Star-Crossed Series

You guys, I have to tell you about a series I just read!
It is SO amazing.

Honestly, I was just scanning a message board, and someone mentioned the first book.
I checked it out on Amazon - and it was free for the Kindle - so I thought, "why not?"

Thank goodness I did.

You guys!!  This story is amazing! 
Sigh. 

The series is Star-Crossed by Rachel Higginson

It's about magic (but not lame magic), princes (sigh), castles, Nebraska, a girl, a boy... sigh. 

I know, I'm not so good at giving a description or a review.

All I can say is...
YOU HAVE TO READ IT!

I devoured the books in about 4 days.  I loaned them to a friend and she read them in about a week. 

And, I am seriously thinking about rereading them... and I just finished them a week ago!

One of the best series I have read. 

No lie.

Honestly guys, I'm not lying to you!
Go get the first book (it's free on Amazon), and read it.

If you don't like it, you don't have to continue with the others.

But I promise you will love it! 

Go... Now!

Meal Planning.. Needs to be a Must!

Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi!!!
I didn't disappear forever! 
Just had to really think about what I wanted this blog to be about.
Instead of 'weight loss', which it kind of turned into - it's going back to just a blog about me and my family.
Back to... Wisconsin Mom Loves... 

Currently big changes are happening in this household...
We need to have a better budget (or, just HAVE a budget) and actually stick to it.
Which means, meal planning.

Now, I've tried meal planning a bunch of different times in the past.
Didn't work. 
I think I just tried to shove too much on at once.
And even if I did have a weekly meal plan - most of the meals were what I found online, and didn't have any ingredients on hand.
I didn't even think to go through what I had in the fridge/freezer and cupboards, before thinking up recipes.

I'm currently reading Plan it Don't Panic, by Stephanie Langford.  I'm not even through chapter two, and I've already came to realize I was doing it all wrong every other time!

Go through your cupboards and take inventory?!  Who would have thought that?!

I'm loving the book - and what ideas I already got out of it.

For example, today I cleaned out our cupboards.  You wouldn't believe how much food was expired!  Ugh, so much money down the drain! (I didn't get completely done, but I'll post pictures tomorrow)

I'm hoping the rest of the book gives me a better example of meal planning - and how to keep my budget low, since we are a single income family - and can't afford to continue to spend what we are spending on food.  I mean, we take trips to the store frequently and just spend, spend, spend.  Every time I look at our bank account and count the number of times we hit the store in the last month - and how much we spent, I cringe. 

Something needs to be done! 

I'm hoping this will be a great step forward, and we'll find get things under control.
Actually, this will be a great step forward - and we will get things under control.

We have too.  We have no choice.

Oh and I got the book (Plan it Don't Panic) from a huge e-book sale called Simply Your Family Life.  38 books and products for only $29.  Typically, if you bought all the items, it would cost  $375!  They had a lot of e-books that looked interesting to me, and looked like they could help with this household, so I caved and spent the $29, even though we're trying to save money.  Although, I didn't get a birthday present (my birthday was on the 14th), and even though I told hubby I needed new jeans, my in-laws gave me some cash, so that should cover the jeans.  So, Happy Birthday to me! 

If you want these e-books for only $29, head to Simply Your Family Life, before tomorrow (Friday, April 20th, 7am CST). 

I'll be posting about the other books as I read them.  I'm looking forward to them. Plus, they will add to my 100 books for the year!  Woot!

A Note to My Readers

I'm not sure how I feel about blogging anymore.
I wanted to love it.
I wanted to document my way through life.
I wanted to post every weekday.

Honestly though.. In the last few weeks, blogging has taken the back-burner to.... life.
By the time I'm done chasing my 1 year old (oh my, I can't believe she is one!!) around the house, I'm exhausted. Add to that, I need to clean up while she's in bed. Plus make/eat dinner.  And then attempt a workout on the treadmill (which I kind of dislike)... I'm just not up for blogging.

I just wanted to let you (my few readers) know that I love that you come here and read about my life.  And I will try to update the blog weekly.
But probably not on a daily basis. 
I just don't have enough to talk about...
Seriously, my days are pretty plain. 
Pretty boring to write about.

I just didn't want to leave you hanging. 
And I don't want to lose you guys!

I'll honestly try better. 
At least give you something decent to read each week.

Oh, and I haven't even had time to read a book! 
The last book I completed was around Valentine's Day.
Yeah, I haven't read a book in over a month! 

Well, I have to clean and make a few cards.
Should get to that now... otherwise I'll be up until 3am... like last night.

What Happens in a Year?

You go from this...

To this...

Happy 1st Birthday to my sweet baby girl! 

Her party is on Sunday - so expect lots of birthday party pictures then!

Where Have I Been?!

I'm finally starting to get out of the slump I was in.
I honestly think it has been the weather.
I guess I get the winter blues.
Now that it has been in the 60s for the past week, I have much more energy.
I love having the windows open.
I love the fresh air.
I love the sun.

I've had a lot more energy today than all of last week put together.
I cleaned up the living room/hallways.
Organized some things.
Made the barrier to the kitchen nicer.
Now it looks like we have a larger living room, and baby girl is enjoying playing in the hallway.
More area for her to explore. 

Some exciting news...
Baby girl has started to walk!
Just a few steps here and there, but it is becoming much more frequent.

Oh, more good news.
My in-laws are letting us borrow their treadmill!
They are going to bring it down on Sunday.
I cannot wait!
I would love to walk outside...
But we have no sidewalks where we live.
And we live on a heavily traffic road.
Cars/Trucks don't like to move over for pedestrians.
It scared the crap out of me every time I went for a walk in the past.
So finally, I just called it quits.
I wanted to get a treadmill for the longest time.
Since hubby's parents aren't using theirs, they agreed to let us use it while we save for our own.
I'm so excited!!

Hmmm... what else.
I got some new vitamins on Friday.
Is it odd that I'm excited I finally have vitamins again?
I know you should get as many vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat, but let's be honest here... I don't. 
So, vitamins it is! 
Got hubby some too.  He isn't too happy to be taking them, but he eats so much crap, he really needs them!

Baby girl's birthday party is coming up soon.
I can't believe in a little over a week, she will be one.
Where has these year went?!

Sorry for the random post... but I haven't posted in a while, and felt I needed to catch you up on the happenings in my life.

I'm off now.  Baby girl is getting crabby and needs some cuddle time. 

It's Okay To Cry...

I miss my mom.
I don't talk about her very often.
But when I want to bring her up, I don't know where to turn.
Hubby never brings her up.
Of course, I don't expect him to do that, since he never met her.
And I guess since I never really bring her up - he has no reason to either.

I didn't get to know her for very long.
I didn't get to go through all the changes in my life with her.
I didn't get to have her advice on anything.
She wasn't there for my graduations from high school or college.
She wasn't there for my wedding.
Or the birth of my baby girl.

I just really miss her.

I want to know about her life.
Her life before getting married and having kids.
I want to know how she met my dad.
I want to know if I got any of her talents.
Or even, what her talents were.

But nobody wants to talk about her.

Why is it, that most people pretend like she never even existed?!
Because she did.
I'm proof of that.

Am I the only one who misses her?
Am I the only one who bursts into tears when I hear a song she use to listen to?

I just want somebody to understand.
I want my hubby to say something, anything when the anniversary of her death comes around.
It's not like he can't remember that day - since it's tattooed on my wrist.
But for the last four years - he has never said a word...

I guess I'm just really good at hiding my feelings.
I do very well most of the year.
But sometimes, something happens and I just start crying - and my heart aches from missing her.
Like tonight.
There is a Peter, Paul and Mary 25th Anniversary Special on PBS.
I turned it one - listened to a few songs with baby girl...
Then it hit me.
I use to watch these specials with my mom.
She bought the Peter, Paul and Mommy Too, VHS when I was young... and we use to watch it all the time.
And a years worth of tears just came flooding out.

I don't know.
Maybe I needed to just get it out.

Even though I miss her so much.
I know my life wouldn't be how it is now, if she were still alive.
I know the events in my life have led me to where I am now.
And I am so happy where I am.
I am so happy with hubby and baby girl.
And I wouldn't change any of that for the world.

But you know...
It's still okay for me to miss my mom.

Friday Favorites - Week 9

I'm sorry.
I have sucked so hard at blogging.
It has been such an off week for me.
I haven't done anything.
Except take care of baby girl.
And watch TV.
And eat.... way too much.
I think I've finally gotten out of that mood.
I actually got things done around the house today.
Still have lots more to do... but at least something is done.
I've still been stuck to the TV though.
One Tree Hill episodes on Netflix.
Oh how things have changed in that show.

Anyway - today it is snowing like crazy.
We dodged the snowstorm the other day, just to get hit today.
Sucks.
But a look at the weather for the upcoming weeks shows we'll be hitting the 50s a few days.
So, I'm thinking whatever we get today, will be gone by next weekend.

It's Friday today!  Friday Favorites is back!!  

Favorite Indulgent Dip - Cake Batter Cracker Dip
There has been so many sweet dips floating around Pinterest lately.  This looks amazing.  Might think of making it for baby girl's big day.

Favorite Movement - Operation Beautiful
I love that this was created. I think everyone needs to be reminded this daily.

Favorite Bite - Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Scallion Sauce
Yum... I'll have to try this. Looks sooooo good. 

Favorite Necklace - I love this so much! I think it may have to be a birthday present for me this year.

Favorite DIY Makeover - I would have loved this as a child. I'll have to find something so we can make baby girl this when she gets bigger.

Favorite OMG Popcorn - Samoa Popcorn
Oh yum, yum, yum!!!  I need to make this... like yesterday!

Favorite Dress - Pretty dress. This would be nice for the weddings I have next year!

 Favorite Mug -I know I showed these in an earlier Friday Favorite, but I found where you can buy them! Another birthday gift??

That's all...
Now it's time to curl up with a glass of wine and continue on to season two of OTH.