More "Fall" Fun

It's just now beginning to feel like fall here in Vegas.  Yep, I know it's almost December but, even for Las Vegas, we had an abnormally warm fall.  For example, I hung up my Halloween decorations in 97 degree heat.  Ridiculous.  The weather now is consistently in the sixties and the howling wind that accompanies Vegas winters has returned.  This means that the leaves on the trees in our backyard never even really had a chance to turn; they just started falling off.  Normally a leaf-covered yard doesn't bother me but because it seems to kill our oh-so-delicate grass, I decided to rake it today.  And, of course, Matty had to help.

I threw him in the leaf pile, and he wasn't quite sure what to think.

Finally deciding he likes it and throwing leaves up in the air.

I decided the yard looked good enough and that I was finished . . . but Matty didn't think so.

He struggled a little bit to get the thing up-right.

Tidying up my mess.  Apparently my child has inherited my OCD.

When that proved to be too much, he began picking up leaves individually and putting them in the pile. *Sigh*  Why can't he be this meticulous with picking up toys?

Raking was fun, but bagging it was not.  He gave up on me after about 5 minutes and decided to go play rocks.  Stinker.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas . . .

We waited for our longest time EVER before decorating the house for Christmas this year.  We waited TWO days after Thanksgiving.  Not kidding.  The fact that this was due to us traveling to and from Tucson for Thanksgiving is neither here nor there.  I've been in the Christmas spirit since, like, August, and I was DYING to make the house match my mood.  I knew it would be even better this year since my husband was actually home AND Matty was old enough to "help."

And boy . . . did he help.

First up, the tree . . . and a random strand of jingle bells packed in with it.  These were, by far, the coolest thing EVER.  

And, as with everything, in the mouth it went.  So Mommy took it away.

No matter--there was a tree to worry about.

"Helping" with the lights meant trying to pull them off as Daddy was trying to put them on.  Fun fun. :)

Helping Daddy put lights and garland on the banister was just an excuse to play with his tractor on the stairs, which he's normally not allowed to do.

Stockings up!  I hope to eventually invest in some NICE, personalized stockings for the family.  But, I figured there was no point until we decide that our family is complete.  So, until then, these $1 felt ones from Wal-Mart will have to do. 

Absolutely love my Nativity display I picked up Korea, of all places.  So simple, so beautiful.

The newest addition to our holiday decor, my Scentsy nativity warmer.  Absolutely LOVE this (and the Iced Pine scent isn't too bad either!)

We finished up the tree while MJ napped.  What a surprise that was when he woke up!  He pointed individually at almost every single ornament and wanted to know what each one was.  His favorite?  Bob and Larry from 'Veggie Tales' on a sled.  Although the lit-up house from 'Christmas Vacation' was a close second.

Seeing the lights out front for the first time.  It's only part-way done, but it will do for now.

We found Oskar's holiday costume in the box of Christmas stuff.  He was NOT amused.

MJ didn't seem to mind (mainly because 'Thomas the Tank Engine' was on TV).

Merry Christmas, everyone!  Hope you're all getting in the holiday spirit!

52-Week Challenge: Week Forty-Eight

This week's challenge is to create and maintain a financial budget so you can start saving more and spending less.

I am really the wrong person to be blogging about this.  I HATE dealing with money.  It's tedious, time-consuming, and frustrating.  But I'm going to give it a go.  Here's how the book suggests to do it:

Your budget should be kept on a monthly basis.  You can use personal finance software, such as Quicken or Quick Books, but you can also use something as simple as Excel.  If you're using Excel, create a tab for each month, carrying over the balance from the previous month to the current month.  Take inventory of your current bank accounts, loans, and debts.  Record your income after taxes.  List your monthly expenses (i.e. the bills you pay every month).  Deduct these expenses from your monthly income.  The remaining balance can be put towards purchases, savings, or any additional debt you need to pay off.

You can definitely get more in-depth with your budget than this, but I think this is a good basic plan for those just starting out.  If you're interested in doing so, the book does an excellent job of breaking it down, including putting your expenses into categories.  As for me, I'm starting slow. :)

52-Week Challenge: Week Forty-Seven

This week's challenge is to actively reduce your daily sodium intake.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that we consume no more than 1,500 to 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is less than one teaspoon of table salt.  The average American's intake is around 3,436 mg per day.  Where is the WORLD is all that sodium coming from?  You may think you're not taking that much if you don't salt your food at the dinner table but, unfortunately, sodium is hiding in many unexpected places.   Processed and packaged foods, as well as foods in restaurants, are usually loaded with sodium, and 77% of our sodium intake comes from processed and prepared foods, while only 12% is found in food naturally, and 5-6% is added before eating or while cooking.

Our cravings for salt are mainly acquired, meaning that we can retrain our taste buds.  If you decrease your salt intake gradually, you will crave it less.  But how do you reduce your intake?

Well, a good start to to purchase whole foods and prepare them at home yourself.  As stated earlier, processed and packaged foods contain lots of hidden sodium.  When you buy foods fresh, they will contain little to no added sodium and you can control the amount you put in while cooking.  However, if you do choose to buy packaged foods, it's important to read the label.  In the ingredient list, look for things like MSG, baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate, and sodium nitrate.  Avoid products with these ingredients.

When dining out, taste your food before seasoning; most dishes come already salted, so there is little need to add more.  And just as an FYI, be aware that fast food restaurants, as well as Asian, Italian, and Mexican restaurants tend to be higher in sodium due to the sauces and dressings they use.

52-Week Challenge: Week Forty-Six

This week's challenge is to avoid care products that contain toxic ingredients.

Did you know that the United States does not require health studies or pre-market testing for personal care products before they sold?  Close to 90% of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have NEVER BEEN EVALUATED by the FDA or any other accountable group.  In fact, the FDB has banned just NINE chemicals from cosmetics compared to the European Union, which has banned over 1000 kinds of chemicals.  The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that many personal care products in the U.S. contain harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, pesticides, and reproductive toxins.

Frightening, huh?

I'm going to use this week to plug two companies whose products are all-natural, toxin-free, and I LOVE:  Arbonne and Melaleuca.  I use personal care products from both of these companies for the sole reason that I am trying to avoid exposing myself and my family to these types of chemicals.  Arbonne is kind of pricey, but I do absolutely love their facial care line.  Melaleuca is less expensive and has everything from beauty products to cleaning products--all natural and toxin-free.  I highly recommend looking into replacing your current personal care items with these brands.  And no, I don't sell either one; I just so highly believe in these products that I wanted to share. :)

There are other options as well, including making your own personal care products or simply reading the box and figuring out which ingredients to avoid.  This chapter has a whole chart on toxic ingredients and their side-effects that you can check out if you're interested.  I find it's easier to just avoid it all together by buying all natural.  Good luck. :)

52-Small Changes: Week Forty-Five

Oi.  Did you all remember to set your clocks back last night/this morning?  I did.  But I have fifteen-month old who didn't care that it was technically an hour earlier.  And, of course, he chose this morning to be the one time in MONTHS that he got up extra early.  5:30 AM and I do NOT mix well.  I am exhausted and plan on taking a much-needed nap after this post.  So, yes, this will be short.

This week's challenge is to get a healthy does of monosaturated fats by consuming nuts, seeds, and fatty fruits.  

The term "fat" gets such a bad rap, but there IS such a thing as "healthy fat," i.e. monosaturated fat.  Its needed to help you protect against disease; keeping cells, joints, and muscles flexible and cushioned; and help brain functions like memory retention and mood stabilization.

So where can you find monosaturated fats?  Things like certain nuts (peanuts, pecans, almonds, and pistachios), sees (like sesame seeds), and fatty fruits (like olives and avocados).  Aim to have a quarter cup of nuts, two tablespoons of seeds (although, really, who just eats seeds?), or half an avocado a day. Remember--as with all foods--moderation is key.

Happy eating!