Jen's This and That Blog

Spend Time with your Family

2010-07-03T12:42:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the 4th of July and the thought of this holiday made me take some time to slow down and think. Am I spending enough time with my family? I sure hope so. My previous occupation had me working all summer long and many weekends of being in the office or on call. I also spent months traveling for business. Now I work from home and sometimes think I am still a work-a-holic. So what is the difference?

I AM HOME. Yes, I am home. My kids are not in daycare. I have two school aged girls and a 6 month old baby. Mom (that's me) brings the girls to school and then goes home with the baby to spend some time working. I am always home with the girls get home from school on the bus and my baby is in my sole care. I love having them home and I love working from home.

And this let's me spend more time with my family. This summer the older girls are in morning summer school, then we play all afternoon. We, and they, never have been able to do that before. We do the "Kids Bowl Free" bowling, have passes to the local waterpark pool, do library activities and look for anything fun and low cost. My little baby loves packing up and heading out with her older sisters. My husband, also known as dad, meets us after work and also gets to spend time with the kids. More than he ever has.

So take some time to re-evaluate your busy lifestyle to see if you are spending enough time with your kids. Kids learn from their parents, so make sure you are a good role model and someone they can look up to. The time will come when they are teenagers. If you spend quality time with your kids now, there is a higher chance they will come to you for advice when they get older. Don't lose touch with your kids... embrace the time you have together.

Happy 4th of July!

Running after having a Baby - One Step at a Time

2010-05-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

I had my third child in January and am already knee deep in the quest to finish another half marathon. Let me step back a little and give some history. I belong to an online group that focuses on getting healthy, staying healthy and running or walking. Many of us meet at races through out the United States to compete, socialize and have a great time. The group is supporting, encouraging and downright great people who I call my friends.

Here is what happened! I was unable to attend the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend this past January because I was due with my child on Marathon weekend (ironic?). One (or now that I think about it, it may have been several) people worked their magic to convince me to attend another race in June and do the 1/2 marathon. The race is within driving distance and the course looked nice. My pregnancy mind said... sure, the little one will be close to six months old. This is where things got scewed. Math used to be my strong subject, until I attempted to add up the age of my baby for the marathon. Correct math has her at 4 1/2 months. Oh man!

And then the training began. I started off walking at about four weeks postpartum. Several weeks later I worked in some jogs, but my legs and joints rebelled. I knew right then that this was going to be a slow process... one step at a time. And that is exactly how I continued to view it. If my legs wanted to walk, I walked. The only thing important to me was getting in the steps. I wanted to work at the mileage first, then gain speed. I knew I just underwent a major medical ordeal and my body needed to heal. And it continues to heal and strengthen each day. Pushing my body to go faster or longer than I should only meant I would deal with other problems, like strained muscles, re-occurrence of my plantar factitious or something much worse. This mom knew she had to be smart and take it... one step at a time.

The 1/2 marathon is three weeks out and I know I will finish, but it won't break any speed records. Right now my goal is to finish the race with a smile on my face. This will show that I have the strength to over come my weaknesses, both physical and mental. I may complain about it a lot, but that does not mean I am angry or giving up. It's just a release of energy. I will finish and I will finish with my friends who have supported me these last three months. I can't wait to hug my husband at the end of the race and give my three girls a big kiss! Because I will do this, one step at a time.

Free Bowling for Kids this Summer

2010-04-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a great summer activity for you and your kids? Have you heard about Kids Bowl Free? This program has been around for several years, but this is my first year actually checking into it. I work out of my home, so I have my kids home with me during the summer. This means I need to search out activities to keep them active instead of bored.

Kids Bowl Free works with bowling centers through out the United States to offer two free games of bowling per child each day through out the summer. Adult passes are also available for $25. Find more information, see participating bowling centers and sign up and purchase adult passes at

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/.

Give your kids some summer fun... FOR FREE!

My Earth Day Changes

2010-04-22T21:11:00.001-07:00

OK, so I said I didn't have time to write, but then I totally forgot today is Earth Day and I wanted to share the changes I am making to better our environment and make my family more healthy.

I am cutting back on the chemicals we use in the home. Several months ago I started making my own laundry detergent and it is working great. The recipe is:

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda (I use Arm and Hammer brand, which is different from baking soda)

1/2 cup Oxyclean

Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight container. I use 2 to 3 Tablespoons per wash. The clothes do not have a perfume smell, just a clean smell. This is also good for people or kids with sensitive skin and for washing baby clothes.

I also use vinegar in the fabric softener spot. The clothes do not smell of vinegar and it helps with cleaning and softening. Vinegar is low cost and can be purchased in big jugs at Sam's club. I also put vinegar in the dishwasher for a spot free rinse. Again, the dishes do not smell of vinegar.

Vinegar and baking soda clean well and are not harmful to children. I have used both for cleaning carpet and upholstry stains. The baking soda will fizz up when mixed with vinegar and will work as an effervesant for cleaning.

These are the start of my "Green" movement. Using these products is lower in cost and cleans just as well as the heavy chemical options.

HAPPY EARTH DAY and think about how YOU can make a change for our Earth!!!

My Life is Insane... Because I make it that way!

2010-04-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, I have a very insane life. Two years ago I was working full time, traveling for work, and always doing something. My kids were in school and daycare and my wonderful husband filled in the family holes when he could. Fast Forward to now.... In November 2008 my job no longer existed and I decided to be a work at home mom. I now work freelance and LOVE IT! My kids ride the bus home... to mom. I had another baby in January and she is home with me, not in daycare. Life seems good...

So here is the insanity! I am taking care of my baby plus two elementary school aged kids. I am still working freelance part time. I am still doing other activities like being a 4-H leader, church activities and helping out at school. AND, I let people talk me into doing craft shows and other things I don't have time for. So when I say my life is insanity... I could make it different. I need a backbone. I need to say no.. NO! I need to see my limits and put on the breaks when I reach them.

I don't know how I get everything done, neither does my family or friends. I can't even count how many times people have said to me "I have no clue how you can do everything you do"... as recent as last week!! And the reason I am not getting my blogs written... I AM SO BUSY!

So give me a week to get this craft show finished and I will be back to sharing my inspiration, stories and life experiences. Because by then I will be done with the things I shouldn't be doing and forcing myself to have MORE time. Time for me and time for my family!

Save Money on Groceries - Use Coupons

2010-04-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

Another great grocery shopping day. If your grocery stores allow for double coupons, take advantage of this opportunity to save a lot of money. My store only doubles on Wednesday up to 5 coupons with a value of $1.00 or less. Even with these limits, I am able to save a lot of money.

Here is my shopping trip:
2 gallons milk - Free coupons from last weeks cereal jackpot
1 Maxwell House coffee - Free Coupon
8 packets kool-aid - on sale for 15 cents each
6 containers Yoplait yogurt - on sale for 50 cents each
1 box Nature Valley Granola bars
2 boxes Special K Fruit Crisp bars
1 loaf bread - on sale for 88 cents
2 containers sour cream - on sale for $1 each
1 container Land o Lakes spreadable butter
1 head lettuce

Coupons Used:
2 Free Milk Coupons
1 Free Maxwell House Coffee Coupon
2 Coupons for $1 off Special K Fruit Crisps - Doubled
1 Coupon for 50 cents off LOL butter - Doubled
1 Coupon for 50 cents off 6 Yoplait yogurts - Doubled
1 Coupon for 40 cents off NV Granola bars - Doubled

I paid a total of $12.33 for the above items and saved $19.50 according to my receipt. I get my coupons online and from the Sunday paper. It is well worth the extra time it takes to clip coupons when you add up the amount of money I save on groceries! And I always buy things I will use, nothing goes to waste.

Low Fat Banana Bread Recipe

2010-04-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

My friends keep asking me if I have a low-fat banana bread recipe. At the time I did, but I never thought it tasted that great. Last week I received the Spring 2010 Ministry Health Care newsletter in the mail and there it was.... a low-fat banana bread recipe. Guess what I made last night!

The result is.... this is a good bread. It's not as rich as traditional banana bread recipes, but the family liked it and I felt better serving it. Even my 6 year old chowed this one! My changes to the recipe are listed below the nutritional information.

Low-fat Banana Bread

4 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
2 bananas, very ripe and mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup skim milk
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a full sized bread pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

In a large bowl; beat egg white and sugar until fluffy. Beat in bananas, applesauce, milk, oil and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Don't fill more than 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean - About 1 hour.

Nutritional information per serving for 10 servings:
Calories: 176
Fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: .22 g
Cholesterol: .16 mg
Carbs: 36 g
Protein: 4 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sodium: 490 mg

Changes I made: I made this recipe in 3 mini loaf pans instead of one large bread pan because it is more kid friendly. I baked the bread for 35 minutes.
Next time I would add approximately 1 teaspoon cinnamon for a little kick of flavor.

Recipe courtesy of St. Clare's Culinary Creations, Ministry Health Care.

Lessons Learned from a Child

2010-04-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the whole family went for a walk. My husband and I walked while pushing our infant and my two older daughters rode their bikes in front of us. As we were walking along, the two girls took off in a race on their bikes. They stayed on the side of the road which was loose gravel. My 6 year old is still new at riding a bike without training wheels and was going a little too fast. The gravel caught her wheel and made her spin out. Panic came over me as I saw her fly off the bike and across the gravel using her chest as a skid board. As I ran to grab her, I saw big tears rolling out of her eyes and blood on her arm. She skinned up her elbow, arm, belly and leg. We brushed her off, wiped the tears and walked home to clean her up. She cried the whole way home, and no doubt it was a painful fall.

After cleaning the wounds and applying a big bandage (the bigger the better!), she started to feel better. A little chocolate chip ice cream also helped!!! This morning she woke up and announced her arm and leg hurt. Yes, I knew it hurt but we have to wait for it heal. On the way to school she started laughing about the incident. "Mom, did I skid far when I fell?" "Yes, you skid a little bit." "Cool!!!!"

What I learned from my 6 year old daughter... When you take a hard fall that really hurts, you need to get up, brush yourself off and move on. Everything and everyday is a learning experience and she learned not to ride so fast on gravel.

What did you learn today?????

Family Favorite and Kid Friendly Banana Chip Muffins

2010-04-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

These are a HUGE favorite in my house when I have extra bananas past their prime. My kids eat these for breakfast and snacks and can't get enough of them.

Banana Chip Muffins

1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Beat egg, oil and sugar until smooth. Stir in bananas and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and stir them into the banana mixture until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins test done. Makes 1 dozen.

NOTES:
I have used regular sized chocolate chips without a problem.

I make mini muffins for the kids and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes.

Check muffins 5 minutes before the done time as the actual baking time varies based on altitude and wetness of the batter.

Great Values on Breakfast Items

2010-04-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

So this morning I stopped at the grocery to use my coupons on double day. We have one store that will double up to 5 coupons that are $1 or less on Wednesdays only. They had a deal if you buy 7 boxes of cereal at full price you get $7 plus 3 coupons for a free gallon of milk... here's how my shopping played out...

I purchased 7 boxes of Kelloggs cereal.... all the flavors the family likes.
plus 2 boxes of go-gurt
plus 3 pound bag of apples
plus 1/2 gallon strawberry milk

Coupons I had:
3 coupons for $1 off Kelloggs cereal... doubled for $6 off
1 coupon for $1 off fresh fruit when I buy one box of cereal... double for $2 off
1 coupon for $1 off any size milk when you buy one box of cereal... double for $2 off
1 coupon for $.80 off gogurt

I got the $7 off plus $10.80 in coupons and ended up paying $16.XX. PLUS... 3 coupons to get a free gallon of milk with my next purchase. PLUS... $.10 off in gas up to 20 gallons.

I was thrilled. Name brand cereal and yogurt plus fruit and flavored milk.

2010-04-04T18:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter. I wanted to share some new sewing blogs I have come across and enjoy reading. Now that baby number three has been born, I am slowly trying to get back into sewing and crafting custom clothing and accessories. All three girls are great testers and enjoy having their own "samples".

Sewing blogs:
http://sewchic.blogspot.com/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://scientificseamstress.blogspot.com/

I will be doing a craft show on April 24th at the Key to Life Community Center in Weston, WI. I plant to have a few new items to showcase, such as a tooth fairy pillow and activity bag for kids. Message me if you need information on the location.

Cinnamon Bun Bread

2009-10-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

I fell upon this recipe for cinnamon bun bread and just had to give it a try this morning. OH YUM! I hate making from scratch cinnamon rolls as they are time consuming, however this recipe was SOOOO EASY! It really was. The whole family loved it, even the girls. I whipped it up in about 20 minutes, maybe a little more with the letting the dough set a bit. After 30 minutes in the oven they were done. Yummy sweat cinnamon bread in less than an hour. Now this recipe is more like a coffee cake than cinnamon rolls, however the taste is there and that is what counts!

The recipe is located at Baking Bites: http://bakingbites.com/2008/09/quick-and-easy-cinnamon-bun-bread/

Give it a try!

The Blog is BACK!!!

2009-07-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Yes I took quite a bit of time off from blogging. Mostly because I was going through a lot at the time and needed to re-group and find myself. I think I am found now and ready to get back in the game!!!

What's new...
I am PREGNANT! Yup, since I am a work at home mom now, we decided to have that one more child we always wanted. Both girls are so excited and old enough to understand what is going on. I am currently 16 weeks, and due January 12, 2010.

Second, I started freelance writing and it is going really well. I enjoy it so much and am making more than I was at my previous job (mostly because of cutbacks). I am less stressed and have A LOT more time to spend with the family.

So that's a start to the re-starting of my blog!!!

Whoops... what happened?

2009-02-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

Where have I been??? Well, I have a totally new aspect on life as I am no longer working full time. Big changes have happened and have kept me from keeping up on my blog. But I am back now, so keep checking in!!!

I will upload some new "catch up" pictures soon!

Check out my store at etsy.com

2008-11-16T20:58:00.001-08:00

Check out MY STORE at www.etsy.com. I will be posting items as they come available. If you want custom creations, feel free to contact me directly. Also, check out my OTHER blog to see what is happening with my boutique creations.

Wallhanging Top Finished...

2008-06-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

I finished the top for this wall hanging this past week. I still have to do some appliqué stitching and quilt it, but this is the top so far. I did it as part of a pattern tester for the www.woodsandquilts.com website. It was so much fun to do as I was able to use only fabrics in my stash or scrap bin. I haven't done appliqué like this in a long time. Mostly it has been required fabrics and not ones that I can pick.

I have another Blog

2008-06-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of creating a second blog to showcase my boutique, quilting and fiber art business. There isn't much there yet, but it is a work in progress. I am very excited about how well my quilt kits are selling on ebay. Today I talked with a local gallery owner, whose kids go to school with mine. She is looking for a fiber artist to demonstrate skills and possibly have items for sale at her gallery. I am very excited about this and will get some samples together in the next two months so I can present them to her. She is hoping to have things in place by fall for the Christmas season.

So check out my "other" blog at http://boutiquecreationsetc.blogspot.com/

Welcome to my store...

2008-04-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am finally starting to do something I have always wanted to do. I love sewing and quilting and have always wanted to start a store, teach classes and create patterns. I started with the first... I am selling quilting kits on ebay. I just started and have cut block kits for now. Next step is to create some patterns and put them together as kits.

Go to www.ebay.com and search for brneyed. You can see what I currently have for sale. I also want to set up an online store and start marketing my items!!!

Boring...

2008-04-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

This blog is nothing if not BORING... I need to liven up my life. I am like a cat but instead of sleep, eat, sleep.... it's work, work, work, eat junk, work, work, run, sleep, dream of work. UGHHHH... I need a life. Then I come home and play on this lap top all night. I think my girls think I live on this thing.

So I want to share some things happening with learning in our house. Emma was invited to participate in a literacy group. There are 3 meetings and we just finished out second one. The kids are broken into groups by age and go off with high school student teachers to read some books. Then the parents are told about ways to increase literacy in the house for the kids. This meeting focused on writing. There were so many cool things to do, but the one that stuck out was having a writing note journal. So Emma got a notebook and wrote me a note. I am supposed to check her notebook as often as I can and write her a note back. So it will be a back and forth thing. She is keeping it tucked under her pillow and is very excited. I think this is awesome because she has struggled with reading and writing last and is now catching up. I am very proud of her.

Happy Easter!!

2008-03-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I was a bad mom this year. I didn't make the girls anything for Easter this year. At least last year I crocheted cute little flower purses. Nope, nothing this year. I even bought the dresses (but they were on sale and cute!!!). So I have to make it up to them by making other things this spring!

I think all my race training, crazy work issues, and just plain stressful life is now preventing me from doing things I like. Or maybe I just have so many things I want to do that I have run out of time in a day? Can't house cleaning and other chores go on a "wait" list?????

I did it...

2008-01-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

Yes siree, on January 13, 2008 I completed my first full marathon. It was by far one of the hardest things I have ever done. I ran with Mel from my WISH running team and we were both dying by mile 17. Did we give up... Nope, we struggled with it, but both crossed that finish line and collected our Mickey Medal.

Now the struggle... I need to get the motivation to keep working out, especially run. I have done it a total of ONE time this week. Ok, yes I know I am on a down since the marathon, but I really need to get my butt in gear.

Cool note... I booked another trip to Disney to run the final ever Minnie Marathon. This will be the last Minnie race as it is being replaced with another race. I need a Minnie Medal. I am also planning to run either the Green Bay or Madison 1/2 marathon... or I could go NUTS and run both. Nah....

New Year, New Me

2008-01-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

Yah, blah blah blah... doesn't everyone say that. Well, really 2008 couldn't be worse for me than 2007. I mean, yes some really drastic things could happen to me or my family. But with all the personal crappola I have gone through, it's gotta get better for me.

OK... so January 13 is the start of something new. On that day I will be running my first full marathon. 26.2 miles of pure agony and excitement all rolled into one!!! I swore that I would never do this to myself, but thank God I had my training this year. Running is about the only thing that has combated all the stress in my life last year. So on January 13 I will start something new. I will have a beautiful Mickey Medal around my neck, tears in my eyes and enough motivation to lose the last 30 pounds I need to!!!!

So what else for the New Year... Here is the start of my list....
Don't give up on running
Make more time for my crafts and projects
Blog more
Work on eliminating my debt
Give more love to my kids and DH

Hmmm, this is good for me. I think I need to write out my goals more often. OK... so I will work on these for now and add more as needed.

It's a little late, but I have to share!

2007-11-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

Yah, I know it's a little late but I wanted to show off my little angels on Halloween. Life has been giving me lots of lemons and time is just not my friend. So better late than never.

My little angels are so creative. Little "K" wanted to be Tinkerbelle for halloween, so Big Sis "E" decided to be a pirate (like Captain Hook, only a girl and cute). Then she tells me "mom, aren't you glad we aren't princesses again this year!" Well, yes I am, but I miss my little princesses also. So here they are...

Oh... but it gets better. My family is just plain Disney NUTS.... So check out "E's" pumpkin. It ROCKED!!!! And she got a cupcake for her birthday which is 2 days before Halloween. She thinks Halloween is birthday and everyone owes her something, but she is young so we just play along!!

How Many Days Till Christmas???

2007-10-26T18:17:00.001-07:00

OK, I had to share. I can't believe we are almost in November, so when I came across this site I just knew I had to share it in case anyone wanted to get a jump start on Christmas. I am not sure how I missed this site before.

http://www.northpole.com

It has a ton of recipes and fun things for the kids. And even a link to the NORAD Santa Tracker.

Enjoy!!!

Ohh my aching legs!!!

2007-10-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

OK, off the craft blogs and on to running. I have done all my training this week except for today because my knees ache. Tomorrow my miles ramp up and I will be running 9 miles for my marathon training. I forgot how it is to train in the fall and winter in Wisconsin. You can never predict the weather.

So, last weekend I ran the Rump Roast Run in Minocqua, WI. I did the 10K this year after really enjoying the 5K race last year. The 10K has much fewer runners, so I knew my slowness would put me at the back of the pack. Well, after the final out and back I counted 7 people behind me. YAHOOO.... SEVEN PEOPLE! That made me so happy. At the 5K point I was at a personal record, so I knew I would do OK for the 10K... which again was a personal record. OK note here... I have not ran that many 10K's, but a PR is a PR!!!!

Looky what I found...

2007-09-28T18:57:00.001-07:00

I was going through old pictures and I found one from last summer. I made these Bob the Builder pants for my nephew, then ended up making another pair for a friend of mine. The pants are corduroy with The Bob in pieced appliqué. They were so fun to make. Oh and yes, I do consignment work!!!

2007-09-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

OK, here is my list of UFO's (un-finished objects) that I need to be accountable for. If I post them here, maybe I will actually get them done!!!

Emma's Sweater
DH's Sweater
Flannel Mickey Pants
Need to start and finish a new quilt for baby neice born 2 weeks ago

Well, that's a good start. Now I need to finish them. I will keep you posted.

Oh WOW, my very own Blog!!!

2007-09-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting a blog for ages, and now I finally have one. I couldn't be more tickled!!!! Now my craziness needs to come up with interesting things to blog about, OR, maybe no one cares. Well, none the less, I am going to use this blog to update everyone on my various talents and crazy life!!!!