Everybody is looking for ways to cut costs and save money. Whether you are a millionaire downsizing your huge estate and moving into a home that is more manageable in size and scope, or a single parent working two jobs and clipping coupons on the bus, you are probably always on the lookout for more ways to save your hard earned cash. There are a number of ways you can spend less money, though some of them are easier to implement than others. For example, most people know they will save money by doing their own grocery shopping and cooking, yet they still end up ordering in expensive takeout or dining out at nice restaurants. One great way to save money is on your energy costs, especially during the summer when air conditioning bills can skyrocket. Did you know, for example, that according to the Department of Energy, air conditioners use as much as five percent of the country’s electricity? It has been shown to cost American homeowners more than $11 billion every year. These costs, however, can be controlled. “Taking a combination of steps, beginning when you first install your air conditioner, can help you save and use energy more efficiently,” said Karl Neddenien, spokesman for Dominion Virginia Power.

Below are some steps that everyone should take, not only to cut down the summer energy costs, but to have a smaller carbon footprint as well.

STEP #1 – Upgrade your old air conditioners. If you like vintage gear, stick to hats and shoes. Don’t look for or keep around an old, “vintage” air conditioning unit. Your unit is not only shoddy looking if it’s old, it is also costing you money. According to the Washington Post, “A room air conditioner carries an energy efficiency ratio (EER), or the ratio of the cooling capacity to the power. If you have old air conditioners with an EER energy efficiency of 5, you can cut costs in half buy replacing it with a new one with an EER of 10. So do a simple calculation: If your average annual bill is $260, your bill would become $130. Depending on the size of the unit and room (window units range from $100 to $500), your annual savings will pay for the unit in just a few years.”

STEP #2 – Program your thermostat. Programming your thermostat is one of the easiest, lowest cost ways you can cut your energy bills. You probably spend very little actual time in your home – if you have a full or part-time job, then you probably spend most of the day in the office. So why are you running your air conditioner on full blast when you are out of the house? According to estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency, a homeowner can save as much as $150 – or even more – on air conditioning bills by setting a thermostat. If you have central air conditioning service, use preprogrammed settings to regulate the temperature in your home.

STEP #3 – Use your window units appropriately. According to Neddenien, “If you’re buying a window air conditioner, check the label to see how many square feet it is supposed to cool.” Because air conditioning units need to take humidity out of the air while simultaneously cooling the room, you need to be sure you are using the right unit for the size of your room. You should also be sure to pick a window unit that comes with an energy-saving mode. Use that mode at night when you’re sleeping and less concerned about the temperature in the room.

STEP #4 – Employ small adjustments for bigger results. There are a number of small steps you can take every day to reduce the amount of energy you use on cooling your home. The Washington Post advises, “Energy experts remind us to close the blinds to windows to keep heat out. Also, closing doors to empty rooms helps contain cool air in the parts you need it. Electrical appliances, too, such as light bulbs and even computers will heat a room. If you’re leaving the house, make sure to close doors and turn off all electronics to contain cool air and keep temperatures low.”

STEP #5 – Remodel with energy in mind. If you are making any major changes or improvements to your home, invest in doing it the energy efficient way. Install ceiling fans, which are the least expensive ways to lower the temperature in a building or room. Check for air leaks, too, as they will let cool air escape from your house.

On April 30th 2008 at 8:46PM my oldest daughter took her first breath and at that exact moment my heart exploded with love for this tiny little person that had been growing inside me for the past nine months.  Instantly I knew that being a mom was what I was meant to do with my life.  I had no intention of going back to my job as a bank teller because I wanted to pour every ounce of my energy into being the best mother I possibly could be.  And now five years and three daughters later that is still my priority.  Yet sometimes I still have a nagging thought in the back of my mind questioning myself if I’m actually doing OK at this whole mom thing.  Do you ever feel that way too?

I admit that being a mom is hard work and sometimes a little reassurance that I’m doing an OK job really goes a long way  – especially when I’m having an off day.  That little reassurance could be as simple as a giggle from Willow, a hug from Kaelyn, or an “I love you” from Alleigh.  It’s really uplifting to hear it from other parents as well.  In fact one day I read a comment on one of my blog posts that just made my entire day… heck it made my week.

I can almost guarantee when Bekah left these kind words on my Watch Willow Grow update she had no idea how much her comment would resonate with me.  How this simple reassurance would let me know that yes I am doing OK as a mom and so much so that other people can see it too.

Johnson’s also knows how important these little reassurances can be – especially to a new mom who’s learning how to juggle a newborn and showering daily… we’ve all been there, hehe.  And so to make it easier to send an encouraging word to a mom you know they created the Johnson’s Baby Care Cards.  Simply select a message, choose an image, and send to a mom that needs a little reassurance via Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail.

The really awesome part is that not only will you be giving a mom a word of encouragement that might just make her day a little brighter, but you will also be helping little kiddos as well.  For every Johnson’s Baby Cares Card that is sent, shared, or liked Johnson’s Baby will donate $1 (up to $150,000) to Save the Children to benefit early childhood education.  In fact this year alone they have worked with more than 10,000 children, parents, and caregivers!  So who will you send a Johnson’s Baby Cares Card to?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for JOHNSON’s Baby. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

We’ve had a bit of a rough ride with Willow during her first year so far.  She had RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) as well as a few colds here and there.  This has equaled out to lots and lots of snot.  Trying to feed my snotty stuffy baby was not the easiest thing – especially since I breastfeed and her little face would be up against the breast.  Nursing sessions would take forever since she had to keep unlatching to breath.

I needed to get this snot out.  With Alleigh and Kaelyn I always used the blue bulb syringe that you receive at the hospital to suction out their noses.  It kinda worked, but even after using it they would still sound very stuffy.  Then I saw a picture circulating on the internet showing the inside of a bulb syringe.  It was completely covered in mold!  Which makes sense since there is no way to actually dry out the inside after rinsing it with hot soapy water.  At that moment I decided there was no way I would be using that bulb syringe on Willow ever again and began looking for a different option that would actually be very effective.  That is how I found NoseFrida the Snotsucker.

Just by looking at this contraption it is probably quite obvious how it works, but in case it’s not I’ll explain.  The blue pointed opening is place inside babies nostril.  The red piece is placed in the adults mouth.  The adult then sucks in while rotating the blue piece in a circular motion and literally sucks the snot right out of babies nose!

Now I understand that this sounds disgusting.  I can’t even get Dustin to use it on Willow.  But I promise you that there is no chance of sucking mucus or bacteria up into your own mouth.  The little blue filter is made of moisture absorbing polyurethane and will stop any nastiness from being transferred.  Each NoseFrida the Snotsucker is packaged with four filters and more can be purchased separately in packs of twenty.

Willow isn’t the fondest of having her nose sucked out, but then again none of my kids liked their noses being suctioned out.  After a little practice I can get her nose sucked out in just a few seconds.  Easy peasy.

And just how much snot does it get out…. well obviously it depends on how much snot is in your little one’s nose, hehe.  But check this out.  You might think this is disgusting, but as a mom I think it is awesome that I was able to get that much snot out of my munchkin’s nose so she could breathe easier.

Plus cleaning the Snotsucker is super simple and there is no chance of mold growing on it like the bulb syringe if taken care of properly.   Begin by detaching all of the pieces and disposing of the filter.  All of the pieces except for the long thin tube should be cleaned with hot water and dish soap. The long thin tube should be cleaned with a few drops of rubbing alcohol and shaken out to dry.  Once this is done I allow the pieces to air dry.

And just check out how happy Willow is when she can actually breathe!

If you’re dealing with a snotty stuffy baby I highly suggest NoseFrida the Snotsucker.  In fact make sure to purchase one before your child even gets the first cold so that you are prepared.  It would even make a great baby shower gift though the recipient may look at you like you’re a bit crazy at first.  But trust me once they use it for the first time they are going to be thrilled!  Head on over to the FridaBaby website for eve more information and to check out the Windi and FridaBaby Mat as well.  But before you go be sure to enter the giveaway below.  One lucky reader is going to win their very own Snotsucker!  To enter fill out the giveaway tools entry form.  Good luck.

When the weather changes, we have a lot of work on our hands. As much as we might want to just go outside, sit in the sun, and relax with out favorite book or magazine, most of us know that first, there is work to be done. The winter clothes need to go into storage. The spring clothes need to come out of storage. We need to update our homes for the warm weather. Windows that were not opened all winter are suddenly in need of some repairs. The Crock Pot in the kitchen that was used all winter for stews can probably be put away out of reach. For homeowners, gutters need to be cleaned, pools opened, and curtains drawn. There can be so much to do, that a lot of people feel overwhelmed. One trick, though, for staying calm during this hectic time is to keep yourself and your home organized. There a number of tricks and tips that people can implement to keep your home organized. Below are some of the best ones. Use the ones that work for you and your home.

TIP #1 – Finally go after the junk drawer. You know when you need to take a message but your drawer is overflowing with so much detritus that you can’t even find a paper and pen? Junk drawers happen to everyone, but you can organize yours so that you can find what you need when you need it. An “everything organizer” is easy to find at a store like the Container Store and has multiple stacking levels and more than a dozen compartments.

TIP #2 – Tie your sheet sets together with ribbons. When you look in your linen closet, do you have to dig around to find the pillowcase that matches your sheets? This is typical and frustrating for a lot of people. One solution is to use the ribbons that you get with gifts to tie your linens together. Tying colorful ribbons around your linen sets will keep your sheets organized, look pretty, and make use of all those ribbons lying around!

TIP #3 – Make a binder of instruction manuals. It seems like you can’t buy anything these days without getting an instruction manual along with it. Even when the item seems self-explanatory, the manufacturer includes a manual. Most of us don’t want to throw them away because we worry that we might need them. So they end up getting lost among other junk. Try putting them all together in one binder so that you know where every manual is and you can access it easily when you need it.

TIP #4 – Use only one kind of hanger in your closet. If you keep a lot of clothes hanging in your closet, then you probably want to make sure it is well organized so that you can find what you need when you need it. Using only one kind of hanger makes it easier to see what you have hanging in your closet without the distraction of a jumble of hangers in a number of different colors and sizes.

TIP #5 – Buy some pretty boxes for storage. We all have a need for bins and boxes to toss our odds and ends in, but if you use sloppy, ugly boxes, then you need to find a place to hide them. Invest in some wicker boxes or make your own with some art supplies and shoe boxes. If the boxes look good, then they can be displayed.

TIP #6 – Organize your bathroom. If you want to organize your home, then there is no reason to ignore your bathroom. Bathrooms are often the most disorganized rooms in the house! Start by getting a shower caddy and organizing your shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash, and anything else you have in the caddy. You can buy caddies at high end department stores if you want something fancy or local hardware stores if you just want something basic and utilitarian.

According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, Americans don’t use 80 percent of the stuff that we own. A lot of this is because of poor organization and some of it is because of lack of space. For those that are lacking space in their home, consider renting a local self storage unit. We wear only 20 percent of our clothing, leaving 80 percent to do nothing more than collect dust, for example. Get organized and start using everything you own! Twenty-five percent of adults lose bills and end up paying them late, incurring costly fees. So get organized and start saving money!

Admission to the art show was $10 per family.  Once we paid our entrance fee we received a “Sold!” sticker to place on Alleigh’s art work.  She did a great job on her painting and was so proud to place the “Sold! sticker on.

After we admired all of the kiddos art work we headed downstairs where there was lots of yummy food.  There were also raffle baskets.  Each classroom had put together a themed basket that you could purchase tickets to try to win.  Alleigh’s classroom voted on the theme for their basket and went with Hello Kitty and she wanted to win so badly.  We bought a few tickets, but unfortunately she did not win.  I don’t know what I would have done with all that Hello Kitty stuff had she won!  There was also an outdoor basket, picnic basket, zoo basket and a few others.  It was a great way to raise money for the children’s center.

After we bought some of the basket raffle tickets it was time to try out some of the art activities.  Kaelyn had so much fun doing all of the activities with her sister.  There was mural art where they got to draw on a big piece of paper hung on the wall.  Painting with different objects like a textured ball.  A modeling clay station.  Face painting and more.  The girls definitely had a blast.

Willow enjoyed being carried around in theBabaSling Lite from Joovy.. even if her grumpy face makes it look other wise, hehe.

And before we left I took Alleigh’s picture with a few of her favorite people… her Nan (my momma) and her best friend from school.

So proud of my little girl… can’t believe her first year of school is coming to an end so fast.  It seems like I was just dropping her off for her first day and crying as I left her for those few hours.  This coming fall she will be in kindergarten all day every day… I better stock up on tissues.

Today while eating lunch my niece, Kenzie, was using her straw to blow bubbles in her glass of milk.  And somehow that got me to think of a fun craft to do with my kiddos.  Because really what’s more fun than blowing bubbles?  Oh wait – I know… painting with bubbles!  And here’s how ya do it.

Materials & Supplies:
Watercolor Paper, Acrylic Paints, Dish Soap, Water, Plastic Cups, Straws

Directions:
1.)  Now there is no exact science to this… so bear with me.  Mix a BIG squirt of paint with a few drops of dish soap.  Add a little water.

2.)  Using the straw mix the paint, dish soap, and water together.  Then use the straw to blow bubbles in the cup.  If the bubbles aren’t reaching the top of the cup you will need to add a little more water.  Little kids will love blowing the bubbles, but make sure they are old enough to understand they can only blow the bubbles and not suck the mixture up into their mouth.

4.)  Take a piece of watercolor paper and once the bubbles are at the top of the cup gently place the paper over the cup so that the bubbles pop on it.  Then repeat and repeat and repeat until your paper is covered!

Once the bubble art dries it would make a fun scrapbook paper background or to use for a birthday/thank you/get well soon card.  I think it would even look fun simply framed and hung on the wall.

So grab the kids and blow some paint bubbles!  This is definitely a craft they are sure to love and will score you some major mom points, hehe.  Just be warned that this is messy… especially with kiddos that like to blow the bubbles til they are overflowing out of the cups.  I highly recommend doing this craft outside and with a big mat underneath you or at least some newspaper.  I used my big BooginHead SplatMat.

Oh and I had to show off one of my own masterpiece’s.. pretty awesome!

Once your done with this fun craft be sure to check out my other Making It Monday posts for more crafty fun.

Many years of my childhood were filled with some sort of orthodontic work.  I began with head gear which led to braces and eventually retainers on the top and bottom.  I remember hating to get the impressions made of my teeth because I would gag and feel like I was choking every time.  I hated getting my braces tightened because my entire mouth would just ache.  And I really didn’t like the overall feel of having so much metal in my mouth which led to irritation and sores.  Plus they don’t look all that cute.  I’m gonna be brave and show you pictures of me around sixth or seventh grade… oyyy.

If my children have inherited my lovely teeth {insert sarcastic voice} then chances are they will need orthodontic work as well.  However, I don’t want to put them through everything I endured… the pain, embarrassment, forbidden foods, and so on.  On the other hand I do want my girls to have gorgeous smiles that will give them the confidence and high self esteem that every child deserves.  And that is why I am excited about the new Invisalign Teen.

Invisalign is a modern approach to straightening teeth and can effectively correct complex dental issues like such as overly crowded teeth, widely spaced teeth, open bite, crossbite, overbite, and underbite.  Instead of traditional metal braces Invisalign is a series of clear aligners that gradually straighten teeth in a comfortable and effective manner.  Not only are they roughly the same cost as traditional braces, but there are lots of other advantages that make them an awesome choice.  Invisalign treatment usually requires fewer office visits, shorter appointments and no “emergency” visits for broken wires or brackets.  Since the aligners are removable there are no food restrictions and patients have the ability to easily maintain healthy dental brushing habits.  But one of the best parts has to be that they are nearly invisible!

The proof is in the before and after shots where you can see for yourself how amazing Invisalign truly is…

Pretty awesome, right?  So when it comes time to look into orthodontic work for my girls I definitely will be looking into Invisalign.  What about you?

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s Saturday which means it’s time for the weekly Willow update!  I enjoyed writing my pregnancy journal and sharing my journey with everyone so much that I have decided to continue by writing about Willow’s first year.  And so each week I will be sharing how my baby girl is growing and changing plus lots of pictures!

PICTURES FROM WILLOW’S 38th WEEK

WHAT WILLOW’S DAYS & NIGHTS ARE LIKE…

Sleeping:  This week went well for the most part…. we had one rough night that Willow just would not stay asleep unless latched on and so I called it an early night and left the blogging for the next day.  Willow and I snoozed on the couch together today…. love lazy Saturday afternoons.

Eating:  This week Willow decided to take Baby Led Weaning into her own hands….. we were out to eat at Friendly’s and she grabbed a french fry off of Kaelyn’s plate.  I tried to take it, but she freaked out and so even though it wasn’t the healthiest thing to have I just let her be and she ate it!  So today I decided to just let her have what we were having for dinner and as you could see above the spaghetti was a huge hit.  She is still breastfeeding on demand and even though she is doing well with eating food she still nurses just as much as before and that’s perfectly fine with me.  I already cringe thinking of when she will wean and I hope that day doesn’t come for a long long time.

Places She Went:  Cedar Point, Alleigh’s school for her art show, Friendly’s, Akron Zoo

A First… Not so much a first, but Willow is starting to be a lot more active.  She isn’t crawling exactly, but she can get up on all four and does move… but she keeps her head down on the floor and goes backwards mostly.  She’s getting there and then I’m gonna be chasing her!

At first it might have seemed a little weird that I was jealous of my little ones swaddling blankets, crib sheets, sleeping bags and my toddlers dream blankets.  But once you realize that all of these items are from aden+anais it doesn’t seem weird at all – ok, it doesn’t seem weird at all if you have ever touched one of these items.  They are so unbelieveably soft and comfy and I just wanted one for myself.  In fact every single time I have shared an aden+anais product with my readers somewhere in my review I have said that I wish they made these same items in adult sizes.  Then one day I was browsing around the aden+anais website and my chin hit the floor when I saw the daydream blanket – a dream blanket, but adult sized!!  I had to have it.

The daydream blanket is available in three colors including ocean’s edge, branch out, and circle dance which is the one I received.  It is made of four layers of 100% cotton muslin that is super soft and will only get softer with each wash.  The reason I love all of my aden+anais products for my little ones is because the muslin is very breathable which reduces the risk of overheating.  The same thing goes for the daydream blanket – I can enjoy being cuddled up in the super soft muslin but my temperature stays regulated so I don’t end up too hot and having to kick the blanket off.

And it’s big!  The generous 60” by 72” size is perfect for snuggling on the couch watching a movie or when I’m working on a blog post.

In fact right now I’m snuggled up in my blanket.

When I’m not using my daydream blanket it looks nice draped over the back of the couch as an accent piece as well… though it’s not very often that I’m not using it, hehe.  Just because it’s called a daydream blanket doesn’t mean it can only be used during the day!  In fact I take mine to bed with me almost every night…. but I don’t share with the hubby, hehe – don’t judge!

If you are looking for a last minute Mother’s Day gift that your mom is sure to love I highly suggest the aden+anais daydream blanket.  With the three colors available there is sure to be one that will fit in with anyone’s home décor.  Head on over to the aden+anais website to check them all out.  But first be sure to enter the awesome giveaway below.  That’s right one lucky reader is going to win their very own ocean’s edge aden+anais daydream blanket.  Enter using the Giveaway Tools entry form.  Good luck!

I am a thrill seeker.  Now you won’t find me sky diving or bungee jumping, but roller coasters – heck yes!  I absolutely love roller coasters and am so lucky to have the roller coaster capital of the world, Cedar Point, just a little over an hour away in Sandusky, Ohio.  Cedar Point is the home of sixteen roller coasters one of which is brand new this year.

The last time Dustin and I visited the park during HalloWeekends we spent some time oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the details of this new coaster on the signs displayed on the fence in front of the construction site.  We both agreed that we had to visit Cedar Point as soon as they opened for the season to ride this new coaster.  And so when I received an e-mail inviting our family to the Media Day Preview event for GateKeeper a few days before the park would open to the general public I was beyond stoked.  Since this would be the only ride scheduled to operate we decided to get a babysitter for the big girls and invited my sister along for the GateKeeper experience.

As we pulled into the parking lot I couldn’t get over how awesome this coaster looked and how it had completely transformed the main entrance of the park.

Looks sweet, right?  The GateKeeper is the longest winged roller coaster at 4,164 feet and boasts the longest drop at 164 feet of any winged roller coaster on the planet.  Your ride will last approximately 2 minutes and 40 seconds reaching speeds of about 67 miles per hour.  Even the trains on this coaster look awesome painted in gold and shaped like a giant bird.  Plus there are 3 thirty-two passenger trains running which equals out to a capacity of about 1,710 riders per hour.

The restraint system a roller coaster has really impacts how much I enjoy the ride.  If I’m struggling to keep my head from bouncing off the shoulder restraints chances are that is what I will be focusing on and not all of the awesome twists and turns.  As soon as I hopped into my seat on the GateKeeper I could tell it was unlike any coaster I had ever been on before.  The black part that is against our bodies in the picture is snug yet flexible so I felt very secure, but not claustrophobic.  The bars that came down over our shoulders were far enough away from our heads that even when I tilted my head as far as I possibly could to the left and right I didn’t touch them.

The ride begins by climbing the 170 foot lift at a 40 degree angle with a lovely view of Lake Erie to your left.  As soon as the train crests the top of the hill it rotates 180 degrees turning riders upside down before heading back towards the ground going more than 65 miles per hour.  The first time I rode GateKeeper I sat in the front seat and let me tell you – it was AWESOME.

The ride continues with many more awesome twists and turns including:

Immelmann – a maneuver where riders enter a half loop, go through a half twist and curve out in the opposite direction from which they came.
Camelback – riders will fly over a giant, 105-foot-tall camelback hill that will be filled with “airtime!”
Giant Flat Spin – a hair-raising 360-degree flip that will provide two different ride experiences for guests on each side of the train.
Zero-G-Roll – a flying element that takes riders through two support towers that will dominate Cedar Point’s new Main Entrance.
Inclined Dive Loop – a tight, 180-degree turnaround pushes riders through an overbanked turn and rockets them back towards the station.
360° In-Line-Roll – an element that will take riders extremely close to the new massive support towers while flying over guests entering the park below.
Camelback Drop – a quick drop that will help propel the train and its guests through the rides final thrilling element, the spiral.
Spiral – GateKeeper’s track rotates a wicked 360 degrees before bringing the coasters train back to the ride station.

I can tell from experience that when you’re riding GateKeeper things like “that was a cool Zero-G-Roll” are not going through your head…. instead you might think something like “oh my gosh that was so close” when going through the support towers above the main entrance of the park.  It seriously feels like your head or legs might get whacked right off.  Love that rush!

There are so many things I absolutely loved about GateKeeper.  I loved that it is a high thrill coaster yet the ride was very smooth.  Plus you can ride it numerous time and have a completely different experience each time depending on where you choose to sit.  I highly suggest riding on the left side and right side at least once. I also rode in the front seat and back seat.  The front seat makes for an awesome view, but the back seat seems to whip you around the twists and turns much faster which is really fun.  In the mean time check out this real point of view video to see what your ride will be like!

A few other things I think are definitely worth mentioning.  While waiting in line for GateKeeper there are awesome canopies to help keep the sun from beating down on you and they also cover a seating area near the exit of the ride beside some food stands and restrooms.  Don’t forget to check out your picture when you get off the ride as well as the gift shop!

Tomorrow, May 11th,  is opening day 2013!  Do you plan on visiting Cedar Point and riding GateKeeper this year?  I know we’ll be going back for another flight or two or three!