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I got a new book! Ok, so I got it a while ago, but I just started it. I am so excited. I love it. Do you ever read things that you should only read a certain amount each day, and don't stop? I feel like I'm cheating, but sometimes I just can't stop! 

I needed a little bit of down time before diving into ,y work for the day, and this book was a perfect starter.

Happy Tuesday Friends!

 

One Week Down [Battle of Electronics Update]

With the kids off electronics, I'm off electronics a majority of the time also. It's been nice. A little break from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. [ive been on Pinterest a lot though. We are beautifying the backyard!] The kids took things hard the first few days, but it's become easier. Now they are fighting over toys,instead of computer space. There's more hitting, but there's more interaction. I think I'm winning. 

The weather has been so nice. We've been outside, and playing, and working in the yard. It's a trick though, a storm is coming on in this evening apparently. No one asked me how I felt. Now it'll be back to the rain, stuck inside, and trying to keep the electronics hidden. 

I covered our dining room table in paper, and left the markers and crayons out last week, so now I need to top that. Maybe I'll leave the play doh and cookie cutters out this week. I need a good activity that isn't too horribly messy, so that w can still eat on our table for meals. Hmmm, Pinterest I'm coming for you! 

Back to the electronics though, daddy got ratted out. Brax asked me, "why can't you let us do what Daddy does." We'll kid, because daddy says stop, and you guys stop. I say stop, and you guys still scream and fight, and yell and act like banshees. That's why. So Daddy has been allowing secret electronic time. Well, I let Brax play a little computer when Bo is sleeping. But that's it. He earns it though. We've finished TWO George Brown and the super burp books. At 5, I'm pretty stoked. He's a reader. Gooooo me! 

I still haven't figured out quite what kind of chart I'm going to make, and how these electronics will be used as rewards, but it's sure working nice just not having them. The kids are using their imaginations, and playing together. That's what this whole thing is about. Sure, I have fold laundry on my couch, and dishes in my sink from stopping mid chore to break up fights, or issue timeouts, but it's worth it. 

Massage & Reflexology Healing

Almost 4 weeks ago my papa passed away suddenly. It was such a shock, and such an emotional time for my family and I.  The next day, I woke up and my body was extremely sore. I was emotionally drained, and it had taken its toll on my body. The followings week I had called and scheduled my first deep tissue massage. The pain in my right shoulder was so intense, I didn't know what else to do. Once I got to the salon, I began talking with the therapist, and she informed me that if you are under emotional stress, your body is more sensitive. (Wait... What?) No wonder my body was a hot mess. She explained to me that a deep tissue massage, though seemed right, wouldn't be good for my body. I probably wouldn't be able to handle it. So she gave me a nice soothing massage with some reflexology thrown in. It was such an amazing experience, and she was so fantastic at explaining to me how, and what my body was going through. 

It made me start thinking. I really would love a spa getaway. A weekend away of reflexology in woodinville wa. Nothing but pampering, and relaxation in a little b&b. sign me right up. I would love to have a full reflexology session. I also want one of those little foot bath things where it detoxes your feet, and the water turns black. I have so many spa services that I would like to try. 

The more I sit here and think of it, I would love to own a little b&b spa place in some beautiful countryside town. Maybe once my kids are grown and hubs can retire, I can talk him into a girly lifestyle of pampering for the remainder of our lives. 

I can see it now, a cute little farmhouse with a few bedrooms up stairs, that can all be rented out to a party of girlfriends. A sauna, relaxation room, a solarium, and a big cozy family room where everyone can get together and discuss the services over a hot cup of tea. Alright, it's official. I am making this dream a Pinterest board. That's what Pinterest is for right, keeping all of your thoughts neatly organized? I can't wait to get started. If you don't already, follow me on Pinterest at sillybeautiful to see my inspiration for my new dream.

It's is a sponsored post. All of the opinions and ideas are entirely my own.

War Against Electronics

I have a confession, electronics keep my kids occupied so that I can get something done in my house. My 2.5 year old can get around any phone, and website, or tablet with ease. He has his own log in on the computer, so that way, he doesn't mess anything up on my page.  

However, my kids don't drone out all day, they do play, and interact, but not as much as they probably should. I entertained them completely for waayyyy too long as infants. Now, I'm paying the price. All day. Every day. 

So Friday, I had a full basket of clean clothes, all folded and sorted, and ready to just be put in the drawers. (Never mind the fact they weren't put away yet.) Brax jumped right through them to get to my phone, which was on Bodens hands. Clean clothes, everywhere. I basically lost my mind. Then my phone rings, and hubs asks for lunch. I am hysterically crying at this point. So he stops by the house, and helps me unplug everything with a screen, and things with batteries got put up on top of the fridge. My kids had a crazy insane meltdown. Brax ended up in his room, screaming. Boden however, got an action figure and pulled the info part out of a DVD and made a tent. I was crying, and hubs, who wanted lunch, probably wished he would have made his own that morning. 

Today is Monday, and there was only one show this morning while we were getting ready, there has been no computer, their tablets are still on top of the fridge, and my cell phone is no longer a damn toy. I am on a mission to make electronics rewards again. I know that by the time my kids are in middle school, tablets will replace books, but for now, I need to have the power. I am thinking up an awesome chart design to earn electronic time. 

How do you guys limit time, or use? I need all the tips I can get. 

Green Cleaning

I have been thinking about going all green with my household cleaners for some time now. I have all of the ingredients to make my own laundry soap, and I've actually made my own dish detergent. Here's my deal, yeah, I made it at home, but when I have to add drops of dawn dish soap, how "green" is that? I added Kool-Aid to my dish detergent. Doesn't seem so green. 

I have been looking up green cleaners on Pinterest and google, and I found http://www.econutssoap.com. Soap nuts... Really? These things look so dang cool. You put them in a bag in your washer with the rest of your clothes, and tah dah, clean clothes. 

Who knew cleaning products were so exciting? ;) I just think throwing nuts in my machine sounds like more fun than pouring liquid. However, since I have purchase all the stuff to make said detergent, I am going to make it this weekend. There are so many variations on Pinterest but it seems to boil down to borax, washing soda and fels-naphtha. Hubs brought me home a 5 gallon bucket from work. Sweet right. He left out that it was used to hold oil... Not exactly what I want to make my laundry soap in. I feel like ill be heading to Freddie's for a clean one. In any case, I'm hoping this turns out good. 

Another one I planned on trying was fabric softener, but it called for scented suave... Definitely not very green. More like cheap. No thanks, I wouldn't use that in my hair, so I don't want to use it to soften my kids clothes! I feel like some of these recipes of so called "green" cleaning are really just a cheap way to make it yourself. 

I like to buy the Seventh Generation products from my Fred Meyers. Especially when I can find them on sale for like 40% off. That to me, is green cleaning for a steal. Are there any legit green cleaning recipes you guys have to pass on? Have you tried any that were a colossal waste of precious time and money? 

This is a sponsored post, but all the opinions and thoughts are solely my own.

My Lawn Mower. (And Other Outside Issues)

This is my backyard. It's little, and cute, and a pain in the butt to mow. I thought it'd be awesome to own a house, and get to decorate my lawn however I want. But... I suck at landscaping apparently. It would be so much easier to have one of those fancy lawn trucks come with their fancy commercial lawn mower and take care of my yard for me. However, I am not made of money. So, I need to get my butt in great, and read up on how to keep my grass green and my plants alive. 

Pinterest gives me all this beautiful inspiration to fill my head with

I love all of the beautiful flowers, and I spend a dumb amount of money on them every year, and every year, they die. I try to read up about what kind of sunlight they need, and the type of soil they thrive in, but eventually, I just want them in the ground to show off all their color. So I plant them. Ad they die. Every. Year.

This year, I've got a plan. I am going to take pictures of my planter areas and spend one day watching the sun pattern,  and take  that to my local nursery, and ask what stays alive!  Also, I'm going to buy a real lawn mower. I currently own a old school push one.you know, 1950's dad out in his khakis and polo mowing... That's me, minus the man part, and the clothes. I mow nude. I kid, I kid, I mow in shorts, because it takes me hours to mow my tiny square of grass. I've even had a neighbor offer to help.  But I did it. Once. And I'm done with it,unless its for decor purposes. 

I just want a simple, pull to start and tah dah lawn mower. Then I can have a pretty lawn. Then I'll advance to a whole yard of prettiness once I get plants that stay alive. 

Bring it on Spring, I'm going to own my yard this year!

This is a sponsored post, but all of the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kiddo Down!

Last night we had attempted family movie night. We rented Ice Age Continental Drift. All got pjs on, and turned the lights down, snuggled on the couch. For about 15 minutes it was a picture of perfection. And quiet! Then Bo decided he had enough with Ice Age and went and played on the computer. (Which was quite amazing actually, but that's another story) Then... The deep, phlegm cough cuddled up with Brax. :( He drank his warm juice, and tried his best to stifle his coughing fits. 

We finished up the movie, and Brax and I went into the bathroom for a steam sesh. He thought he was so cool because I brought in the Sunday comics, and let him read them while sitting on the back of the toilet. It worked while we were in there. As we came out, so did the cough. Some Zarbees night time cough knocked little dude right out, and he got to get a good, cough less, night sleep. 

This morning the fits are back. We steamed again, and we've still got the cough. 

I'm slightly paranoid because I just read that there are 4 cases of whooping cough in our little town. Luckily none of them are Brax's age,but still. So far today, warm juice, Vicks on the kiddos chest and feet, and cough meds are keeping life calm. But as the day progresses, I've got eagle eye on the kid. 

It's sad when the monsters get sick. Brax told me that he was sad because he would never be able to go to school again. And he was seriously concerned.  I reassured him that school will still be there in a couple days (and the rest of his life) and that he wasn't going to miss much. Thank goodness for the dollar store workbooks. I've got those babies stocked up for years! So he feels like he gets special school on sick days. Plus I get to watch him do his work, and it's fun for me too. 

Do you guys have any go to recipes for getting the kids back to health in no time?  Or do you have special things the kids get to do when they are sick?