Hello? Narnia?

I'm in kind of an odd place.  I've met a few nice ladies here but for whatever reason they just aren't my "Narnia".  I'm not fully used to women like these. Not to say they aren't simply lovely but just not what I'm used to. I'm used to all my female friends (moms and child free) having something in their lives besides kids or pets that they treat as children. My BFF is uber successful in school and work. I so admire and look up to that. Many of the women here are true stay at home moms which is awesome. As funny as it sounds I had never met a true stay at home mom before moving here. Like I said all my mom friends had some sort of job or side hustle if they were a SAHM and I knew a crap ton of work at home moms. It;s taken some getting used to. I'm used to having conversations about politics, taxes, current events , work AND kids. Not just kids 24/7. I asked a new mom friend about the election and what were her feelings on some of the upcoming items on the ballot. Her eyes glazed over and she said "my husband takes care of that stuff." I was shocked to say the least. I called an old friend and asked her the same question. We ended up having an hour long conversation about the issues and our feelings. It was refreshing. I think all parents need times and friends who they can talk to about anything not just all things kid related. Granted I talk about my off spring a lot but I can have conversations that have nothing to do with kids. I think when women have kids their lives get consumed (rightfully so) but I think many lose themselves in motherhood. What happens when the kids go to school or worse leave for college and to start their own lives. Who are the moms then? 

Don't get me wrong and don't break out the pitch forks I am 100000000000000% for stay at home moms. I think it's great if the only thing you have to focus on is your family. 

Couponing

So yeah I have gone over to the dark side and started couponing again. This time it's more of an "extreme" couponing thing but in moderation..... sorta. Do I have a mini stock pile? Yes but it's only things we actually use. I don't have hundreds of one item or anything. Tho I do admire people who can and do. As a single mom you're always looking for ways to save money no matter how much you make. I also like not having to shop too often for everyday things. I'll also admit it's quite a high too. I paid $17.90 for 10 shampoos , 10 conditioners and 18 tooth pastes. Not bad in my opinion and it's the good stuff!! Not the cheap 99 cent store items. I love having products on hand in case we need anything. You never know what tomorrow holds. I think being prepared is very important. Now I'm off to find body wash and deodorant coupons lol 

Kroger Deal:  They were on sale for 2 for $5.
I had 10  $4 off two bottles coupons making each bottle $0.50

Walmart Deal: Razors are $3.27 regular price.
I had 20 $3 off coupons making each one $0.27

One of my favorite couponing apps. It's called Flipp

Dollar Tree Deal:
The cups were $1 and I had 10  $1.50 off
each one. Making them FREE!!! Just pay tax. 

Dollar Tree Deal:
The cups were $1 and I had 10  $1.50 off
each one. Making them FREE!!! Just pay tax.

The coupons I used in my toothpaste,
shampoo and conditioner haul

Walmart Deal:
Almay eye shadow is $4.97 and
 I had 10 $4 off coupons.  Making each
one $0.97! 

Staples Deal:
Each pack was $3.90 on clearance.

Kroger Deal:
Toothpaste was 3 for $6.
I had 20 $2 off each tube coupons making
them FREE! Just pay tax. 

Aulker Portable Bluetooth Speaker REVIEW

This speaker is great for home or for travel. I took it on my last trip and it worked amazingly well. The speaker is blue tooth which made it super easy to use with my Iphone. The sound quality is is great and it even has a good bass output. The battery life is also great. I used it 4 days in a row every morning while I was getting ready and didn't need to charge it once. The buttons are clearly labeled so even the least tech savvy person can correctly use it. Overall this is an awesome speaker.

* I received this product in exchange for my 100% honest opinion *

Here's what the company has to say about their product:

• TAKE YOUR JAMS ANYWHERE! QUICK & EASY PAIR WITH 99% BLUETOOTH DEVICES UP TO 33FT / 10 METER: super easy to pair, just search and pair. Want your tunes with you anywhere? With the power dual 5W audio driver and high quality clear sound, this is the right one to get.
• 8 HOUR PLAY POWERFUL WIRELESS SPEAKER...AND A FREE 1 YEAR PREMIUM MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY! For the cost of a meal, take your music anywhere. Isn't that worth it, alone? FM Radio, Hands-Free Calling, Micro TF/SD Card Support, USB Input, AUX 3.5mm Line-In, what a great value! Get a few or sent as gifts to your family and friends, this investment makes sense.
• FM RADIO, HANDS-FREE CALLING, MICRO TF/SD CARD SUPPORTED, USB INPUT, AUX LINE-IN. Anti-Skidding bottom mat and quality mesh silicone front layer provide high stability when standing or holding in hand. This is a speaker with lots of function, don't miss it!
• BUILT-IN MICROPHONE FOR HANDS-FREE CALLING AS A SPEAKERPHONE: tired of your shoulder and neck pain due to the phone call? Enjoy the speaker as a loud speakerphone to free your hands when calling with built-in mic
• WHAT IS IN THE PACKAGE: Aulker Portable Wireless FM Radio Bluetooth Speaker x 1, USB Charge Cable x 1, Aux 3.5mm Audio Cable x 1

Shrimp , Veggies and Rice

I love shrimp!!! I do a lot of cooking with shrimp now days. KC is allergic to chicken ...hell she's allergic to all things with feathers. Since she still nurses I still cannot eat things she is allergic to. This is my quick and easy go to shrimp with veggies meal. 

1/2 of uncooked shrimp

1 bag of mixed frozen veggies of your choice

Mrs Dash to taste

Jasmine Rice (I use the pre made stuff in the cup)

Olive oil 

Lemon juice

Butter

Instructions:

"Marinade" shrimp in lemon juice, olive oil and Mrs Dash until they start to turn pink. The drain and dry the shrimp. Not drying them adds water to the pan equaling a more boiled taste to your shrimp. 

Place olive oil in skillet along with veggies seasoned with Mrs Dash. Cook veggies for a 2 - 3 minutes then toss in shrimp with a bit of butter. Cook until shrimp is fully cooked and vegetables are done to your desired texture. Follow the directions on the rice cups ( Jasmine rice from scratch  ). 

I put a tiny bit of butter and lemon juice in the plate or bowl first then put the steaming hot rice over it. Please shrimp and veggies on top and serve. Super simple and ultra tasty. ENJOY! 

Bambini & ME Certified Amber Teething Necklace REVIEW!

We are a huge amber teething necklace family. My daughter has been wearing them since she was around 3 months old. She has had no teething pains. Even when her 2 year old molars came in she was fine. I give amber teething necklaces a lot of credit. This one is no different. When she out grew her last one we got this one and it's been continued smooth sailing. The stones are individually knotted so if it does break (I've never had one that did) only one stone will fall off not all of them. The stones are polished and size appropriate for a necklace for a younger child. I love that the jelly style soft teether necklace also comes with it. My daughter is forever putting everything in her mouth even when not teething. I love being able to hold her or wear her and her have something around my neck to play with and entertain herself with. Overall this is a great set.

 *I received this product in exchange for my 100% honest opinion *

Here's what the company has to say about their product:

Bambini & ME Certified Amber Teething Necklace
About the Product

• REDUCES TEETHING PAIN: Our Baltic Amber Teething Necklace is the perfect teething toy for reducing teething pain for its all-natural analgesic healing properties.
  SAFE TO USE: You don't have to worry about your baby or toddler breaking our teething necklace. It's knotted so the amber won't break apart and is sturdy against even the strongest tiny hands
  HYPOALLERGENIC: Great for infants and toddlers of all ages, our Baltic Amber Teething Necklace is hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal so you never have to worry about it housing germs. It can also be easily cleaned with a warm, damp rag.
  ALL-NATURAL AMBER: That's right, each of our teething necklaces are made from 100% fossilized tree resin. Warm to the touch, Baltic amber is a very popular homeopathic medical choice.
  STYLISH & UNIQUE: Unlike the thousands of plastic teething toys out there, ours is fun, unique and better for helping your baby through those tough teething nights.
  
  
   

Features & Benefits:
100% certified high-quality Baltic amber
Warm to the touch
Safety knots between amber pieces
Natural immune system booster

• **Includes a silicone teething necklace mom can wear!

Easy@Home Digital Oral Thermometer

Product Name:   Easy@Home Digital Oral Thermometer

A good thermometer is a must for any parent and this one is one of the best oral ones I have found. The display is nice and large. It's easy for an overly tired mom to quickly and easily read. It also lights up which makes a HUGE difference when you're using it at night. Being able to read your child's temperature without turning on all the lights in their room is awesome. The unit is made with high quality materials. It's not one of those cheap ones you find at the big box retailers. Overall it's easy to use and I will add this to my go to baby shower gift list.

* I received this product in exchange for my 100% honest opinion *

Here's what the company has to say about their product:

The Easy@Home EMT-026 is a deluxe, reliable and clinically accurate thermometer for everyday use at home. It is designed to make oral, axillary or rectal temperature taking quick and easy. Quick and accurate Oral temperature readings in 10-20 seconds. The large backlit display is easy for you to read, even in the dark. 

Check out a few of my other mommy must haves!!!

Splash Pad Fun!

Since it's well over 100 degrees here almost everyday the princess and I love to visit all sorts of splash pads. Now if you don't know what splash pads are they are these neat little "parks" with holes in the ground that water shoot up out of.  It's a fun way to stay cool in this heat but not all the issues with going to the pool. WE have a pool and an aquatics center but during the summer the bigger kids are there and don't seem to pay attention to the little ones so they tend to get run over. So splash pads seem to be the better option.  Thankfully here we have literally 100 of them. So we travel around weekly to new splash pads. It's one of our fun weekly outings. 

 Have a fun summer!!!

KC and Inza