Planting My Very First Garden

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I thought I would show you a picture of my garden...my very first garden {so if you are a master gardener, don't judge}.  I didn't think we would end up planting this year because there was a lot of work to do, plus I had just had a baby!  We had to weed it, till it, find manure to fertilize it and till that in.  Install a drip system and then plant.  But my awesome husband and I worked super hard and we did it.  It has been so amazing to see it grow.

That bottom left picture is my handsome hubby tossing goat and steer manure into the garden at 10:00 at night. {Thanks to our awesome new friends who donated their manure....haha that's sound funny}.  When I say we worked hard, it is no lie.  The other funny thing is that neither of us know how to garden at all.  My mom didn't have room for a big garden so she just had tomatoes and zucchini.  I don't really remember doing much but pulling my 100 weeds a day around the house and seeing the "garden".  

We live in the desert and should have probably planted a month earlier...but oh well.  Stuff is growing.  We planted Pumpkin, which has been being eaten by the rabbits,  and cantaloupe, and watermelon which didn't grow.  Cucumbers which are growing very slowly, not sure they will grow at all.  A variety of squash which is growing nice.  Onions, tomatoes, cilantro, beets, potatoes, green beans, and carrots which all seem to be growing.   It's amazing to start from seed and see this come out of the ground.  Where I live there are 2 sometimes 3 growing seasons. I am already planning my fall garden!!  I LOVE to weed and be out there in the dirt taking care of it, especially when my kids come help!  So if you don't have a garden, but have space, at least grow cilantro.  It's so fun to see something grow that you can actually eat!

Deseret Book Kicks-off a Summer of a Million Gifts + a Giveaway

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Deseret Book is looking to give back this summer with its Summer of a Million Gifts. The store’s customers can anticipate random daily in-store gifts and an opportunity to win one of three grand prizes.

In June, one lucky customer will win an 8-day Caribbean Cruise with Alex Boye, British-born LDS singer and songwriter, courtesy of Morris Murdock Travel. In July, another will win a missionary wardrobe courtesy of Mr. Mac. And in August, one couple will win a wedding reception courtesy of Temple Square Hospitality.

The giving will take place online and in person at every store throughout the summer months. Each day on Deseret Book’s official Facebook page and in Deseret Book stores, an associate will give a gift to at least one customer a free pass to Lagoon theme park, double Platinum points, a free book at check-out, an act of service, or some other free prize.

More information about the Summer of a Million Gifts can be found online at DeseretBook.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/deseretbook, or in any of Deseret Book’s retail locations.

Be sure to enter the Deseret Book gift card giveaway, and then go to Facebook to enter for one of the 3 grand prizes!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Favorite Father's Day Media

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Father's Day is tomorrow...just thought I would remind you in case you forgot!  Fathers day and my husbands birthday are always the same week so he gets a lot of extra special attention this week!  Most years I make a cute video with a cute daddy song and pictures of him with the kids!  He loves them!  This year I did something a little different.  It's not done yet, but I will show you next week.

Today I thought I would share with you some of my favorite Father's Day Media.  Songs, commercials and movies to get you excited for this weekend!  They are fun to watch as a family!

Let's start with songs because those always bring tears to my eyes....

 This is the new one put out by LDS.org for Father's Day....

and here are a few others I love...

Deseret News compiled 13 of their favorite Father's Day commercials.  Here are 2 of my favorites!

This one is totally how my husband will be when my kids start to drive...

 And I loved this post on Deseret News of the 10 best father figures in movie history!  I have a lot of amazing fathers in my life.  My dad, my step dad, my father-in-law and my hubby who is an amazing father to my children!  

I hope you all have a good day of celebrating fathers.  Aren't they the best!?!

LeapFrog Monsters University Games

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My kids loved the movie Monsters Inc., and are very excited for the new Monsters University to come out next week!  Leapfrog has teamed up with Disney to make these really fun games for both the LeapPads and Tag Readers. My kids were so excited to play these games!  The Cartridge game for the LeapPad is really fun.  It says it's for ages between 4-7, but as always my nine year old loves it also!  

There is a fun matching game that teaches memory skills, games to teach logic skills, cause and effect and critical thinking!  I am always so impressed by Leapfrog and how they incorporate these great ways to teach into their games!  One of the most fun things on the cartridge game is creating your own monster.  You can insert your own face by taking a picture and putting it as the monsters face.  My kiddos thought that was pretty fun!

Now let me tell you how cool the new Monsters University LeapReader 3D book is.

It's is really really cool!  My kids usually fight over the LeapPad the most, but they actually fight over who gets this book now.  It is very interactive, teaches noun and verb recognition, and it also teaches position words and deductive reasoning.  One of the coolest things about this book is that it is 3D, but you know how when you look at normal 3D books picture isn't clear without the glasses.  In this book you can see it perfect, but it enhances the fun of the book by putting on the glasses.  I guess they actually recreated 3D effects just for this book! The color in this book is really nice which makes the experience even better.

So if you don't have this book I totally recommend it!  You will LOVE it, and so will your kids!

{LeapFrog sent me this product free of charge for review, and the opinions are 100% mine!}

Helping Micro-Preemies - A Guest Post from Kylie at Prolacta Bioscience

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I haven't had a guest post in a long time and am excited to have Kylie here to share with us about what she does.  Kylie is a representative of Prolacta bioscience, which makes the only human-milk based fortifier for micro preemies.  I will let her explain it a little more

Thanks for letting me share this message with your readers! I am happy to spread awareness about the importance of neonatal nutrition and the need for donor breast milk to help save the lives of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Ever since my own baby spent time in the NICU, this has been an important cause for me. I really enjoy my work with Prolacta and getting the word out about what they’re doing.

Springtime always gives me a chance to reflect on how grateful I am to be a mom. For more than two years, as I struggled to have a baby, Mother’s Day was a horrible reminder of what I didn’t have. When we were finally blessed with our little boy, I didn’t have a picture-perfect experience in the hospital. Instead, my baby was whisked off to the NICU immediately. It was so hard to celebrate finally being a mother while I was watching him struggle to breathe. Four days later we were able to bring our new son home, and he is now a bright, active, curious two-year-old.   

Although my son wasn’t a preemie, the experience of the NICU made a huge impression on me. Instead of snuggling their newborn close, and breastfeeding if they want to, preemie moms have to wait, watch, and worry. They are concerned about grams – not ounces – of weight gained or lost, feeding tubes, PICC lines, dangerous conditions such as NEC, and hundreds of other things they weren’t aware of 24 hours before.

Premature babies, especially micro-preemies, have special nutritional needs. They need more energy to grow, and because they grow at a rapid pace, they also need more protein, minerals and other nutrients. A new guideline by the American Academy of Pediatrics says that all premature infants should be fed only human milk (and not formula or bovine additives). Breast milk alone, however, is not always sufficient for the specific needs of a preemie.

In some cases, doctors may decide to add a human milk fortifier to breast milk for premature-infant feedings. Human milk fortifiers are intended to address a premature baby’s nutritional requirements by providing additional protein, calories, vitamins and minerals.

The only 100% human milk-based human milk fortifier currently available is made by Prolacta Bioscience. It is called Prolact+ H2MF. The other brands prescribed are made from cow milk. Clinical studies have shown that when added to human milk, Prolact+ H2MF combined with mother’s own milk or donor milk reduced the odds of developing the dangerous intestinal condition necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by 77% in infants weighing between 500 and 1250g or less at birth, when compared to those fed cow milk fortifier or preterm infant formula. These babies fit in the palm of your hand.

The Prolacta product is made from breast milk  donated by healthy, nursing mothers who have undergone extensive medical and social screening. (similar to the blood donor screening process). Their breast milk is collected, tested, pasteurized and formulated into Prolact+ H2MF, or standardized donor milk products (sometimes used with Prolact+ H2MF if the mother’s milk is not available) which is manufactured under strict quality-control processes to ensure safe, consistent, high quality nutrient content.

Prolacta never charges a parent for their products. The cost of Prolact+ H2MF s is, in most cases, under two percent of the total cost of care. In the US, the cost is typically paid by private insurance, Medicaid, or covered by the hospital. A recent study estimates use of the Prolacta product results in an average $8,000 savings per patient stay.

If you or someone you love has a micro preemie in the NICU, or if you are interested in becoming a milk donor, you can find ou more about Prolacta’s human milk products and breast milk donor programs on their website.

Thanks Kylie for such a wonderful post.  What a wonderful program this is!

$50 off Family School Curriculum

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If you are considering using this homeschool curriculum now is the time to do it!  This week only they are offering Year 1 for $50 off using coupon code "CONFERENCE50".  You do need to be an LDL Network member but it is super easy to sign up!  So go here and buy it now!!

All costumers will receive the digital version by this Friday.  If you order the print version, you will receive it by the end of July.  They are doing this is so they can provide the workbooks and flash cards with your curriculum!

Become a Backer for Lyndy Butler - "Going Places"

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Hey everyone, so I have to tell you about this awesome singer - mom - songwriter extraordinaire!    Her name is Lyndy Butler.  Which, by the way, I love her name!  I actually really liked the name Lyndy for one of my girl children that I thought I would have, but didn't :)  Oh well.  Anyway, I just recently heard of Lyndy, but I had actually heard her voice on the radio a few time for an add for a coupon book that is sold in my area.  Funny thing the song was always stuck in my head because this girl has an awesome voice.  I was always thinking how silly it was that I was singing about a coupon book after I would hear it while driving around!

Anyway, to make a long story short.  This girl is awesome, she is from close to where I live, and has an amazing voice and can write great songs.  Songs that I even let my kids listen to!  Not only is she an amazing singer/songwriting she is a wife and mom of three kids!  She is trying to raise money to produce a new CD called "Going Places".  I never realized how expensive it was to do this, but it is.   To earn the funds she started a Kickstarter project.  This is where you come in.  You can become her backer!  Cool huh.  You can donate as little as $1 and you are a backer!  She also gives you something back if you donate! Which I think is pretty awesome.  She will mail you a post card, give you a free download of her new CD, all the way up to sing at an event for you or even write a song for you!  Watch this video for a little more info!

I was only able to donate a small amount, but I just had to.  I think it is so awesome that she is working hard to fulfill her dream, and being a wife and mother at the same time!!  

So go HERE to donate!  

And if you really can't {even though I think you can, even just $1} share it with your friends on Facebook!

Here is one of my favorite songs of hers {my daughter and I can't stop singing it}.....

She has produced one CD, which is excellent, and you can listen to it here.  Here are a couple others that I love...Smile, Love by Me and Life is Like a Swingset!  You can follow Lyndy on Facebook, her Website, and Youtube!

Have a great day and go listen to her music on Youtube or her site!  She's a good mix of country, pop, and rock!  She says she is Rootsie-Folk-IndiePop Rock!  You will like her!

Life in the Country

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It has been a long time since I have just posted about my life and what has been going on with us.  As most of you know we moved from a twin home out to the country to town with the population of about 1000.  The church is the biggest building in town, there is a town hall, a diner, a market and no gas station. (which I just might build myself).  We moved from a place that when my kids went outside they were surrounded by kids to play with.  They played in the middle of the road (because we had rocks in our backyards) riding bikes, playing basketball, running through sprinklers and just being kids.  It was good and bad, but for the most part they were they had fun.  I did have to sit outside all day long because I  yell "car" while they played.  I would sit and chat with other moms which was a lot of fun and I for sure made lasting friendships.

There was a lot of good things about living in this neighborhood, but with that also came some things that were hard and not so good.  Small homes, no storage space, feeling a little to close to your neighbors, gossip, people thinking that you were clicky because you and your neighbors are good friends, kids got sick of seeing each other all the time, or sick from each other LOL, constant knocking on the door, and loud kids which was mostly my own 3 boys! They needed space to be boys and didn't have it!  We always joked that it was like living in the college dorms as adults with kids.  It was a great place to live and yes it did have it's ups and downs, but for the most part we loved it, but there came a
time that we knew we needed space, to not rent, and to move on!

Moving to where we live now was sooo different.  First off it is so so pretty.  Just being in the country.  No busy roads and it is so peaceful.  My kids can play outside and I just have to check on them or look out the window. It was a huge adjustment at first, hard, scary, didn't have any friends, and kind of felt all alone.  But...people were so kind to us, when we saw them, which was usually only at church.  My kids would meet kids in their primary class and ask for a play day, but it is hard to set up play days if you don't know the parents.  So I had to explain to my kids all winter that I was trying to meet the families in the ward, but it wasn't very easy.  We did become really close as a family.  My kids relied on each other to have fun and play with.  Doing projects together helped a ton, building a chicken coop, planting a garden and working on the yard.

My husband and I finally decided in order to meet people we needed to be more social....duh!  So we made sure we attended things going on in the community/ward.  My husband joined the fire department as a volunteer. I am serving in the Young Women's program and have met some amazing ladies there.  Within the last couple months we have felt an outpouring of kindness in our ward and area.  Our neighbor, just an older lady and her husband, are wonderful.  My kids are making friends who's parents I now know.  People here are so awesome!  They are so humble and real.  No one seems to flaunt their money, they all live in modest homes, and they are so kind and sincere.  We just love living here.  We really do!  So if your thinking of moving to the country...do it!

Snack Week - LUNA Bars

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This is my last post for snack week, but don't worry, I will still post yummy snacks throughout the week!   I thought I posted this yesterday, but I didn't :)  

I as an adult don't like to eat a lot of snacks, but there are days when I am out and about and I just need a snack to get me through until dinner.  As I have mentioned throughout this week I don't buy a lot of pre-boxed snacks. I just tried these a couple of days ago and will for sure buy me a box {or ten} of these this summer!  {and I will hide them, and I will not share with the kids!}  We received two free bars from Luna, and as soon as I got the box we were fighting over them.  Two bars for seven of us just didn't cut it.  They were SO SO SO good.  They have a lot of other flavors as you can see on their sight here, but we tried these New Carrot Cake bars and they are perfect for those days you wish you had a treat in your cupboard, but are also trying to be more healthy!  

Let me give you a little background about Luna bars. You've heard of Cliff Bars, right?  Well they are made by the same company.  They wanted to launch a nutritious bar for women.  I am sure men can eat them also and they will be just fine, but I think they should just buy a box of them for their wives! These bars have what they call the CORE 4 which is the vitamins and nutrients women need most.  

Here is a little bit about these delectable bars...

LUNA, the nutrition bar for women, just launched a new flavor - CarrotCake.  Have Your Cake and Nutrients, Too!  Ditch your guilt and give into your sweet cravings with LUNA Bar's newest flavor: Carrot Cake! An indulgent treat for your taste buds, new bar combines the sweetness of carrots, cinnamon and raisins with the crunchiness of walnuts while providing the vitamins and nutrients women need most.  Best of all  it's coated with a vanilla-flavored icing that will make you think you are eating the real deal, making it the perfect, healthier alternative snack when your sweet tooth kicks in.Nutritional Benefits180 calories8 grams of proteinGood source of fiber (3g)Contains CORE 4* vitamins and minerals: calcium, folic acid, ironand vitamin D70% organic

Luna's philosophy is "We say no to guilt, deprivation, and dieting - yes to intuitive nutrition, pleasure, quality ingredients and, of course, chocolate!  We all need a little chocolate fix right?  You can buy the bars at Target stores in April and grocery and natural food retailers nationwide in June.  They run about $1.39 a piece!

Happy snacking, just don't snack to much!

The White Cloud Tissue Box Winners

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This post brought to you by White Cloud. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you remember when I wrote this post about how White Cloud was teaming up with Children's Network Hospitals and having the kids design a tissue box.  Kids receiving treatments were asked to design the new White Cloud Facial Tissue boxes. The top 10 submissions were posted to the White Cloud Facebook page where fans had the opportunity to vote for their favorite design. Well the winners have been chosen and here they are!  

Didn't they turn out so cute!  Normally when you reach for a tissue box, you probably don’t stop to think about the story behind it: how it was designed, how it was made, or who designed it and who made it.  With these you will!

The three designs that received the most votes are coming to life on White Cloud Facial Tissue boxes, available in a select number of Walmart stores next month. Check this White Cloud Store Locator to see if they are coming to a store near you.  White Cloud will also make a $15,000 donation to each of the winning artist’s hospitals. I just think that is so awesome.  What a great way to help kids and hospitals!

So next time you buy a box of tissue, support White Cloud and this great thing they are doing to support Children's Network Hospitals.  Besides, your kids will love them...Adorned with bright colors, polka dots, sunshine and lions {my kids voted for the lion one}.

Follow White Cloud Facebook Page, White Cloud Twitter Page, and White Cloud Pinterest Page to find out more! And don't forget to look for a $0.75 off coupon in July's All You magazine!

Have a great day!!