To 2018 Me from 2017 Me



Hello all!


I only blog or post things when I feel led to, not because I need to write a post and its been a few months since I last posted.  I'll be honest in saying I am heart broken and dealing with some things I wish I wasn't; dealing with that I was reading blogs on bible studies and I came upon an intriguing idea.....


Instead of doing a new years resolution, bullet journal or even a list....write your self a letter to read at the end of 2018 from your 2017 self. Write about how you feel, your dreams, goals and most importantly advice you learned from this year and at the end of next year....write a letter to your 2019 self.  The point of it was to see how much you have changed in a year with out setting some silly new years resolution to do so because we are humans we change/adapt to our lifes around us with out thinking about it. Some feelings this year may not seem like something but will make a break through when read next here.


Since I always blog my resolutions here goes.






Carolyn,                                                                                                      December 26,2017


This year has been hard, real hard.  Losing Mary Lou was the surprise we saw coming and the pain we knew we would feel, what we didn't expect was the pain/loss was much bigger than we could have expected. While she will always be missed I hope in 2018 you can say her name, think of her with out tears in your eyes with out the pain sneaking up on you suddenly. Peace with it all is what I  hope 2018 brings you.


Its time to get the blasted ALZ tattoo that's on your pinterest board...do it. You know you want to and you've put it off.


Works been different this year than previous years, Max Lucado Anxious for nothing has helped, hoping that when you read this letter again that you have more peace and the Lords spirit has filled you so you are not anxious for nothing.


Weight, I know you have tried for years... 18 to be exact to lose the weights from the Hashimotos but lets work on that. Goal? 20lbs. You weight (haha not going to put that in the public post) and start that routine you pinned and bought the stuff for.


Open that Etsy store!! List those earrings and try to sell them. Set no goals and be surprised at what you do....its easier that way.


Finally retire from all things livestock, nothing wrong with it just finally let it all go. Who knows in a few years when Charl is older you may have to set up to do it again...don't burn out now (even though I know you are close to burn out as it is)


Bible study don't finish one with out a few one on the horizon, keep your hunger for God.


Chan will have her learners permit...REMEMBER GOD HAS HER DONT FREAK OUT TOO MUCH.


Charl...lol I hope you successfully have him potty trained by next year. hahah




Theres a very real possibly that next year you live in a new town, new home with a ring less finger. Pray and remain faithful in prayer let God guide you.  Keep your friends close


Most of all I hope in 2018 you finally let go of the doubt, self hate and find some confidence. I know you think you are werid, that everyone thinks you are werid and don't like you. Its quite possible that's the truth but who cares what they think...you are designed in Gods image He makes no mistakes.


Look in the mirror and actually like what you see, wear the make up, pull out the perfume/jewelry you been saving for a special occasion and use them. Love you self or find a way to love your self better.


FINISH THAT BOOK!!!


Love,
2017 Me

Thanksgiving 2017

The Houston Parade is on, the turkey is cooking & smells amazing, the kids are fighting but here I sit reminiscing about Thanksgiving past.


This year is a new for us in many different ways, for 15 years all my InLaw family came to Texas, (all 60 of them) and it was incredible.


Mother in law passed in August of this year, it was the surprise we saw coming...we keep telling our selves we had 3.5yrs longer with her than expected. My heart still hurts when I think of her, she wasn't just a mother in law she was a second mom to me.


So this year no in law family in, the in law family that is here decided not to do things with the family....so I am cooking my first turkey, having thanksgiving with just my family and missing my mother in law terribly.


So I am choosing to list the blessing instead of being sad


Gods Grace, Forgivingness and Mercy I do not deserve it, but he loves me so much
My kids- they may be fighting but they are wonderful
My husband  of 15yrs, hes pretty amazing...most days haha
Our Health
Home - No matter that its small and falling apart its home, paid for and provides us with warmth, cool and there is no rain on our heads
Work - I get to work from home and be with my babies
15yrs with my mother in law
29yrs with my granddaddy
Gilmore Girls Marathon
Coffee
Netflix, Amazon Prime TV, HULU
Suddenlink
Food in the fridge
Working Furnace
Water to pay my bills
Ability to raise my kids with a freedom of religion and vaccine choice
Clients- current, past & present
My boss - I pray he keeps me


This is just a few


Happy Thanksgiving to you!

31 Days of Slow Cooker / Freezer Meals - Plans, Recipe Cards, Shopping List and Monthly Plan

31 Days of Yummy Slow Cooker Meals just in Time for Back to School. Who don't like to dump frozen dinner in the crock pot to come home to yummy dinner in the evening? Not to mention after its prepped, it takes only minutes to get dinner in the crock pot or prepared in the evening. Less Dishs, less mess.


I personally do not use the crock pot liners, I put in the dish washer every night and every morning I pull it out. Also depending on the meal I leave our dinner dishes in the washer until I get home (I had washed them the night before) so I can use them for dinner. Again saving me time as I don't have to unload them in the morning and pull them out of the cabinets at night. I know super lazy but with 3 kids and a packed schedule all time saved matters.


I also included some extras besides the 31 day book, all free, no sign ups or ads. Simply click and its free to you.


** Some of the attachments are in other posts, the 31 Day book can only be found in this post, the Muffin and others you may have already down loaded in previous post. I share them again because they are so awesome!***

Click on the hyper link to find a PDF you can save, share and print if you wish

31 Day Slow Cooker Meals HERE

20 Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for $ 150 HERE
20 Freezer to Slow Cooker Dinners (Some reason the shopping List is separate from this post)  HERE
Shopping List for Second Plan HERE
Blank Shopping List HERE
Weekly Planner Blank HERE
Monthly Planner Blank HERE
Blank Different Type Shopping List HERE
Planner Guide - This Weeks Goals HERE

Homemade Seasoning Mix HERE

Muffin Mix Recipes HERE


All the Above can be printed, saved or downloaded in one file HERE

* Printables, Recipes and Shopping list are creations of $5 Dollar Mom , I purchased them from her. All Credit goes to her

Two - 20 Freezer / Slow Cooker Meal Plans with Recipes, Shopping List and Extras

Easy to Follow Meal Plans, Recipes, Shopping List and Planning guides for Freezer or Slow Cooker Meals.  I don't like Blog post that put ads, make you sign up or join to get the recipes. So I will make this simple!  Below you will find the recipes and blank shopping list to help.

Click on the hyper link to find a PDF you can save, share and print if you wish

20 Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for $ 150 HERE
20 Freezer to Slow Cooker Dinners (Some reason the shopping List is separate from this post)  HERE
Shopping List for Second Plan HERE
Blank Shopping List HERE
Weekly Planner Blank HERE
Monthly Planner Blank HERE
Blank Different Type Shopping List HERE
Planner Guide - This Weeks Goals HERE

Homemade Seasoning Mix HERE

Muffin Mix Recipes HERE


All the Above can be printed, saved or downloaded in one file HERE

* Printables, Recipes and Shopping list are creations of $5 Dollar Mom , I purchased them from her. All Credit goes to her

Make Lunches & Dinners with Pantry Staples Recipes, Shopping List

I don't like Blog post that put ads, make you sign up or join to get the recipes. So I will make this simple!  Below you will find the recipes and blank shopping list to help. Great for when there is too much month and not enough money, or when you simply want to eat down the panty because you stocked up at one too many sales (ummm that's me too often)

Click on the hyper link to find a PDF you can save, share and print if you wish

Panty Recipes HERE

Panty Staples List HERE

Shopping List HERE

Weekly Planner Blank HERE

Monthly Planner Blank HERE

Homemade Seasoning Mix HERE

Muffin Mix Recipes HERE

* Printables, Recipes and Shopping list are creations of $5 Dollar Mom , I purchased them from her. All Credit goes to her

Homemade Dressing, Seasoning Mix Recipes

Homemade Dressing, Seasoning Mix, Spice Mix Recipes

I don't like Blog post that put ads, make you sign up or join to get the recipes. So I will make this simple!  Below you will find the recipes and blank shopping list to help. Great thing about making your own mixes is YOU control what goes in. Yes it can be time consuming but in the long run its better for you and your family.

Click on the hyper link to find a PDF you can save, share and print if you wish

Mix Recipes HERE

Shopping List HERE

* Printables, Recipes and Shopping list are creations of $5 Dollar Mom , I purchased them from her. All Credit goes to her



Grab and Go Muffins Recipes

Back to School is right around the corner, so that means the scramble for a easy, quick breakfast is on!

Try these quick easy Muffin recipes to make breakfast that much easier. I meal plan on Sunday afternoons, including putting the weeks worth of clothes out. That includes jewelry, under garments, socks everything together. So that morning we are in a rush is easier, no thinking! Just grab and go!

Muffin Recipes (5 Recipes) HERE

Shopping List (Blank) HERE

*These Recipes, printables were purchased from $5 Dollar Mom, all credit goes to her



Monat - Honest Un Paid Review

I broke down and purchased Monat after trying a sample, I do have to say what prompted my order of the product was day after the sample I went back to my name brand salon shampoo and instantly hated my hair.
This Thread will serve as my 10 day, 30 day and 90 day review (Check back often!)


I have purchased these below products (the links do NOT take you to my page, its the corporate info page of each product. I DO NOT sell Monat, nor do I have a website for it)


Links only serve as info for you. I want you to know what products I used and what's in them.


Monat Black  Shampoo & Conditioner


Monat Revitalize Conditioner


Monat Blow Out Cream


Monat Curl Cream - For Some Reason this isn't on the website.....hmmmmmm interesting!


For Starters I have Oily, Frizzy, Wavy Hair. I have to shampoo twice, condition only the ends, use leave in spray conditioner, blow dry my hair and flat iron  to get it  to my crowning glory status. I have to wash my hair daily, in the summer twice daily! Oh and yes its true I color my hair.... have you met my kids? LOL They will give you gray hair too.


I am not too happy with the prices of the product BUT if it works I am willing to spend this much...well semi willing! LOL

Day 1 Review 

With using all but the Curl Cream (that's only on days where I am going curly)

I will say my scalp itched a lot, I am told this is normal BUT I only had to blow dry my hair. No need for flat iron. I also was still oily at end of the day. The shampoo has conditioner in it, so I think me using the Revitalizing Conditioner all over my hair wasn't the best idea to get non greasy hair.




10 Day Review
Itching stopped by day 2, I do feel my hair is cleaner than its ever been.
That being said....... the shampoo is stripping everything from my hair which means by 5pm its super oily. Even using the conditioner my hair lacks moisture that it has static cling.
When I don't use the conditioner my hair is soo dry because the shampoo (its actually a shampoo and conditioner) strips it of EVERYTHING! I cant get a brush through my hair with out the conditioner.
Day 1 was great by day 2 im back to using a flat iron. The blow out cream is a waste of your money. All it did was dry the ends of my hair out (contains alcohol) and I still had to use a flat iron. Even using the special brush they have.  Blow out cream is a joke and I would skip it.
My hair responds badly to alcohol, I had to get a hair cut to due to blow out cream ruining it.


So I got a hair cut, I go to a fancy salon that uses high end shampoo. When I left there my hair felt sooooo much better!!!


Also at Day 10 I am almost out of shampoo, I might have enough for another 10 days, Conditioner I might make it the month. I am using the super small amounts they told me to. I have thin hair but I have ALOT of it. Little irritated that the 85.00 didn't last me the month.
If I purchased the high end shampoo at my salon for 95.00 (Shampoo and Conditioner, separate bottles with a pump) I would have about half a gallon of each. Enough to last me 2-3 Months.


Monat reps keep telling me I need to just wait it out, wait the 90 days for my hair to detox so I can see the full benefits. Detox from what? One use of the shampoo stripped about 10 years of products off my head!! I only used high end shampoo and conditioner before, no other products and I had healthy hair. So what needs to Detox?


At this point I will finish the products (with the exception of the blow out cream) but I will not repurchase them again. Its a joke...I can purchase all natural products with no harmful anything for much less and get the same results.


I am so foolish for falling for this trap.




I do realize that yes some people it does help, I am not one of those people. I have average, normal healthy hair that isn't over processed, not full of products so this product to me wasn't for me.


If you have average hair...skip this product line. If you have problem hair...I would say give it a try.




07/30/2017 *** UPDATE***
I tried to cancel the Flex Ship that was coming up in August because I was simply unhappy with my hair. My hair was getting very oily by 11am-2pm. I simply couldn't keep it "clean" as I had with my Redkin shampoo.


I couldn't figure out how to cancel the flex ship so I sent an email to the company. Below is the response I received. I get the feeling that Monat is like a gang...blood in blood out, Except its $19.00 In and $28.00 out if you don't send back the products in 30 days. WHILE I will get my money back...I can say I was a little disillusioned by all this. If I had kept up with the "90 day detox" I would have to pay $28.00 to stop the shipments but because I had simply inquired about stopping a flex ship I found out about it in time. I am sending the products back, with tracking and insurance. LOL I wanna make sure they get it.


*** I DID WHITE OUT OR MARK OUT MY PERSONAL INFO***

08/15/2017 **** UPDATE****
Packing was received on time, no word from the company so I sent a message. Apparently all refunds are issued AFTER the 15th day of each month and that is something I wasn't told in earlier messages.
Below is a picture of my tracking from USPS and my latest convo with them. As of 08/15/2017 at 1:33pm cst No refund has been received

08/20/2017 ***UPDATE***

In July I paid 129.80 for my membership and products, when they mentioned a refund I fully expected to get only like 75-85 dollars back. That was the base cost of the products.

Today and I have my refund at the tune of $127.30 I was surprised, they refunded everything!

Now an update on my hair, I use Pureology, Paul Mitchell, Redkin and BIG hair products normally, I can safely say my hair is finally back to normal AND my oiliness is back under control. I can actually go 24-30hrs with out it being noticeable. YAY! Monat was making it quite oily with in 4hrs of use.

While I understand this product works for a lot of people it simply didn't work for me, I have average type of hair so I would say for a great many of people I would skip this product.

I regret the time I spent trying this product honestly, I feel as if I hurt my hair in some way.

 

09/12/2017 Update

Well its been over 30 days since I stopped using Monat, I can say with out a doubt that my hair is healthier now than before. I got a good cut, purchased good shampoo and finally I have normal hair back! I do not think Monat helped me in any way.

 

I do still have frizzy oily hair but its my crowing glory right? So my hair is a little oily in the mornings...oh well. Frizzy? Well that's why we have a flat iron.  

1/2018 Update 

It took some time, few hair cuts with a style shorter than im use to get the Monat experience cut off my hair.  Yes my hair is still oily but only when I wake up in the AM, still frizzy but thats how I was made. 

2/2019 Final Update

Only thing I miss about Monat is the smell. Lol I'm guilty of buying shampoos for smell only. 

Hair is back to normal! Long, almost down to my rear. 

How did I grow this beautiful hair? Not Monat! Instead I put collegen in my morning coffee, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin D3 with K2. 

No I don't have a brand to mention, just visit your local store. 

Sometimes I will go back and try a MLM product again..lol not this one!! 

 

Red Pepper Chicken Pasta

Red Pepper Pasta!

Its June, the summer is heating up which means I am constantly looking for ways to keep the house cool. We have 980sqft house and the stove really heats it up!  I also have a diabetic kid, so we are always trying to unique ways to eat. This was surprisingly yummy! Original recipe called for Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, I live in a small town with a grocery store that takes months to get in new products. I did find this Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette that was cheaper and in my opinion...AWESOME!! I don't think I will try with the Kraft product when it comes in, we are really loving this generic kind.

Printable PDF Click HERE

Red Pepper Pasta

1 Box Veggie Pasta of your choice

1 Bottle Kroger’s Red Pepper Vingerette Dressing

( you will not use the entire bottle, just enough to coat and flavor)

Grilled Chicken Strips (I used the frozen kind) – You can omit this

1 Small can of sliced black olives

10- Green Olives Sliced

1 Red Bell Pepper cut into strips (Not pictured)

10-15 Small Cherry Tomato’s (optional)

Boil Pasta until done, drain and rince

Heat Chicken until down following instructions on bag or get real creative and use left over grilled

chicken

Place Pasta into bowl with, Chicken, Olives (both), Bell Peppers and toss

Add enough Dressing to coat & flavor

*Ronzoni Healthy Harvest or Garden Delight is a great alternative to the Regular Pasta

Calories : 390

Fat: 13

Carbs: 45

Sugars: 6

Protein: 31

Weight Watchers Points: 13

(sorry for the bad pic, was the only one I got. They all ate it so fast!!!)

 

Homemade Apple Sauce

My Middle child is a diabetic, so we are always looking for great alternatives to traditional comfort foods.  My youngest Mothers Day Out teacher posted on facebook about apple sauce and I thought..I can do that!


I made two batches, one just as recipe is written and one with out sugar by using other fruits.


This is not by far a diabetic friendly recipe BUT its a great alternative to store bought. She can have in moderation just not all the time.


Printable PDF Copy Click HERE

Homemade Apple Sauce

10-12 Honey Crips Apples – Peeled, Cored and Sliced

½ Cup Brown Sugar (you can substitute with Stevia Brown Sugar, Use ¼ cup. Or omit all together)

½ Tsp Vanilla Extract

¾ Tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 Cup Water

Place your apples in crock pot, add Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Lemon Juice and stir.

Add Water, Stir again

Low – 8 Hrs or High – 4 Hrs

Once apples have cooked, grab your blender and put contents of crock pot into blender.

Blend until desired thickness or Chunkyness (is that a word?? Lol) is reached. Emmerson blender can be used. (do this when apples are still hot)

Store in containers, Last two weeks in Fridge.

*1 Bag of frozen Strawberries or Peaches can be added frozen when you put apples in crockpot. Frozen  seem to have the best taste over fresh and they do better than fresh through cooking process. It gives a nice sweetness if you omit the sugar and unique flavor. If you chose to add these, reduce the amount of cinnamon.

This Recipe makes 4-5 Cups (depending on size of apples) This below pictures just shows over 3 cups - my little one demanded some so my picture shows a little less than recipe makes.

Last Time for Everything

There will come a time with everything you do that you will do it for the last time.

Play high school football, show a market pig for FFA, hold your grandmothers hand....there is a last time for everything.  Most of us don't get to realize it until its upon us or too late, for us it was our last stock show.

I grew up in FFA/4H and showing livestock to say I have a passion for it is an understatement. My children grew up showing as well, but last Saturday my middle child walked into the ring one last time.

Honestly the decision to quit showing was hers and one we should have made a year ago. I couldn't let her just let it all go so quickly, I mean why don't she love this as much as I do?

She has moved on to bigger and better things, so one thing had to go. Livestock

This past weekend made me realize that we should have made that decision a year ago.

Sigh...so for now I must sell the trailer, show supplies, put away memories/ribbons/trophies and move on.

LOL Guess my 4H Mom sticker needs to be replaced too