Healthy Wealthy Living

What a 'loaded' title! Who am I to call someone an 'idiot'? You say that I don't know your spouse well enough to call him/ her that? - Well, you're correct. I don't. But, who says that I was referring to your partner and not you? Okay. Here's the scoop. You look at your husband or wife and see their faults as well as their great qualities. And, yes, they undoubtedly will occasionally pull some bone-head move. And, at those times, you call them an idiot. It's deserved, you say. They went to the market for bread and came home with a lot of groceries, but no bread. You asked them to do the wash on cold cycle, but they ran it on hot, so everything shrank. You told them to fax paperwork to a client of yours and they faxed over evidence that you are looking to dump them in favor of one of their competitors.  You have them pick-up take-out and, don't you just know it... They forgot to have the salad dressing put on the side. So, of...

You  are well on your way to becoming a couponing expert! You have made the commitment and are scouring the ads for the best deals.   Now let’s talk about controlling your checkout.  Unfortunately there are sometimes problems at the register either with the cashier, the computer or the coupons.     You want to be prepared for this and it starts with a well organized shopping list. The Well Organized Shopping List : Be prepared Shop with a detailed list with prices, item counts, coupons and store ad in hand Double check the stores coupon policy to make sure nothing has changed since your last visit. Bring an empty envelope so as you put items in your cart from your list, move the coupons into the empty envelope.  This helps to assure that your counts are correct and that you don’t accidentally forget something. Before you go to the cashier, do one last count of your coupons and items. I know this sounds redu...

I am a content mom to two children: a 2 ½ year old boy and an almost eleven year old girl.  I have stated many times, both out loud and to myself, they don’t make any other kind, just boys and girls so technically I’m good... I’m done.  I don’t want any more children because, as I have stated before, I have my boy and my girl and they don’t make any other kind. With that being said, my younger sister went into labor a couple of days ago.   It was a very long, tiring and anxiety-ridden labor, and that was just for me.   I was so anxious for her, and I just wanted it to be over.   Of course, I couldn’t wait to snuggle with that little girl.   I couldn’t wait to smell baby smell.   There hasn’t been a baby girl in our family for almost eleven years.   I was anxious to get my hands on that baby.   So anxious, apparently, that I couldn’t sleep the night she was born because I knew the next day I would be able to finally go see her....

I must say my cooking journey has had many bumps along the way including undercooked food, burnt dishes, near kitchen fires and disastrous meals that had to be trashed.    When my hubby and I first met, close to eight years ago, I was not much of a cook (neither was he!). I really had no interest in it. I’m embarrassed to admit that we pretty much lived on frozen food or takeout for the first two years of living together ( yes, we moved in together before getting married and it was the best thing we could have done~ but another blog post ).  He is so awesome and never complained. However, my co-workers and friends would tease me asking “so did you have chicken fingers or chicken nuggets last night?”. Once the baby was born, I really wanted to figure out this cooking thing. I didn’t want our baby to live on chicken fingers, hot dogs and pizza. Both my mom and mother-in-law are amazing cooks!  I was lucky to have them to teach and guide me along my co...

The biggest question when thinking about potty training is by far, WHEN. When to start? This is often a hot button that gets parents really riled up. So my goal today is to pull this apart, just to get some clarity. While no one seems to agree on an exact age , it's fairly unanimous that waiting until after 32 months can potentially cause bladder control problems . While studies are fine, I'd like to bring my own experience as a professional potty trainer who's worked with thousands of parents to the table. The biggest catch phrase that warrants scrutiny is "Wait Till They're Ready". This phrase came about due to earlier practices of abusive potty training. The 1940s saw parents strapping 9 month old children down in order to produce and using soap suppositories to get poops on command. Um, yeah. So "wait till they're ready"  became the thing to do, meaning wait till they are capable. Developmentally capable , in my pr...

I'm sure you've been there: waiting in a crowded waiting room.  Your child is getting restless and is starting to not listen to your request for "SHH inside voice, please". What do you do? Play the the "Calculator Copy-Cat" Game! Buy an inexpensive calculator and keep it in your purse.  You first push a sequence of numbered buttons. If playing with younger children, only press 2-3 buttons. Your child has to really concentrate and be quiet to remember in which order you went. He/she then has to try to imitate what you did. Next, it will be his/her turn to try to stump you!

My husband and I are going on a much-needed weekend getaway! A weekend away from dirty dishes, piles of laundry, never-ending errands, time constraints and more. A weekend put aside for rest, relaxation and reconnecting. I am so excited and can’t wait to get to our New England, seaside destination. Before being a mom, I would have wanted  to go away just for a change of pace, but now? Now, I look forward to getting away for the little things… Sleeping In - Most mornings “Snow White” gets up around 6:30 a.m, yells “MAMA, I’m up!”, then comes bolting into our room and jumps into our bed (along with blankie, bunny, pillow-pet and a few dolls- it amazes me that her tiny arms can carry it all!) I love having her in our bed and being able to snuggle but getting a chance to sleep in is going to be so nice! Adult Conversation - Being able to be able to focus on my hubby and have an adult-conversation without constant interruptions and tugging of my arm, while hearing “mama,...

Last time we talked about making the commitment to saving money .   Today we discuss how to start making that happen. One of the best things you can do to help save money is to read your ads before making a trip to the grocery store. I make it a point to read the store ads 3-4 times to make sure that I am: Seeing all the sales, Understanding the sales and Maximizing the money I am about to spend Stop N Shop Prior to my money saving days the ads were merely junk mail that littered my mail each week, now I anxiously look forward to their arrival. Also thanks to my smart phone I have free apps that show circulars and I have the circulars emailed to me each week. This way I always have them to reference, including at the check-out to ensure that I am getting the deals I was promised! The first time I read the ads I will do quick glance usually because one or both of my children is trying to yank the ads from me to “help” with the mail.  The secon...

Cheeseburgers are my weakness!   I would pick a cheeseburger over a steak, shrimp or lobster any day. If you asked me one year ago if I’d ever eat a veggie black bean burger, my response would have been “no way!”. The thought of my husband eating a turkey burger, never mind a veggie burger was laughable. One time I used ground turkey in a lasagna recipe. My husband loved it but then when I told him, he said “why did you have to tell me?”. Although to try to eat a little bit healthier, we have been cutting back on red meat and have been using a lot of beans, soy “burger” and ground turkey in recipes that call for ground beef. I decided to give black bean burgers a try. I tried one black bean burger recipe but it was too dry. We tried another that called for including chopped up mushrooms in the mix but I didn’t like the chewiness of the mushrooms. I have tweaked the recipes and have come up with one that is so good. My husband can’t get enough of them. Even ...

How many times have we heard that very true saying that 'Housework is never done'?   So true, not simply for housewives, but also for househusbands and those working women or men who  are primarily responsible for the running of the home and caring for any minor children. So, are you one of those folks who go non-stop with errands, picking-up, cleaning, cooking, shopping, helping with homework, and... until you collapse in a chair or bed... only to begin the cycle all over again, the next day? And, do you try to enlist your spouse (and children) in your little 'army', despite any protests (logical or not)? Do you shoot down any requests to simply relax and perhaps cuddle on the couch with a movie? To  play a board or video game with the kids? To share a spousal shower? To hit the hay, early, so that you  and your life's partner can become re-acquainted with your romantic sides? YES? So, what is the official reaction from the rest of yo...

The alarm clock goes off and you think to yourself, " Didn't I just fall asleep?" Are your days filled with packing lunch bags, car pools, after-school activities, dinner, homework, bath time and bedtime- All on top of your own job and the other responsibilities of being a parent. At the end of the day you muster up just enough energy to get yourself to bed so you can wake up early and start the hamster wheel all over again. Do the days start to overlap and before you know it your first born is in college and your youngest isn't a baby anymore. Time has a way of passing us by. Each day brings new growth, new milestones and new chances to be amazed by our children. Yet, we miss many of those opportunities because we're too busy navigating through life. Our children deserve to spend quality time with us. They need to see who we are behind all the hustle  and bustle. They in turn will reveal to you who you truly are. It's not about how much ...