Striving For Perfection

On Saturday we made the journey south to the Iowa City/Coralville area for the Flip For Food Invitational.  Normally I would not consider the roughly 30 miles a journey, but Saturday was different.  The kickoff for the home Hawkeye Football game was at the exact same time as stretching began.  Therefore, it was a journey amongst all of the other Iowans going out to watch the Hawkeyes in their devastating loss to Ohio State.

Background on Kaitlyn's 2010 Season
Kaitlyn is competing Level 6 this season and is off to a rough start.  Taking most of the month of July off due to a broken finger and prior commitments did not help her Level 6 season.  Her bars suffered the worst from her injury, as she could not grip the bar for nearly a month and she was not in the gym for strength and conditioning as she needed to be. 

Saturday's Determining Factor
She started out Saturday's meet competing bars first.  My thoughts as a former gymnast, former coach, and "gym mom" were that starting out the day on bars could go one of two ways, very well or very bad.  So, as a mom I told myself that a good bar routine was the ONLY option.  I watched each gymnast compete their routine and receive their score - the judging seemed pretty fair.  So, near the end of the rotation it was Kaitlyn's turn.  There were many things to be thankful for - she did not stop, she did not fall off, and her form was much better than usual - so it left me hoping for an average score, which it was.  She started out the day on a GOOD note. 

Onto Beam
Next Kaitlyn was moving on to beam, an event that she has the ability to do very well on.  However, for those of you who have been on a balance beam before, you know the one tiny mistep will send you off of the beam and onto the mat.  Before I tell you about her actual routine, let me tell you my thoughts as she approached the beam.  She walked toward the beam for her turn, she looked up into the stands and grinned, and then spent the remainder of her time before presenting to the judge trying to figure out which side of the beam she needed to start on.  I was prepping myself for the worst because she was obviously not concentrating.  The first skill after her mount is a heel-snap-turn (I know, gymnastics lingo, I apologize) - she almost always wobbles on it and sometimes will fall.  She stuck it without a single wobble.  Now I am wondering what the rest of the routine will bring - not a single major wobble in the whole routine and no falls.  Whew, escaped the beam with a 9.0 - 2nd place!!!  WAHOOOOOOO!!!

Finishing the Day
Floor is usually her best event, but Saturday was just average and Vault was about her normal.  Overall, I felt that she had a good day for her.  Her personal all-around score improved from the previous meet by over THREE POINTS!  I love that she has the determination to continue improving her skills and routines rather than just giving up.  This is a true testament to the way that she has been raised, her strong will, and passion for success.  CoNgRaTs KaItLyN on a GREAT Performance!!!

The Holiday Hustle and Bustle

Every year as the holidays approach kitchens fill with the smell of delicious baked goods, kids start making lists and being really well-behaved, parent's schedules seem to be packed, the stores are overflowing with shoppers, and TRAFFIC - let's not get me started on traffic.  It's easy to get caught up in all of the extra hustle and bustle of the season.  Many people get overwhelmed and become short tempered and grumpy. 

I absolutely LOVE the holidays and everything that comes with it.   When I start to feel stressed I remind myself of the "spirit" of the season and how many wonderful things that I am thankful for.  This year I am even more excited than usual because Kaitlyn and Dillon are SO excited. 

Our family decorates for Christmas right after Thanksgiving.  I am looking forward to all of the "help" that I am going to have putting ornaments on the tree and getting the decorations out in the house.  There will be a mixture of feelings when we plug the tree in for the first time.  Kaitlyn will appreciate the whole tree, Dillon will be mesmerized by the lights, Emy will want to put the lights in her mouth (if only she could reach them), and Lucky will be afraid at first. 

During Kaitlyn's break from school next week we are going to sit down and write our letters to Santa.  It's like I am a young child all over again - helping Dillon look through all of the toy catalogs that we have and watching his eyes light up as he says, "I want that.  I want that." 

Christmas Eve night is my absolute favorite part of the holiday season - it is our amazingly simple family ritual that I love so much.  We spend a few hours just driving through neighborhoods looking at different Christmas light displays.  It is peaceful and a non-technology time for our family.  We go to mass on Christmas Eve and it is a BEAUTIFUL mass.  Then it's time to head home and put the kids to bed so Santa can come during the night. 

There are so many great things about the season - my mom's pumpkin bread, all the time with family, the decorations, the lights glistening off of the snow, the bright eyes of young kids, and the celebration of Christ's birth.  I hope you are getting in the holiday spirit - remember to appreciate the meaning of the season and enjoy the hustle and bustle.  Make a to-do list, start on it early, and check things off as you go to keep from feeling overwhelmed and grumpy!!!  May God bless you and your family during this season and always!

Happy Holidays!

Food Fridays - Easy Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad

Hope that everyone is having a GREAT Friday.  I have some wonderful recipes for you today.  They are proclaimed "easy" recipes for those nights when you are busy or just do not want to cook. 

Hawaiian Chicken
From Loretta's Kitchen

4-6 boneless breast of chicken
1-2 cups of ketchup
1-2 cups of honey
1 can pineapple rings
Marachino cherries (optional)
2 pouches Success White Rice

Mix 1-2 cups of ketchup with 1-2 cups of Honey
Place chicken breast in a 9x11 casserole dish
Pour Honey/Ketchup mixture over top of chicken
Place pineapple rings over top of chicken (along w/marrachino cherries
if desired)
Bake in oven at 350 for 45-50 minutes
Cook rice according to package directions

Serve chicken over top of rice
Pick a vegetable of your choice to go with the meal and add a quick salad.

Easy Pork Chops
From Carrie's Kitchen

- 4 Pork Chops
- 1-4 Tbs Brown Sugar
- 1/4-1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 can Mexicorn
- 1 can Chicken Broth
- 1 package Cornbread Stuffing
- 2 Tbs Butter

Mix 1 Tbs Brown Sugar and 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder and Rub on Pork Chop (I add more brown sugar and garlic powder mixture as needed to coat the pork chops).  Brown pork chops in 1 Tbs of Olive Oil.  Combine 1 can of Mexicorn, 1 can of Chicken Broth, 1 package Cornbread Stuffing, and 2 Tbs of Butter.  Put browned pork chops on top of the mixture and cook on medium heat for 12 minutes (I use my electric skillet for this recipe).

Serve with rolls or cornbread.

Taco Casserole
From Lannette's Kitchen

- 1 lb Hamburger
- Pepper and Onion (optional)
- Taco Seasoning
- 4 cups of Southern-Style Hashbrowns
- 10 oz Frozen Corn
- 1/2 lb Velveeta Cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
Brown 1 lb hamburger with peppers and onions. 
Stir in taco seasoning and water (according to package directions). 
Add 4 cups of Southern-Style Hashbrowns, corn, and Velveeta.  Mix.  Spoon into 9x13.  Cover and Bake 20 minutes.  Stir and Bake uncovered an additional 15 minutes. 

I serve with a salad and sometimes with refried beans.  Enjoy!

Send Me Your Favorites

I would LOVE to make Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad a weekly topic on my blog so, please feel free to send me an email with some of your favorite, easy recipes to cdheims@yahoo.com.  Not only will I be blogging about them, but I will probably be trying them out in my own kitchen!!

Veteran's Day

This post is dedicated to ALL Veteran's, especially Roy Hook (my grandfather), Bobby Edwards and Braidy Allen.

I wanted to honor and recognize all those who have fought and are fighting for our country in the armed forces.  I have done some research this morning on the origin of Veteran's day and I would like to share that with everyone. 

Veteran's Day is celebrated each year on November 11th.  The date November 11th was chosen because World War I formally ended in the 11th hour of the 11th month of the 11th day of 1918.  Woodrow Wilson declared the first Veteran's Day holiday in 1919 and he was quoted saying, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."  The actual bill making November 11th a holiday was signed by Dwight Eisenhower on May 26, 1954 and on June 1st the word "Armistice" was replaced with "Veteran's".  

Today we are honoring nearly 25 million United States military veterans.  Thank You for your service and may God Bless You Today and Always.

Lovin' The Priceless Moments

When I sat down at my computer this morning I began brainstorming ideas for this blog post.  I felt that all of my ideas were coming up short and then it hit me as I was watching Dillon sing and do the actions to "Itsy Bitsy Spider".  Today, as Thanksgiving approaches, I need to give thanks for the little moments in my life, the moments that I am here for because I have been granted the opportunity to work from home while raising my kids.  I do have those days/moments where I think it would be so nice to go back to work, then I think about all of the priceless moments that I would miss. 

Each of the three kids have their own PRICELESS Moments.

My Little Kaitlyn

 

My Fourth Grader

Kaitlyn is in Fourth Grade already.  She only has EIGHT more years at home and then she will be going out into the world - hopefully to college.  I am incredibly thankful to be at home when she arrives home from school everyday so that I can hear her stories from the day while they are fresh in her mind.  I can drop her off at school and pick her up when the weather is bad.  Her friends can come over on early-outs and I love to hear their laughter as they eat their snacks or play.



My Baby Dillon



My TWO Year Old

Dillon is TWO - he is growing physically and developing mentally each day.  He is a little sponge, picking up on something new each day.  He is almost 100% potty-trained and is incredibly excited about his "unnies" (a.k.a. undies).  I love to watch his eyes light up as he is able to communicate a message with me about even the most simple things.  Then there is our time in the morning when only Mommy will do - he runs out of his room, straight into my arms, and wants his snuggle time with me.  And, last but not least, there are moments that are just adorable, like him singing and acting out "The Itsy Bitsy Spider".



Emy at One Day Old




Sitting at 7 1/2 Months

Emylia is growing so fast.  She is quite the peanut, very different from her siblings.  I am thankful to be able to peak in on her when she is napping - she looks so peaceful in her crib sucking her thumb with her blanket by her face.  When she is playing, she catches me watching her, gives me the biggest toothless grin possible, and melts my heart.  This week marks a couple milestones her in development - first, she has started sitting without the support of her one arm and second, she is crawling on all fours more often than her army crawl.  Before I know it, she will be walking and talking.
These are the moments that make me realize that right now I am exactly where I am supposed to be.  I am supposed to be building my home-business with Ameriplan, watching/helping my kids grow and learn, and being here for them 100% of the time. 

Friday's Special - Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad

I would like to thank everyone who has been contributing to my Friday blog posts.  I enjoy trying everyone's new recipes and I think that my family is enjoying having new things for suppper as well. 

Here are this Friday's new recipes.  I hope that you enjoy them as well.  All of today's recipes came from Lannette's kitchen.

Farmer's Delight Casserole

1 pkg noodles

1 can corn

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small can mushrooms

1 lb hamburger fried & drained

Velvetta cheese

Cook package of noodles until limp, drain most of the water off.  Combine noodles, corn, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, mushrooms & hamburger.  Add Velvetta cheese cut into chunks.  (cheese is added on how cheesy your family likes it).  Stir and cover.  Cook at 350° for 30 minutes and serve.

Taco Pie

1lb ground beef

1 can refried beans

¾ c salsa

2tbl taco seasoning

1 tube Crescent rolls

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a 9 or 10 inch pie plate line the crescent rolls to create a crust.  Brown your hamburger, drain off grease, add in salsa, taco seasoning and refried beans ( I used no fat) .  Spoon meat mixture into piecrust, top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.  Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, chips or whatever taco fixins you enjoy.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb package angel hair pasta

2 cans cream of chicken soup

½ soup can of milk

1 lb chicken breast (cut up into small pieces)

3 T butter

Garlic salt to taste

Pepper to taste

4 C cojack cheese

Cook and drain pasta.  Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Put drained pasta in pan.  Spread 2 cups cheese over pasta.  Put butter, garlic salt, and pepper in a large saucepan.  Add chicken pieces to butter mixture.  Cook until chicken is no longer pink.  Add cream of chicken soup and mil.  Heat through.  Pour mixture over pasta and cheese.  Add remaining 2 cups cheese to the top.  Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.

Send Me Your Favorites

I would LOVE to make Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad a weekly topic on my blog so, please feel free to send me an email with some of your favorite, easy recipes to cdheims@yahoo.com.  Not only will I be blogging about them, but I will probably be trying them out in my own kitchen!!

Turning the "Terrible Twos" Into a Time for Fun Activities

TERRIBLE TWOS
Dillon turned two in July and it seems like every other word out of my mouth is "NO!".  After nearly four months of saying the same word over and over, I am ready to turn over a new leaf and find some new phrases.  I have decided that the best way to achieve peace in our lives is to begin occupying his time with different, age appropriate activities. 

ACTIVITIES FOR A TWO-YEAR-OLD
Art:  Two-year-olds love to scribble with crayons or chalk.  They love to color pictures, paint, play with play doh, or glue objects to paper creating their own art.

Music:  Two-year-old favorites include playing pat-a-cake, singing simple songs, dancing/acting out movements to music, and banging on the drums or shaking a tambourine. 

Quiet Time Activities:  Your toddler would enjoy sitting down to read and talk about a book, match like objects, put together puzzles, stack/unstack objects, and putting objects together like pop beads or Legos. 

Imaginary Play:  Toddlers should be encouraged to mimic housekeeping activities, dress-up, talk on toy telephones, and/or play with dolls.

Active:  Jumping, running, climbing, crawling, ball throwing/kicking and anything to do with moving are toddler favorites and a fair amount of active play should be encouraged each and every day!  If you live in a cold weather climate, build things with pillows, blankets, boxes, etc for your toddler to climb on, in, or through inside to get rid of some of your two-year-old's excess energy. 

One Other Idea
Changing your two-year-olds scenery and changing out toys every week or two can really help keep your toddler entertained longer.  Having two or three separate bins for toys and only bringing them out one at a time can create the illusion of having NEW toys.  Moving from the toy room to their bedroom for hours will give them a "new and different" place to play.  Each of these things can ease their boredom.

Wonderful Toddler Years
Keeping your two-year-old busy with age appropriate activities for the right amount of time should really help turn things around for you and give you the freedom to teach them positive two to three word phrases.  Won't "Great Job." and "You are such a BIG BOY." be better phrases than "NO!" 24/7.  I am looking forward to hearing my son start repeating all of the positive things that I say! 

3 More EASY Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad

As promised, I am back today to give you another THREE wonderful recipes that you can try out in your kitchen! 


FROM BROOKE'S KITCHEN
Sausage Mash Potato Pie

1. 1 pouch (from 7.2 oz box comes with 2 envelopes) Garlic mashed potatoes
2. 3/4 cup milk
3. 1/2 c water
4. 2 eggs beaten
5. 1 lbs Italian Sausage
6. 1/2 c onion
7. 1 c tomato sauce
8. 1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese

Pre-heat oven 375 spray glass pie plate.  Cook 1 pouch potatoes with 3/4 c milk and 1/2 water (DO NOT FOLLOW BOX DIRECTIONS FOR INGREDENTS). Let stand for 5m and stir in eggs. Spread into greased pan and up along the sides.

Cook sausage and onion until sausage is cooked through then add sauce, reduce heat for about 2 minutes and pour into pie plate.

Bake for 25-30 min until crust edges begin to turn golden brown, sprinkle cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

FROM LORETTA'S KITCHEN
Ground Meat and Gravy Over Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 lbs ground meat
1 bag frozen peas/pearl onions
1 Lg jar Heinz Brown gravy
Salt/Pepper

Mashed Potatoes - either "Simply Potatoes" Microwave mashed potatoes or homemade - what ever is easiest to save time! You can find the already prepared ones in your meat sections of the market.

Brown the ground meat in large frying pan and drain.
Add in the brown gravy and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Stir in the frozen peas/pearl onions and continue to simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes.

Salt & Pepper to taste

Serve over top the mashed potatoes.
Make a quick salad and Walla....dinner is done!

FROM MY KITCHEN
Enchilada Casserole

1 Can Chopped Green Chilis
1 Cup Chicken Breast Meat (I used canned chicken)
2 1/2 Cup Grated Cheese
1/3 Cup Salsa
1 Large Onion (chopped)
1/2 Stick Margarine
BIG Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
Bag of Tortilla Chips (we sometimes use Cool Ranch Doritos for change of flavor) - Crushed/Broken

Brown onion in butter and ad chilis and chicken soup.
Layer in the Crock Pot - Chips, Chicken/Soup Mix, Cheese, Chips, Chicken/Soup Mix, Cheese, Chips, Cheese. 
Heat on Low for about 2 Hours.

Serve Over Chips (like nachos).  We make a soup or salad to go with it and TADA, there is supper. 

Send Me Your Favorites
I would LOVE to make Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad a weekly topic on my blog so, please feel free to send me an email with some of your favorite, easy recipes to cdheims@yahoo.com.  Not only will I be blogging about them, but I will probably be trying them out in my own kitchen!!

Pumpkin Carving Time

Halloween is quickly approaching.  Carving pumpkins is a very exciting time for us!  We make it a family event and have a great time getting our hands all messy with pumpkin seeds!

Kaitlyn dug out her pumpkin all by herself and drew her own face - Chad still cut it out for her because Mom is a bit nervous of handing a 10-year-old a knife.  Dillon had his first experience digging the seeds out of his pumpkin.  At first, he wasn't sure about it, but eventually he became a big fan!  Emy just watched this year.

John came over to participate in the pumpkin carving party!  His first challenge was that he had us pick out a BIG, FAT pumpkin so he had to dig out a TON of seeds.  The second challenge was deciding what to carve.  He wanted to be creative so, he settled on BEARS.  Now, how to carve it???  It was funny, but he got it done. 

Top 3 EASY Recipes For The Busy Mom/Dad

Everyone has walked into their kitchen at suppertime, looked in EVERY cupboard, the refrigerator and the freezer, only to find that you are incredibly bored with the same old recipes.  Your family is going to be hungry in an hour or less so, where do you turn?!?  Usually I go to the Internet and use a search engine to look for a new, exciting recipe and find that I am missing ONE ingredient for each recipe that I find.  :*(  No new recipes tonight.

Well, I would like to share with you some of my family's favorite recipes (my favorites too because they are so easy to make).  Believe me, as a busy, work-at-home mom these recipes don't require a lot of prep work or unique ingredients! 

French Dip Sandwiches

Cook a Beef Roast on low in the crock pot all day with 1 can of French Onion Soup and 1/2 Can of Beer.
Serve Meat on French Rolls.
Dip Sandwiches in Au Jus (which is the soup and beer mixture).

I serve a fruit salad, vegetable, or french fries with the sandwiches and it makes an awesome meal.  Seriously, prep time is about 2 minutes - just open a couple cans and throw it all in a crock pot!

Bubble Pizza

Combine into Greased 9x13 pan:  

1 pound of Browned Hamburger

1 tube of Crescent Rolls torn into small pieces

1 can of Pizza Sauce

Optional - 1 Can of Mushrooms

Optional - Chopped or Minced Onion

Preheat Oven to 350 - Cook for 20 minutes.

Add Cheddar Cheese to Top and Cook for Additional 10 minutes.

I serve this with a second tube of crescent rolls and usually fruit.  Prep time usually takes about 10 minutes by the time you brown the hamburger and tear up the crescent rolls.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

1 Box Macaroni and Cheese (prepared without butter) or Homemade Macaroni and Cheese - Prepared
1 Pound Browned Hamburger
1 Can Stewed Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
Optional - Chopped or Minced Onion

Combine ingredients.  Preheat Oven to 400 and Cook for 10 minutes. 

I serve with rolls and a vegetable/fruit.  Prep time is about 10-15 minutes to brown hamburger and prepare macaroni.

Send Me Your Favorites
I would LOVE to make Recipes for the Busy Mom/Dad a weekly topic on my blog so, please feel free to send me an email with some of your favorite, easy recipes to cdheims@yahoo.com.  Not only will I be blogging about them, but I will probably be trying them out in my own kitchen!!

A Fun Day at Bloomsbury Farm

Chad, Mom and I took the kids to Bloomsbury Farm on Saturday for a day full of kid fun!!  The weather was absolutely perfect for a day out on the farm - a bit chilly when we arrived.

There was a big jumping pillow that the kids could play on.  We had a coupon for half price on unlimited jumping (can't beat that).  Kaitlyn and Dillon started jumping and were having an incredible time.  When more kids started jumping, Dillon decided that it just wasn't as much fun anymore.  AND... it probably didn't help that he saw the tractor start moving. 

So, next it was off to the tractor ride!  Dillon could have stayed on there all day, but Kaitlyn was a bit bored on the tractor ride.  It was more of a little kid ride, but Kaitlyn was a GREAT sport because she knew that the day was about "family fun" not just "Kaitlyn fun".

They also enjoyed playing on the tractor tires, the fun house, and the "Dred Shed".  I use the term "they" a bit loosley.  Dillon did not enjoy the Dred Shed - he screamed because he was SO scared, but Chad and Kaitlyn enjoyed it. 

That pretty well concluded our morning, so we stopped to each some lunch - hot dogs and burgers all around.  Then while our food settled a bit, we stopped to pick out pumpkins for Kaitlyn, Dillon, Emylia, and our favorite not so small kid, my brother, John. 

The Loot For Kate, Dillon & Emylia!

The last thing on our agenda for the day was to complete the adult corn maze.  Kaitlyn and Chad were working together as our guides - I thought we might be in trouble with those two in charge!  Emylia took a nap and Dillon was VERY relaxed in the stroller while we navigated through the paths in the corn.  We made it through and got to every check point, maybe not in the correct order, but we got to each mailbox AND, the two of them only managed to make us walk a few extra circles!

All and all, we had a wonderful day.  If you live in or near Atkins, Iowa, Bloomsbury Farm comes highly recommended from the Hook/Heims Family!

Power of Positive Thinking

Do any of us really know the true power that a positive attitude and outlook can have on our lives? 

The definition of positive is confident in opinion or assertion.  Attitude is defined as manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc. with regard to a person or thing, tendency or orientation, especially of the mind.   

Positive thinking and attitude are the root cause of many positive life benefits.  You are more likely to be successful, to live longer and happier with a positive attitude. 

A positive thinker is more likely to be a creative and constructive thinker as well.  Positive attitude provides you with inspiration, motivation and confidence to accomplish your goals. 

If you have been a pessimist or had a negative attitude your whole life, don't worry, it is not too late to change your ways!



Here are some tips to change from a pessimist/negative thinker to an optimist/positive thinker. 

1. When you begin thinking a negative thought, turn your thoughts towards the facts and evaluate.  What are the FACTS, not the FEAR, the FACTS?
2. Come up with alternate explanations and future outcomes.  Maybe your FEARED outcome is not the only outcome.
3. The last thing that you can do to change your way of thinking is to repeat affirmations to yourself each day like, "When a negative thought enters my mind, I am going to evaluate the facts and think of positive alternatives to the situation."

Positive attitude and thinking will change your outlook on life and your financial future.  Whatever it is that you want to achieve in life, you must start your journey by positive thinking.  The possibilities in your life are endless when you start looking at life with a positive attitude!

Let Me Show You Something Powerful in Network Marketing

I recently purchased a book called "The 45-Second Presentation That Will Change Your Life" by Don Failla.  He writes about 10 "Napkin Presentations".  The first "Napkin Presentation" made an incredibly powerful impact on me and even though I read the book at least three weeks ago, I still think about it on a daily basis.  I am going to give you the basics of this first presentation and hope that it really changes the way that you are thinking about your network marketing business or the way that you look at network marketing in general. 

The Nuts and Bolts of the First Presentation. 
You sponsor TWO people into your organization and teach those TWO people to do the same, they teach their TWO people to do the same, and so on.  Here is the mathematics of your new team to four levels deep.

You x 2 = 2 (Personal Downline)
2 x 2 = 4 (1st Generation)
4 x 2 = 8 (2nd Generation)
8 x 2 = 16 (3rd Generation)
Total Members of YOUR TEAM = 30

Now say you increase the number of people you bring into your organization by ONLY ONE PERSON.  You sponsorTHREE, your people sponsor THREE, etc.  Here is the math.

You x 3 = 3 (Personal Downline)
3 x 3 = 9 (1st Generation)
9 x 3 = 27 (2nd Generation)
27 x 3 = 81 (3rd Generation)
Total Members of YOUR TEAM = 120

One more time.  Increase your TWO by THREE and sponsor FIVE people, teach your people to sponsor FIVE people and so on.  Prepare yourself for this mathematics.

You x 5 = 5 (Personal Downline)
5 x 5 = 25 (1st Generation)
25 x 5 = 125 (2nd Generation)
125 x 5 = 625 (3rd Generation)
Total Members of YOUR TEAM = 780

Let's imagine that each of our team member's shares the product or service our company offers with only TEN people.  In our first example where each person sponsors TWO people, your team has 300 customers - PRETTY IMPRESSIVE!  In our final example where we sponsor FIVE people, your team now has 7800 customers - WOW!!

By minimally increasing your efforts and teaching each of your team members to do the same, you will be rapidly expanding your organization and in turn, your paycheck. 

Milk Protein Allergy in Infants

Emylia was a fussy baby - fussy just might be the most grossly understated thing that I say in this post.  She  only ceased crying when she was eating or asleep.  After asking the doctor about her "fussiness" at her two week check and two month check, I became adamant that there was something more going on.  Babies just DO NOT cry like she was for no reason.  The doctor's suggestion to me, "Try cutting down on your dairy intake.  It'll take about two to three weeks to see full improvement."  I was desperate for a few moments of silence each day so I cut the dairy from my diet.  She turned into a totally different baby within a couple weeks.  The doctor continued to tell me that she would probably grow out of it at three months old, then four months old, then six months old.  My husband grabbed the milk-based formula last night for her evening bottle and she chugged six ounces.  This morning she woke up and was soaked with vomit.  My poor baby.  I guess she hasn't grown out of this milk protein intolerance by six months either so I knew it was time to do some research on my own.  The following is a glimpse of my findings.



A milk protein intolerance is a condition in which an infant's digestive tract cannot fully process caesin or whey protein.  The symptoms range from mild to severe.  More mild symptoms are bloating, diarrhea, and/or vomitting.  The severe symptoms can be hives, difficulty breathing, and/or bloody stools. 

A milk protein intolerance and milk allergy are COMPLETELY different from lactose intolerance.  Lactose intolerance is a non-allergic food sensitivity.

The only treatment - DAIRY ELIMINATION (which is the same as if they had a milk allergy).  For a breastfed baby, the mother must eliminate dairy from her diet.  For a formula fed baby, a non-dairy formula must be used.  Noting that the second most common allergen in an infant is soy. 



A couple of substitutes for a nursing mother include oat or almond milk.  With the elimination of dairy, a mother should check with their physician to ensure they are getting adequate calcium and the adequate calorie intake. 

THE GOOD NEWS - Milk allergy is the most common allergy in babies, affecting 2%-3% of babies in developed countries.  85% to 90% of these babies will outgrow the allergy by age 3!!!!

Substitute Teacher Story of a 10-Year-Old

Kaitlyn arrived home from school last Friday afternoon just as she usually does.  However, Friday she was A LOT more wound up than usual.  One would think it was because it was a Friday and the weekend was finally here.  Let's just say that this was hardly the case.

She began hurriedly telling me about how "horrible" her day had been.  I swear that throughout this five minute story she only took a couple of breaths and by the end of her story, I was also speechless. 

Her day was horrible because they had a substitute teacher.  A little girl in their class had decided that they were going to all participate in being as loud and naughty as possible for the substitute teacher.  At one point during the day a teacher from across the hall stopped her own class to enter Kaitlyn's class.  She reprimanded them for their behavior, as they were disrupting her class by being SO LOUD.  Finally, the details of her day ended with, "By the end of the day, there were 8 (I think it was 8) of us standing in the room with our ears covered because it was so loud in our classroom." 

I told her that I was proud of her for making a good choice.  I also tried to teach her a little bit of empathy, "How do you think that the substitute teacher feels/felt?  What do you think that it is like to work with a different group of students everyday?  And, what if everyday, all the students acted like your class today?"  She "got" it, the message I was sending was ringing loud and clear.  We also discussed that the sub would probably leave a note for their regular teacher and the behavior would likely be addressed on Monday.

So, let's fast forward to Monday (yesterday).  Kaitlyn came home from school.  I asked her about her day.  She gave me the normal Monday answer, "It was good.  We had gym and library."  Then I probed a little bit more, "So, what did your teacher say about the behavior on Friday?  Did you guys receive a punishment?"  PREPARE TO BE ASTONISHED.  "No.  She (the teacher) just told us that it wasn't very nice of us to behave that way."

OMG, ARE YOU SERIOUS?  They didn't even have to write an apology or stay in from recess for five minutes, NOTHING????  No wonder our kids are turning out the way they are.  They think that they can get by with anything.  And who is to blame ... in this instance and in many others, it looks like we, the adults, the role models, the teachers, the parents are to blame. 

Similac Recall

It seems like every place I go people start talking to me about the Similac recall.  I guess that they strike up the conversation because I have a baby with me.  Since I keep hearing about everyone's opinions and thoughts EVERYWHERE I go, I thought I would blog about their thoughts and my own. 

I went to Target yesterday to return our recalled can of Similac Sensitive Soy.  Yes, my friends, I am one who was affected by the recall.  Our can of formula was about one-third of the way gone when they recalled it.  Emylia had never shown any signs or symptoms of the formula making her sick.  But ... she is only fed ONE bottle per day so that she will sleep longer at night.  The rest of the day she is a breastfed baby.

At Target my journey of people talking about the recall began.  The nice young girl at the customer service counter ... I asked her if they had been dealing with a lot of the recall returns and she responded that yes they had taken many cans back and that parents were very understandably upset.  I followed up her answer by asking if they were upset with Target.  Her response was the first one that made me want to blog about this situation.  She said, "Yes.  Very."  WHAT??? SERIOUSLY??? HOW WAS TARGET SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THE MANUFACTURER OF SIMILAC HAD CONTAMINATED THE FORMULA???  Target pulls the formula off of a truck, stocks it in their store and customers buy it.  PEOPLE USE YOUR HEADS!!!!  I know that it is incredibly upsetting when you give your children something that is potentially harmful to them, but Target or any other store that you purchased the formula from is only the third party tool used to link Similac and the customer.  If you want to take out your frustrations on someone, FIND THE NUMBER FOR THE COMPANY, CALL THEM, AND PREPARE FOR MORE FRUSTRATION WHEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT IN A LINE POTENTIALLY HOURS LONG TO ACTUALLY TALK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. 

Today while grocery shopping with Emylia and Kaitlyn, a daycare teacher began talking to me about the recall.  She was insistent that there were a set of twins out of the daycare with croup that was likely due to the recalled Similac.  Once again, REALLY???  Doctor's and experts have said publicly that the only thing that the use of this formula could cause is a stomach bug - a FAR cry from croup (which is breathing difficulty with a barking cough). 

Now, for my personal opinion.  I absolutely love and adore my kids.  I would do ANYTHING that is within my power to protect them from everything bad that I can in their life!  LET'S BE REALISTIC FOLKS - our kids will eat A LOT of things that are bad for them in their life that may make them sick.  Dirt, paper, worms, bugs, grass, wood chips, dog treats, dog food, the list goes on and on.  Just return your Similac to the store you bought it from or to Similac, choose a new brand of formula or buy one in a can instead of the plastic container, fill your baby's belly and MOVE ON!  Emylia is now eating "Up and Up Soy" formula for her nighttime bottle.  I'm completely over it - she is fine, happy and thriving, a minor bump in the road of life.

OK Followers.  I recently received an email about this post.  I must say, my opinion about the beetle recall has not changed.  BUT... the email I received said that there was a gentleman on the news who found a "rodent fetus" in a can of Similac Sensitive Powder Formula.  THAT IS COMPLETELY NASTY AND UNFORGIVABLE.  I WOULD BE CAUSING THE BIGGEST STIR POSSIBLE OVER THIS.  I AM NOT ALL FOR LAWSUITS, BUT IN THIS CASE, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY FILE A LAWSUIT.  NO ONE KNOWS WHAT KIND OF DISEASES THAT "RODENTS" ARE CARRYING AROUND. 

One more controversial opinion (prefaced by saying, Kaitlyn was a 100% formula fed baby).  I have never been so glad that my babies' (Dillon and Emylia) were/are breastfed.  That is the only way to know exactly what is going into your baby's body.  99% of their feedings I know that they have not consumed parts of a rodent or beetle.  It's the absolute right choice for me. 

How to Avoid Work At Home Scams

We have all heard a story (or two or ten) about someone who has been scammed by a "home-based business".  They joined a company that you only had to invest this much money and you were going to create a VERY LARGE return on your investment.  You give them your credit card number only to find out that they have stolen your identity, there will be no starter kit, or the company's system is not easily duplicated therefore, you will not be making any money.  Based on these stories, I decided to investigate how to avoid work-at-home scams. 

According to the National Consumers League's Internet Fraud Watch, these are some tips to follow to avoid being scammed.

#1 Know who you are dealing with.  
#2 Don't believe that you can make BIG profit EASILY. 
#3 Be cautious of emails offering work-at-home opportunities.  
#4 Get ALL of the details before you pay. 
#5 Find out if there is really a market for your work.
#6 Get references for other people who are doing the work.
#7 Be aware of legal requirements (ex. do you need a license?).
#8 Know the refund policy.
#9 Beware of the old "envelope stuffing" scheme
#10 Be wary of offers that send you and "advance" on your "pay".
#11 Do your own research about work-at-home opportunities. 

Top 10 Work at Home Scams According to Scambusters.com

1. Envelope Stuffing
2. Chain Letters/Emails - Make money fast.
3. MLMs that focus on recruiting ONLY rather than on the product or service being sold.
4. "Turn Your Computer into a Money Making Machine"
5. Typing at Home 
6. "Just Call this 1-900 Number for More Information"
7. "A List of Companies Looking for Homeworkers"
8. Email Processing
9. Medical Billing
10. Craft Assembly

There are legitimate companies out there that provide a real opportunity to make an income.  Not every home-based company or MLM is a scam.  Just be sure to do your research on the company to ensure that they are focused on selling their product/service, and be inspired by the product or service that they are offering.  I wish you happiness and success in finding a home-based-business and/or work from home!

Guess Who's Mobile?!?

I don't think that my life will ever be the same.  Emylia has been getting up on her hands and knees for close to a month now (seriously at FIVE months old), but in the last couple of days, she has given up on actually crawling and started "army crawling".  How can it be that she is already almost six months old?!?  AND, she is mobile?!?  I think that it has been her intention to keep up with her brother for a long time, but she just couldn't figure out how she was going to do it.  Now I can only imagine all of the trouble that the two of them are going to get in.  What one doesn't think of, I am 100% positive that the other will.  It is going to be exciting (and extremely trying sometimes) to watch these two become the best of pals.  It's these thoughts that get me through the tough days of parenting - the days when I can be heard saying, "I need to go back to working outside the home."  But the reality is that I could not imagine missing out on any of their special moments because of a J-O-B.  I am incredibly blessed to have found Ameriplan, to have a husband and family that support me, and to have three beautiful, healthy children.

Getting Back to Ameriplan Today

I have been out of my office since Thursday.  I am incredibly thankful that I am my own boss and have the ability to set my own schedule because I was able to take a couple days to help my brother, John, paint his house (congratulations to him on being a first time homeowner)!  Today, however, I am back in the office and ready to get to work.

I am excited about the promotion that Ameriplan is offering until October 31st.  All health-related plans that Ameriplan offers are HALF OFF for your first three months.  Also the registration fee will be waived.  You can start saving today with our Dental Plus, Total Health and our Platinum Plus!!  If you or your loved ones are living without health benefits, please feel free to visit http://www.apdiscount.info/!! 

Not only does this promotion affect our memberships, it also allows you to start your own home-based business for $44.95 instead of $69.95.  I would love the opportunity to share Ameriplan with you.  I am looking to grow my team by three to five people each month so, please don't miss out on the opportunity to join my team in September during this promotion.  Joining now will also give you the opportunity to enroll others during the HALF OFF Special.  Click Here to request more information!!!

10 Years Old - Where Did the Time Go?

I can hardly believe that it was 10 years ago today that I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl - a true blessing in my life!  I may have been young and unable to appreciate God's gift fully at the time, but now that I am older, I know the gift that I have been given and I am eternally greatful.  As I look back through the last 10 years I am amazed at all of the things that Kaitlyn and I have been through.  She is an AMAZING girl and I am incredibly proud of her!!  I am looking forward to spending the next 8 years with her in our house, cherishing each moment (even the not so great moments that I know will come) and then setting her free to spread her wings and fly out into the world to become whatever she would like to be.  I trully feel that the sky is the limit for her - she can be and do whatever she chooses.

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!!