all-natural* chicken. We also know our chicken needs to taste good, too. So we pay attention to the little details, right down to the USDA Process Verified "Tenderness Guarantee" on our boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
HARVESTLAND® Turkey
Raised to the same high standards as our chicken, HARVESTLAND® turkey is fed an all-vegetarian diet with no antibiotics ever. And, of course, no hormones or steroids**.
HARVESTLAND® Pork
The latest addition to the HARVESTLAND® brand. Raised on family farms in the Midwest, fed an all-vegetarian diet with no animal by-products, our hogs never, ever receive antibiotics, hormones or steroids**.
HARVESTLAND® Organic Chicken
Our USDA-certified organic chicken represents our highest commitment to providing you the most-natural food. Raised without antibiotics on all-vegetarian diet of certified organic ingredients, our organic chickens live in a free-range environment on organic farms.
I had a bit of a time trying to track, Harvestland down but I ended up calling my local Redner's and finally demanding that they get this product in a little more often then when it's just on sale. (For the record, I live near absolutely nothing lol! Harvestland IS sold at Redners and Walmart... Redners just opened up not to long ago, about 15 miles from me and they always have a couple select Harvestland products in stock but they are still learning. Now, they have Harvestland chicken breast and chicken legs at all times because I finally drove them crazy!)
When I did find them, I was delighted and so excited that I gave up 1 of my coupons to the cashier that night because I went on and on and on about how wonderful this brand was and why I was grabbing 5 packs and using the coupons they provided! She was such a patient and kind cashier I just had to share. (I had a few other coupons, had to do a price check on Harvestland because the sale price wasn't marked on the packages and I had a cart full of groceries, it was the least I could do.)
Oh, before I get to crazy here about Harvestland chicken, turkey and pork products, I have to tell you about the packaging!!
If I could have jumped up and down, I would have! (I have medical issues with my bones, tissues, tendons, neuro chronic pain arthritis fibro RSD MS blah blah blah so, I actually can't jump up and down, lol!) But, there are times I am so excited about what may seem to be the tiniest things to some and since I can't jump up and down, I kind of scream and giggle and yell things like, "OH MY GOD! Didja see this??" and yes, my husband usually just rolls his eyes and ends up calling me a nerd. My kids all laugh and they get excited to and then it's just a big old family cheer about weather models, a new cooking trick or utensil or uhhh the way my chicken breast was packaged.
Ok, so, the chicken breasts come inside a package, right? But, this next part is unreal.... The chicken breasts are then packaged separately in their very own packs so that you don't have to repackage them or even waste or anything crazy like that! YES, you heard me correctly, THE INDIVIDUAL CHICKEN BREASTS ARE WRAPPED UP SEPARATELY INSIDE THE PACK!
Do you realize what this means? Well, let me tell you what it means! It means, you can open these when you get home from the store and freeze them separately and defrost separately. You can grill one up for a lovely grilled chicken salad for lunch while the kids are in school or you can use 1 and a half packs and not have to bag up the other half and use tomorrow. The possibilities are endless really and yes, so exciting! (You can also just take 1 out so you can make the best chicken salad ever. You know that kind that has all of the neat stuff inside that only you eat and you don't want to waste it so you just want to make a small amount?)
I planned a week's worth of meals ahead of time to use our new chicken. (Yes, I would have loved to try their kielbasa and turkey however, my closest Redners does not carry these products, YET. But, I found a Redners who does and they are just a little further away.) I asked the kiddos what they would like to use our new chicken for and they helped plan our meals. (I found that the more I include them in meal planning and preparing, the better chances I have of them actually eating those meals.)
We are big fans of Frontier Soups so, we rummaged through our leftover bags (I'm between orders!) to find a suitable soup for our freezing cold, windy, snowy night's dinner. This winter has been a pain, I don't remember a colder, windier winter. I do remember snowier winters but we have had snow and ice storms almost every other day since we came home from Wow Summit, in November! So, we have been eating lots and lots of soup!
Frontier Soups are very versatile. You can add chicken or shrimp or whatever your soup lovin heart desires! We chose their South of the Border Tortilla Soup and added Harvestland chicken that I roasted in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. (I usually only use olive oil, salt and pepper.)
I can sum this meal and Harvestland chicken up in one sentence.Our 11 year old son said, "MOM! Now, this, is what chicken should always taste like!"
He's right. I didn't really expect such a difference in taste. I was way wrong for thinking that. I seriously don't recall a time we had chicken this good and I can't imagine eating anything but Harvestland chicken. Our 8 year old even went crazy and said, "You should always get this chicken now! It tastes like real chicken!" That was night #1.
I had one chicken breast left from the first pack so, I decided to keep an extra one out of the second pack for chicken quesadillas for the next day. ( A snow day, like every other Monday this winter.) and who doesn't love quesadillas? Plus, we had leftover soup too! (Yes, I use paper plates on busy days, lol!)
I usually roast the chicken but sometimes I will use my George Foreman grill to make the chicken and I always use the Foreman grill for quesadillas! They are fast, easy to make and much healthier. These are also made to order since some like, "little chicken" some like, "extra chicken", some like, "no cheese" and some like, "extra cheese", so basically, I'm at the grill until every single quesadilla is done and everybody is almost finished. This was another success story! Our 4 year old who is super picky, he even ate some of the chicken he keeps hearing everybody rave about!
I was starting to think that maybe the fact that Harvestland was the talk of the town at the moment, (ok, the talk of our house..), that maybe that was somehow feeding into the almost Hollywood esque type of comments, eyes popping out of our heads, it was starting to look like we were all in some commercial. So, I defrosted our normal brand of chicken and decided to make some chicken karaage.
I thought if I make 2 pans of chicken karaage, one of Harvestland and one of our normal brand, I could tell for sure if all of the cravings and late night leftover snacks was all just in our heads or was this real.....
I marinated the chicken in Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki, for about an hour. Then, I coated chicken pieces in a cornstarch, planko and spices mix and then I baked at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.
I did make more of these and fried them in olive oil and just used cornstarch after receiving a better recipe and they turned out just as good, if not better!
Of course I knew which pan was different and even though I could tell the difference right away and yes, it is a very big difference, I still thought, maybe this is in my head. Well, sure enough, EVERYBODY could tell the difference. I quizzed each member of the family and unfortunately, the Harvestland pan disappeared and all we had left was our normal chicken. I got stuck eating some of that and after eating Harvestland, not even a vat of teriyaki sauce was going to save it.
Next up was chicken cordon bleu!
I cooked the chicken in a frying pan with olive oil, salt and pepper and then added chicken stock, garlic onions, cooked a bit more and then added swiss cheese and then ham.
This is always a hit for the grown ups at our house! The kids will eat it just fine as long as I make some without swiss cheese and ham.
I know this is super long, I promise you are almost at the very end. I just have one more picture to share with you and this was our chicken and waffles dinner.
I don't know if this is a Pennsylvania thing but, we eat chicken and gravy over waffles here. I did add veggies and made a thicker gravy with some hidden ingredients like, parsley, garlic, rosemary and a few other herbs I had leftover. I was making some bland waffles and I'm all about flavor!!
No leftovers after this dinner. None at all and sadly, this was our night to bid farewell to our Harvestland stash. (Until I get back to Redners of course!)
I did receive coupons that were good for $5 off of my purchase of Harvestland products and I used a few and gave a gift to my cashier and I am reluctantly saving 3 to give to one very lucky reader!!
I also received the cutest, old fashioned magnet timer and my new favorite set of measuring cups! They are copper and so pretty!! Both of these items fit Harvestland's whole brand and I appreciate these extra gifts very much!
These coupons expire on 5/31/2015 and can be used wherever Harvestland is sold. (I can find them at Walmart and Redners but I think if you check their site, they are available at more stores!)
The winner will receive all 3 coupons and you will probably have a wrinkled envelope, the wrinkles will be my dried up tears since I parted with these but, I really think something this awesome must be shared ;)
If you are not going to enter the giveaway, kindly check out Harvestland's social networks!
Google+
Now, for the giveaway!
Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Get To Know doTERRA AND A Giveaway!
Essential Oils-
I am super excited to share with you doTERRA Essential Oils, which I use every day for my family. They are great for diffusing – to clean the air and to lift the mood, for using in cooking (LOVE them in green smoothies!), and of course for applying directly on the skin.
doTERRA oils are beyond organic, with NO chemicals, synthetic ingredients or other contaminants like pesticides. In fact, doTERRA is Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. (Find out more about CPTG below in Other Important Information) This is why I am so confident about using these oils on my children, takingthem internally and using them for just about everything. It's always why I am SO excited to offer this fabulous special for people who are new to doTERRA.
I know that you will fall in love too as you experience the good that doTERRA essential oils and their other natural products can do for you and your family.
doTERRA’s February’s special --
New Year New You PromotiondoTERRA is bringing back a huge customer favorite - their 100 FREE product point promotion! Place a 100PV order (or get a kit!) in February and then place to place a Loyalty Reward Points order of 100 PV inMarch and doTERRA will give you a 100 PV essential oil shopping spree!! (PV is equal to dollar amounts on most doTERRA products. Some products vary though.)
Many of my friends enroll with the Family Physician Kit. This kit comes with a number of the most popular doTERRA essential oils and oil blends: Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, On Guard (protective blend), Frankincense (the precious ‘king of all oils’), Melaleuca, Oregano, Deep Blue, Breathe, DigestZen and Slim & Sassy.
When enrolling in doTERRA, there are many specially put together kits to choose from. The most popular starter kit is the Natural Solutions Kit . It is such a great deal because it includes a FREE diffuser, $100 in free product credit and at least another $150 in free product. (Note: With the purchase of any enrollment kit, the $35 enrollment fee is waived!
Bonus Freebies! I love free stuff as much as the next gal! So I wanted to get you started off on the right foot with some tools that have helped me USE my oils daily in a simple way.
*My Personal Special Offer:
if you enroll with a Family Physician Kit, I will add some of my own favorite products and helps – FREE**:
Personal 1-hour consultation with one of our essential oil experts! (This values alone at $50 plus!) One of our coaches will walk you through how to use your new oils & help you to create a personal plan!
doTERRA’s exclusive key chain, with space to hold 8 oils with 4 filled with our favorite essential oils.
Access to The Natural Cure Facebook group, where you can ask questions and share ideas with essential oil experts and users just like you!
The Using Essential Oils booklet, plus popular essential oil quick reference sheets on topics like green cleaning, pain and mood management, skin and body care, pregnancy, birth and baby.
An issue of doTERRA’s Living Magazine!
A 10 ml Rollerball to make up your favorite oil blend for ease of use anywhere! Veggie caps – great for taking essential oils internally! At least two different personal product samples!
**Remember, the above FREE items are being offered by me personally only with the purchase of a Family Physician Kit.
I know you'll love doTERRA products as much as I do that I am using my own commission to supply these freebies!
Follow these super simple steps to enroll:
Remember: With the purchase of any enrollment kit, the $35 enrollment fee is waived.
1. Enter My Virtual Office .
2. Begin by picking your country and language.
3. Once you’ve selected your country, select “Wholesale Prices”
4. Fill out your name, address, billing address, shipping address and remaining contact info (Don’t be alarmed when doTERRA asks you to list your Tax ID number or SSN. This is for tax purposes only. You are opening a Wholesale Account giving you the ability to generate income. If you make over $600/year, you will receive a 1099 form in the mail, as is required by law. I promise you doTERRA will never share this info with anyone!)
5. The “Enroller ID” and “Sponsor ID” boxes should already be filled in for you but if not, enter 329366 in both boxes.
6. Select your time zone and your own virtual office password.
7. Agree to the basic Terms and Conditions and your Virtual Office User Agreement. Click “Continue”.
8. Choose the enrollment kit you want (remember the freebies listed above!). Or if you wish, you may simply select the $35 Introductory Packet plus the first products you’d like to try.
9. ENJOY ordering your doTERRA products at wholesale prices, plus get tons of training from me and my team!
10. Email Brittany Roscheck at HealWithEssentialOils@gmail.com with code: FUN in the subject line. In the email please include your address and name so we know where to send all your awesome freebies!
There are no hidden fees, obligations, sales quotas or minimums. Just the best, purest essential oils and all the support and guidance you could ask for to achieve success.
Questions? We have Answers!
What is the Loyalty Rewards Program?
Participating in LRP is not required to purchase doTERRA products, but many people find they want to purchase certain products every month. LRP is doTERRA’s way of saying ‘Thanks!’ to their buyers who make a regular monthly purchase. LRP allows you to earn 10-30% credits towards future purchases (even your shipping costs earn you credits!), PLUS qualifies you to receive FREE products, wholesale prices, participate in product specials and even open up the way to receive income.
What is PV?
Point Value shows the rewards points you’ve earned. Essential oils have a point value equal to the price ($1 = 1 PV). Personal products and supplements may have a PV slightly lower than the dollar value.
Did you know…?
In addition to essential oils, doTERRA offers personal care and spa products, nutritional supplements (the most popular supplement package is guaranteed or purchase price is refunded), and healthy living products that are naturally safe, purely effective, and infused with CPTG essential oils.
What is CPTG-- Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade?
doTERRA essential oils are guaranteed 100% pure plant extracts. CPTG says that oils are the safest, purest and most beneficial essential oils available. ‘Therapeutic’ means these oils have natural and powerful healing properties. The right species of the plants are grown and harvested in their native regions – all over the world – for maximum potency. doTERRA sources all of its oils from producers who have extensive knowledge of how quality oils are produced. No short-cuts are tolerated, because it's all about the quality of the end product — and how it works for you. Each batch of oil is proven through third party testing at two state-of-the-art independent labs that ensures oils are beyond organic, verified pure, and free of fillers, artificial ingredients, chemical residues, pesticides, and foreign contaminants.
Am I signing up to sell anything? There is no obligation to sell doTERRA products when you get the wholesale membership. In fact, most people with doTERRA wholesale memberships, don't sell at all. However, once they discover the benefits of using doTERRA, many people love to share their essential oils with others. This can lead to free products for yourself or extra income. The decision to create an income from selling doTERRA is entirely yours!
What does the medical community think of doTERRA essential oils? doTERRA works with both a Scientific Advisory Panel and a Medical Advisory Panel. In addition, many in the medical profession are discovering how beneficial doTERRA oils are to their patients’ health and wellness. Find out more simply by searching in Google for doTERRA and hospitals.
Still have a question?
Contact me directly! I would love to chat!
Brittany Roscheck: HealWithEssentialOils@gmail.com.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This information is not meant to substitute for medical care or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition.
If you are interested in a free sample, please fill out this Google Doc and let us know you are interested!
Now for the giveaway!!!
Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I am super excited to share with you doTERRA Essential Oils, which I use every day for my family. They are great for diffusing – to clean the air and to lift the mood, for using in cooking (LOVE them in green smoothies!), and of course for applying directly on the skin.
doTERRA oils are beyond organic, with NO chemicals, synthetic ingredients or other contaminants like pesticides. In fact, doTERRA is Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. (Find out more about CPTG below in Other Important Information) This is why I am so confident about using these oils on my children, takingthem internally and using them for just about everything. It's always why I am SO excited to offer this fabulous special for people who are new to doTERRA.
I know that you will fall in love too as you experience the good that doTERRA essential oils and their other natural products can do for you and your family.
doTERRA’s February’s special --
New Year New You PromotiondoTERRA is bringing back a huge customer favorite - their 100 FREE product point promotion! Place a 100PV order (or get a kit!) in February and then place to place a Loyalty Reward Points order of 100 PV inMarch and doTERRA will give you a 100 PV essential oil shopping spree!! (PV is equal to dollar amounts on most doTERRA products. Some products vary though.)
Many of my friends enroll with the Family Physician Kit. This kit comes with a number of the most popular doTERRA essential oils and oil blends: Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, On Guard (protective blend), Frankincense (the precious ‘king of all oils’), Melaleuca, Oregano, Deep Blue, Breathe, DigestZen and Slim & Sassy.
When enrolling in doTERRA, there are many specially put together kits to choose from. The most popular starter kit is the Natural Solutions Kit . It is such a great deal because it includes a FREE diffuser, $100 in free product credit and at least another $150 in free product. (Note: With the purchase of any enrollment kit, the $35 enrollment fee is waived!
Bonus Freebies! I love free stuff as much as the next gal! So I wanted to get you started off on the right foot with some tools that have helped me USE my oils daily in a simple way.
*My Personal Special Offer:
if you enroll with a Family Physician Kit, I will add some of my own favorite products and helps – FREE**:
Personal 1-hour consultation with one of our essential oil experts! (This values alone at $50 plus!) One of our coaches will walk you through how to use your new oils & help you to create a personal plan!
doTERRA’s exclusive key chain, with space to hold 8 oils with 4 filled with our favorite essential oils.
Access to The Natural Cure Facebook group, where you can ask questions and share ideas with essential oil experts and users just like you!
The Using Essential Oils booklet, plus popular essential oil quick reference sheets on topics like green cleaning, pain and mood management, skin and body care, pregnancy, birth and baby.
An issue of doTERRA’s Living Magazine!
A 10 ml Rollerball to make up your favorite oil blend for ease of use anywhere! Veggie caps – great for taking essential oils internally! At least two different personal product samples!
**Remember, the above FREE items are being offered by me personally only with the purchase of a Family Physician Kit.
I know you'll love doTERRA products as much as I do that I am using my own commission to supply these freebies!
Follow these super simple steps to enroll:
Remember: With the purchase of any enrollment kit, the $35 enrollment fee is waived.
1. Enter My Virtual Office .
2. Begin by picking your country and language.
3. Once you’ve selected your country, select “Wholesale Prices”
4. Fill out your name, address, billing address, shipping address and remaining contact info (Don’t be alarmed when doTERRA asks you to list your Tax ID number or SSN. This is for tax purposes only. You are opening a Wholesale Account giving you the ability to generate income. If you make over $600/year, you will receive a 1099 form in the mail, as is required by law. I promise you doTERRA will never share this info with anyone!)
5. The “Enroller ID” and “Sponsor ID” boxes should already be filled in for you but if not, enter 329366 in both boxes.
6. Select your time zone and your own virtual office password.
7. Agree to the basic Terms and Conditions and your Virtual Office User Agreement. Click “Continue”.
8. Choose the enrollment kit you want (remember the freebies listed above!). Or if you wish, you may simply select the $35 Introductory Packet plus the first products you’d like to try.
9. ENJOY ordering your doTERRA products at wholesale prices, plus get tons of training from me and my team!
10. Email Brittany Roscheck at HealWithEssentialOils@gmail.com with code: FUN in the subject line. In the email please include your address and name so we know where to send all your awesome freebies!
There are no hidden fees, obligations, sales quotas or minimums. Just the best, purest essential oils and all the support and guidance you could ask for to achieve success.
Questions? We have Answers!
What is the Loyalty Rewards Program?
Participating in LRP is not required to purchase doTERRA products, but many people find they want to purchase certain products every month. LRP is doTERRA’s way of saying ‘Thanks!’ to their buyers who make a regular monthly purchase. LRP allows you to earn 10-30% credits towards future purchases (even your shipping costs earn you credits!), PLUS qualifies you to receive FREE products, wholesale prices, participate in product specials and even open up the way to receive income.
What is PV?
Point Value shows the rewards points you’ve earned. Essential oils have a point value equal to the price ($1 = 1 PV). Personal products and supplements may have a PV slightly lower than the dollar value.
Did you know…?
In addition to essential oils, doTERRA offers personal care and spa products, nutritional supplements (the most popular supplement package is guaranteed or purchase price is refunded), and healthy living products that are naturally safe, purely effective, and infused with CPTG essential oils.
What is CPTG-- Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade?
doTERRA essential oils are guaranteed 100% pure plant extracts. CPTG says that oils are the safest, purest and most beneficial essential oils available. ‘Therapeutic’ means these oils have natural and powerful healing properties. The right species of the plants are grown and harvested in their native regions – all over the world – for maximum potency. doTERRA sources all of its oils from producers who have extensive knowledge of how quality oils are produced. No short-cuts are tolerated, because it's all about the quality of the end product — and how it works for you. Each batch of oil is proven through third party testing at two state-of-the-art independent labs that ensures oils are beyond organic, verified pure, and free of fillers, artificial ingredients, chemical residues, pesticides, and foreign contaminants.
Am I signing up to sell anything? There is no obligation to sell doTERRA products when you get the wholesale membership. In fact, most people with doTERRA wholesale memberships, don't sell at all. However, once they discover the benefits of using doTERRA, many people love to share their essential oils with others. This can lead to free products for yourself or extra income. The decision to create an income from selling doTERRA is entirely yours!
What does the medical community think of doTERRA essential oils? doTERRA works with both a Scientific Advisory Panel and a Medical Advisory Panel. In addition, many in the medical profession are discovering how beneficial doTERRA oils are to their patients’ health and wellness. Find out more simply by searching in Google for doTERRA and hospitals.
Still have a question?
Contact me directly! I would love to chat!
Brittany Roscheck: HealWithEssentialOils@gmail.com.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This information is not meant to substitute for medical care or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition.
If you are interested in a free sample, please fill out this Google Doc and let us know you are interested!
Now for the giveaway!!!
Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Win A $150 Gift Card For Buydig.com
They don't just sell electronics, at BuyDig.com you can find so many great items at a great price! They sell Digital Cameras, Lenses, External Hard Drives and Accessories, Camcorders, MP3 Players, Home Theater Components including LCD, LED and Plasma televisions, Blu-Ray & DVD players, GPS Navigators, Computers, Tablets, DJ Equipment & Pro Audio, Printers, Scanners, Binoculars, Housewares, Small Appliances, Sporting Goods, Optics and much more.
If you do any shopping online you are going to love BuyDig.com. Their prices are low and they have package deals that can save you even more money! Plus you get free shipping on everything! Unlike other online retailers, you don't have to meet a minimum purchase amount to qualify for free shipping. Every order includes free shipping!
Besides the giveaway below, BuyDig.com is having a Pin it to Win it contest! You could win a $250 shopping spree. Click here to enter.
(The Pin it to Win it contest ends on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 23:59.)
Now for the giveaway! One lucky reader will win a $150 Gift Card to spend at BuyDigcom. You can find a lot of things to buy with this gift card. You have until 2/13/15 at 1159pm EST. This giveaway is open to US residents. a Rafflecopter giveaway Stay Connected:
If you do any shopping online you are going to love BuyDig.com. Their prices are low and they have package deals that can save you even more money! Plus you get free shipping on everything! Unlike other online retailers, you don't have to meet a minimum purchase amount to qualify for free shipping. Every order includes free shipping!
Besides the giveaway below, BuyDig.com is having a Pin it to Win it contest! You could win a $250 shopping spree. Click here to enter.
(The Pin it to Win it contest ends on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 23:59.)
Now for the giveaway! One lucky reader will win a $150 Gift Card to spend at BuyDigcom. You can find a lot of things to buy with this gift card. You have until 2/13/15 at 1159pm EST. This giveaway is open to US residents. a Rafflecopter giveaway Stay Connected:
Saturday, January 31, 2015
All By Myself Again
I don't know how people do it.
I don't think I can stand much more of the loneliness, the empty arms, no sharing the sofa or bed with a tiny, warm, sweet little person who showers you with kisses and squeezes you tight with their little, pudgy arms. No more of the, "I love you mom"'s, all night long until you both drift off to lala land...
Sometimes, somebody will come downstairs and ask for a drink of water or they will have a belly ache or a bad dream. (Although, ever since I put the dream catchers up, there haven't really been many of those anymore.) < Yes, I am being serious about that ;)
The first night this happened, I didn't know what to do! I sat here, trying to figure out what to do first. Did I want to work on my blog? My new blogs? Make some body butters and cleansing grains? Read a book? Bake cookies without a bunch of kids joining in and making a small task end up being a night long adventure? Just goof around on social media? Get a long, hot, bubble bath??
I ended up just sitting here, trying to decide what would be the best thing to do. By the time I decided on starting some homemade body butters, it was 1am and a school night, so, off to bed I went.
It took me a bit to get used to sleeping in my bed on a school night/week night and I laid there, sort of wishing for a little voice to say, "Mommy. I need a drink of water." But, it didn't happen.
I really thought that our youngest would be running back down, I was hoping to hear his teeny feet hit the floor and see the big blue blanket ball that crawls across the floor when he is looking for his mommy but worried his dad might still be awake, lol. But, nothing. Not even a peep. I was so sad to think that our youngest didn't need me to hold him and squeeze him super tight and fall asleep while we snuggle up on the sofa.
When we had our first daughter, 22 years ago, she slept through the night, every single night. Sometimes, I would go in her room and try to make a little bit of noise so that she would wake up, just so I could hold her and pretend that she needed me at night time. (Lots of my friends told me I was crazy, they swore this was the best thing I could ever want... a baby who sleeps through the night.) It was very nice to have that but, just once in awhile, I would have loved to have her wake up and cry in the middle of the night lol.
Our next baby, our oldest son, was not a night time sleeper, like, at all. I am a bartender so, I work night shift the majority of the time and this little guy would not sleep until mommy was home. He was wide awake at all hours of the night and I couldn't say no to him, even as a toddler, because he would stare with his big, gorgeous, blue eyes and smile and hug me.
Our first 2 were opposites and then our 3rd and 4th came and they were kind of in between. So, I sort of just stayed with all of them every night. Sure, I had nights when I could sleep in my bed, but, it wasn't easy and it usually ended up with me jumping out of bed several times and coming back with a little monster, or staying with them, where ever they were.
Weekends weren't so bad, since their dad is home. (Yes, having a truck driver for a husband does have it's ups and downs.) and I usually work weekends, so, he was always better than me when it came down to bedtimes. I am spoiled on weekends since I come home and everybody is asleep. Although, even then, there are times I am needed at 4 or 5 am.
So, it's been a few weeks and they are all sleeping where they belong and I am still sad about this. I whisper to each of them, every night, "If you need anything, anything at all, make sure you come back down and tell mommy, ok?"
and they smile and hug me and shake their heads, yes.
It has happened a few times! One of them will come back downstairs and tell me they need help with something, or they just wanted a hug, so, I am always ecstatic when I hear somebody coming down the steps or slithering through the rooms, covered in a blanket.
I admit, I have been getting a lot more done and I am happy about that, but, I miss being needed all night and I am very worried about the near future when it does come to a complete stop.
BUT, that is what grandchildren are for, right??
I don't think I can stand much more of the loneliness, the empty arms, no sharing the sofa or bed with a tiny, warm, sweet little person who showers you with kisses and squeezes you tight with their little, pudgy arms. No more of the, "I love you mom"'s, all night long until you both drift off to lala land...
Sometimes, somebody will come downstairs and ask for a drink of water or they will have a belly ache or a bad dream. (Although, ever since I put the dream catchers up, there haven't really been many of those anymore.) < Yes, I am being serious about that ;)
The first night this happened, I didn't know what to do! I sat here, trying to figure out what to do first. Did I want to work on my blog? My new blogs? Make some body butters and cleansing grains? Read a book? Bake cookies without a bunch of kids joining in and making a small task end up being a night long adventure? Just goof around on social media? Get a long, hot, bubble bath??
I ended up just sitting here, trying to decide what would be the best thing to do. By the time I decided on starting some homemade body butters, it was 1am and a school night, so, off to bed I went.
It took me a bit to get used to sleeping in my bed on a school night/week night and I laid there, sort of wishing for a little voice to say, "Mommy. I need a drink of water." But, it didn't happen.
I really thought that our youngest would be running back down, I was hoping to hear his teeny feet hit the floor and see the big blue blanket ball that crawls across the floor when he is looking for his mommy but worried his dad might still be awake, lol. But, nothing. Not even a peep. I was so sad to think that our youngest didn't need me to hold him and squeeze him super tight and fall asleep while we snuggle up on the sofa.
When we had our first daughter, 22 years ago, she slept through the night, every single night. Sometimes, I would go in her room and try to make a little bit of noise so that she would wake up, just so I could hold her and pretend that she needed me at night time. (Lots of my friends told me I was crazy, they swore this was the best thing I could ever want... a baby who sleeps through the night.) It was very nice to have that but, just once in awhile, I would have loved to have her wake up and cry in the middle of the night lol.
Our next baby, our oldest son, was not a night time sleeper, like, at all. I am a bartender so, I work night shift the majority of the time and this little guy would not sleep until mommy was home. He was wide awake at all hours of the night and I couldn't say no to him, even as a toddler, because he would stare with his big, gorgeous, blue eyes and smile and hug me.
Our first 2 were opposites and then our 3rd and 4th came and they were kind of in between. So, I sort of just stayed with all of them every night. Sure, I had nights when I could sleep in my bed, but, it wasn't easy and it usually ended up with me jumping out of bed several times and coming back with a little monster, or staying with them, where ever they were.
Weekends weren't so bad, since their dad is home. (Yes, having a truck driver for a husband does have it's ups and downs.) and I usually work weekends, so, he was always better than me when it came down to bedtimes. I am spoiled on weekends since I come home and everybody is asleep. Although, even then, there are times I am needed at 4 or 5 am.
So, it's been a few weeks and they are all sleeping where they belong and I am still sad about this. I whisper to each of them, every night, "If you need anything, anything at all, make sure you come back down and tell mommy, ok?"
and they smile and hug me and shake their heads, yes.
It has happened a few times! One of them will come back downstairs and tell me they need help with something, or they just wanted a hug, so, I am always ecstatic when I hear somebody coming down the steps or slithering through the rooms, covered in a blanket.
I admit, I have been getting a lot more done and I am happy about that, but, I miss being needed all night and I am very worried about the near future when it does come to a complete stop.
BUT, that is what grandchildren are for, right??
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