Healthy Wealthy Living

Ladies, You Know You're A Mom when...... YKYAM- You Know You're A Mom: when going to the bathroom w/the door closed is considered ME TIME!!! YKYAM- You Know You're A Mom: when your idea of sexy lingerie is warm flannel pants and a MATCHING, not-stained t-shirt (don't forget the wooly socks)! YKYAM- You Know You're A Mom: when you find yourself sitting in your car in a Sonic parking lot, biting the apple skins off the apple "fries" because your 3 yr old just doesn't "like the red things". YKYAM- You Know You're A Mom: when without thinking, you automatically add "IE" to everything... tubbie, nappie, lunchie, sockie, milkie. What's embarrassing is when you use these "IE" words with an adult at work! "I can't wait to eat my lunchie". YKYAM- You Know You're A Mom: when your idea of a nice long bath/shower is when you get to actually shave your legs (including above the knee) a...

Organize the Family Made Simple way. Make a home for everything and you'll never stub your toe on a little toy, lose Barbie's shoe or a puzzle piece from your child's favorite Toy Story puzzle again. Here are just a few ideas for organizing not only toys, but other household items as well: An over-the-door or under-the-bed shoe organizer (like the one shown below) is perfect for storing tiny toy pieces such as blocks, little toy cars, barbie dolls and clothes, game pieces (the game board will lie nicely on top), puzzle pieces, even crayons, markers etc. Preschoolers size princess costumes, shoes and tiaras also fit nicely in these compartments. Then neatly hide/store under the bed. An over-the-door shoe organizer is also perfect for storing your costume jewelry. The compartments are the perfect size for oversized bangles and beaded necklaces. An old baby wipes container or coffee jar is perfect for keeping crayons, markers, hair bows, ela...

Tip for Stress-Free Shopping Trips with the Little Ones I have done this with my 3yr old and it works wonders! Grocery Shopping Trips - While you’re still at home, give your child a piece of paper and crayon, pencil, etc. Name a few items that you have to buy. Have her write it down (or scribble something onto the paper). IMPORTANT: Explain before you go that if something is not on the list (such as snacks you are not intending to buy), you cannot get it.  This way you will avoid the possible melt-downs. If you have enough time, you can even cut out or have her cut out pictures from flyers and put them in a ziploc baggie. When you are at the store, ask the child things like: "What do we need to buy now"? "Can you find the Cheerios"? Non-Grocery Store Trips - Does your child always ask or beg for a toy while at the store? My 3 yr old would not only ask for something but would cry and yell. I decided to try something new that worked. She no longer asks ...

8 Must-Have Foods for Family-Friendly Meals in 10-15 minutes or LESS! I have been pretty good about planning our meals ahead of time and have been using the crock-pot a lot lately; however, there are those nights when I get home late, have nothing planned but still need to get dinner on the table. There are now 8 must-haves that I keep in the house at all times in order to get dinner prepped, cooked and served in about 10-15 minutes or less. (Note: These items can be on the pricey side but are often on sale! Keep a look out for when these items go on sale and buy a few at a time). 1     Fully Cooked Meats - Fully cooked Perdue ChickenStrips , microwaveable Hormel Bacon, Fully Cooked Tyson Roast & BeefTips , Deli Roast Beef Use the chicken strips in wraps, quesadillas, tacos, quick stir fry (mix with micro stir fry veggies and rice) or casseroles (chicken strips, cream of mushroom or chicken soup, broccoli and shredded cheese, mix and top w/Ritz cracker crumbs an...

Unfortunately winter is soon upon us.   Many Family Made Simple parents have asked for some indoor activity ideas since it will be too cold to let the kiddos out to play. I like the idea of creating a “ cold weather survival activity box ”.   Its contents are really determined by your child(ren)’s interests.   My preschooler LOVES arts & crafts. So, last year, we went to the local dollar store and picked out a bunch of inexpensive goodies. My daughter's winter survival box included:          Crayons, colored pencils, chalk, watercolor paints          Construction paper          Stamps and ink pads          BINGO Ink Stampers          Lots of inexpensive Stickers         Foam press-ons and googly eyes     ...

As a busy mom of a finicky 3 yr old (one day she LOVES carrots, the next day they make her “tummy hurt”), I’m always looking for quick and easy ways to make sure she gets the necessary nutrients. Last year, at a Holiday Yankee Swap, I won a copy of Jessica Seinfeld’s, Deceptively Delicious cookbook. In it she incorporates, basically hides, freshly pureed veggies in many of the recipes. The recipes are great but to be honest, I don’t have time to puree the veggies and even if I did, I don’t have room in my freezer to store the leftovers. My sister came up with the idea of using baby veggie purees. This worked great for me since I still had a lot left from when my daughter was eating them. Now, I had a purpose for the many   jars of Gerber sweet potatoes, squash, carrots and garden veggies that were taking up precious space in my already crammed cabinets. I use the vegetable purees in almost everything I cook, red pasta sauce, pizza, mac-n-cheese, chicken, sloppy joes, soup, gril...