I want to redecorate our master bedroom - mainly the walls and add bookcases for organization.  A few random ideas I’ve come across while searching…

I’m not sure if I’d do the whole wall (and only one wall, and maybe not even this pattern), but I am looking for something for the wall behind the bed.  Most of the exposed part of the wall will just be above the bed, so it is almost mock-headboard in a way.  I’m not really sold on this, but wanted to save it to look back on. 

Good Housekeeping

 And…. a couple idea articles…. again, to save to look back on. 

How To Create A Peaceful Retreat When You Redecorate The Bedroom

Organizing A Bedroom

I have this love / hate relationshp with bills. I love what I get out of it, I just hate actually paying the bill to make it happen.  I know, who actually likes paying bills, right?  I guess I have been like a lot of people and just going a long and paying “the bill” because that is what you are supposed to do. {Note: I am not advocating not paying the bills, stay with me.} Bill comes in, stroke a check - ha! Who am I kidding? I almost never write checks, anymore… most are paid online or over the phone… but I digress. 

Then one day I started questioning (to myself only at that point) if I actually needed to pay that amount on the bill. I am hearing people are calling DirecTV and getting rates lowered (which is on my to do list, can’t hurt to ask!), but the whole TV set up deal is something else I have plans for, which I’ve mentioned here, but I figure a lower rate in the meantime - for the same service - would certainly be nice.

Then, hubs was goofing around online and actually did one of those “check our rates” auto insurance thingies. And, oh-my-gosh, it was $40 less per month. We haven’t officially changed over yet, but I think we will be very soon. Then I can almost justify the fact that we just got storage because  I have  we have too much stuff.  {Look, baby is coming. Fast. And that room has to get cleared out. Now. It is what it is. But, I do plan to go through everything afterwards and do lots of tossing.}  My goal is to actually save money though and not just replace the savings with different bills.  We’ll see how that goes!

At least it is all still pretty much small potatoes in the big picture and I’m not out trying to find the best local business quotes. My work is pretty much all online. And in Florida. But for those in IL or TX with a business you need insured, here’s a couple quick links for ya: local Illinois business insurance and TX business insurance. 

Anyway, it looks like we are going to change auto insurance companies and I am going to keep looking for ways to cut back bills without actually sacrificing those things I’ve become spoiled with.

Links brought to you by localinsurance.com. All opinions are 100% my own.

I will be posting the pic and details on Savvy Frugalistas over the weekend, but I wanted to go ahead and get the word out if you haven’t already heard. They had baby toys (Leap Frog, etc) clearanced, too.  It was somewhat random… two different aisles of clearance and a lot of stuff mixed in with other toys.  Look for that famous red clearance sticker on the items, LOL! 

They also have some baby gear items 50% off.  I couldn’t justify the great deal on the pack-n-play (monkey decor!!!) because we already have one that is still in great condition, but I was wanting it.  There was also 2 booster car seats with backs (and I believe internal harness) 1/2 off. In pink. So, I passed on those too, obviously.  I did get a 2 pack of Carters pants 0-3 months ($8) for only $2.

Picture & more details over the weekend, but I would strongly suggest you check out the Target store(s) in your area - Christmas is coming so you may as well get a head start!

I was talking to a friend today about redecorating. There are a lot of things I still want to do around here, and though ultimately the nursery is the primary focus, it isn’t the sole focus. I need to finish the bathroom I’ve slowly been working on (we are doing it in a cute frog decor for the boys) and work on the master bedroom. The master bedroom still has white walls and just doesn’t have the feel I want it to have. I’d like to paint it and do some minor redecorating, hopefully before baby comes. Fingers crossed. A major entire-house redecorating must is adding storage spaces. I absolutely love the 9 cube (3×3) wooden storage units - we have 2 in Lil Roo’s room and I want to get him 2 more, 3-4 for the master bedroom, and 4 for the nursery. Although I am not focused too much on dining room furniture, I do need to get a small china cabinet.  Getting things more organized around here will certainly bring some relief!

Link from CSN Stores, who will providing nursery items for an upcoming review on Sweet Posh Baby.

Don’t be too shocked, heehee, but I’ve created another blog. We’ll just take it day by day, but I’m feeling pretty good about it.  I’m calling it Two’s Enough simply because with kid #2 on the way, we’ve decided two will be the perfect number for us. It will be more of a personal, life, random thoughts, and pictures type of blog. I would love for you to stop by sometime and check it out.

… And thinking of getting mine cut. It has been awhile since I had it chopped and I am starting to think it is way past time to go that route again.  It is more comfortable and there’s less of it to deal with.  As for an actual style though, I’m not sure.  I have seen a lot of hair styles that look great, but I am concerned about the amount of time they would take to create each morning and not certain that I would really want to bother. Pathetic, I know. But I’m simple and more of a brush and go kinda girl. Plus my hair parts in an unusual way that if I don’t have it pulled back, the top center group of hair likes to fall into my face.  That’s typically why you’ll often find me with my hair pulled back. It isn’t as bad when it is shorter, which is really why I think it is time for another trim.

The plus to having longer hair though is that is affords me more options when I DO want to do something with it. Guess there are always clip in hair extensions from Pro Extensions if I want something different or fancy. 

Is it July and H-O-T every single day (and night!) and even in the fall with the baby coming… well, guess I better get to finding a hair cut I like, because it is time for a change!

Sponsored Editorial. All opinions are 100% my own.

I know exactly what I want, exactly what I want it to do.  I just don’t know if it exists. I want an automatic weekly post of links to posts (and possibly a sniplet of the post linked to) of another blog of mine.  A weekly recap of another blog, basically.

Sooo… know of one? Or what the best terms would be to search for one? I’ve been looking, but in searching and in trying to explain to others what I want… I think it somehow gets lost in the translation. 

I was asked to write about what I would do if I was presented with a free Mommy Makeover, so I started thinking about what all could be included in a Mommy Makeover:  massage, new haircut / hairstyle, more sophisticated shaped eyebrows, different makeup, a new wardrobe, or even more dramatic measures such as a tummy tuck, facelift, etc… possibilities seem endless.

Right now, at 26 weeks pregnant, I could go for a nice spa day… or spa weekend… or spa vacation. Yes, a spa vacation! That would be heavenly, but not exactly in a makeover sense.  With 26 weeks down and 14 weeks to go of this pregnancy, everything is constantly changing, so it is hard to say where I will be after the baby is born and what changes I would like to explore.

I still have weight from my first pregnancy, so I know that will be a big focus. Eating healthier, exercising more, and finding common-sense ways to get back to a happier number will be on my agenda. This will be my last pregnancy. With that in mind, I will be able to focus more specifically on areas where I want to see changes. I am all for new clothes, a new hairstyle, slimming down, etc, but I am not sure I am ready yet to take the plunge into the land of tummy tucks and facelifts.  Not to say that couldn’t change in a few years, lol. 

If you were presented with a free Mommy Makeover, what would your choices be?

Sponsored Editorial. All opinions are 100% my own.

Since deciding on the CoCaLo Jackson crib bedding set, I have been in love with all things monkeys, lions, and bears, heehee.  With our first son, it was all transportation - cars, trucks, firetrucks, etc - a perfect fit for him. And though I am pretty sure our second son will also love cars (what boy doesn’t?) and even though Daddy is a firefighter, I just wanted to go in a different direction. And I. love. it! 

When Lil Roo was born, my sister bought him several floor animal pillows / stuffed animals.  They’ve been put up for quite awhile, but I pulled them out yesterday. Going through them, I discovered one was an ELEPHANT. Score.  I told Lil Roo that he can choose one of the other two (dog and bear) once we get his bigger bed set up. {Ours isn’t this exact floor pillow, but fairly close… ours is more animal shaped than square.}

One of the items I recently received for the launch of Sweet Posh Baby is a monkey clock. Love it!  I also came back across a Webkinz Monkey from a previous gift guide that will be sooo cute in the nursery.  I just love how little pieces are already starting to fall into place. {Now, I just need to get the office / junk room emptied out so I can begin on creating a nursery!} 

And… I was playing around online and came across a child’s rocking chair that matches the CoCaLo Jackson set.  How cute is this?

 I can’t wait to start putting the nursery together!! 

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about baby strollers.  I have been checking out baby stroller reviews, browsing Babies R Us and other baby gear sites, and thinking about which would make the most sense to our family - what style, what type, and what price range.  I am mostly leaning toward a sit and stand, something simple but durable, and something that I won’t have to add a second mortgage to the house to get.  While in most cases our four year old does well on foot, there are times when he would like a little break.  Plus, sometimes you can just move a little quicker if not going at a four year old’s pace! 

Of course, I did a little dreaming… looking at the Bob Revolution baby stroller review… if money wasn’t an option… and if I really didn’t need a sit and stand (or just wanted to have an extra stroller for times we did not need to use the sit and stand), it *would* be nice.  Or even if we were in the big city, where we’d use the baby stroller each and every day… then it might make more sense to allow more in the budget for a higher quality baby stroller.  Alas, the $389 price tag isn’t quite what I’m willing to spend right now. 

We checked out the Baby Trend Sit and Stand strollers at Babies R Us (simply because those were the ONLY Sit And Stand strollers at Babies R Us) and I’ve looked at the Joovy Sit and Stand strollers online. I think I may be leaning a little more toward the Joovy as it really isn’t much more cost wise than the Baby Trend.

Sponsored Editorial. All comments and opinions are 100% my own.

Whew!  I broke my blog a couple days ago and have been freaking out about it (obvisouly, lol).  I tried going through my host previously, but they could only do a full account restore and I was afraid of the content that could be lost on other sites if they did, so more freaking. out.  I know, I know. I need to get a very user friendly backup plug-in for each site. Just in case. Heck, nevermind, just in case. For the next time. Because I obviously have a tendancy to break my blog periodically. Maybe this time was an almost full moon kinda thing? I added a simple button to my sidebar, which *may* have omitted a space in part of the code. As soon as I added it, the damage was done. CRAZY. It may have been a coincidence, because wouldn’t you think there would just be an error with that button not showing up?  But nooo, not for me. The whole blog goes bust.

Tonight, I called the host again thinking I would just do the full account restore and he was able to make the repair without affecting the other sites. *LOVE*

Ironically, this is on top of the internet (ahem, LACK OF) issue I’ve been dealing with… constantly in and out for about a week and the latter few days of that it was completely out.

Sooo.. I’m backed up on email still from the internet connection issues, backed up on stuff I need to post here… on top of my typical backed-up schedule (shhhh!).  Guess I need to seriously crank out some work… if only Lil Roo was more considerate of that. Not only does he not like me being on the computer, he has now discovered the Mommy has GAMES on her computer that he likes to play. A lot.  Of course most are the trial games that came with the computer that expire after a few plays.  Looks like I need to do some shopping around for games.  Anyhooo…. problem fixed, I’m working on backed-up stuff, so please be patient if you are looking for a reply to an email or such.  I’m so releived now!!  Aaaaahhhhh! 

Much to my sister’s dismay, I haven’t been taken in - lock, stock, and barrel as the saying goes - by the Twilight craze that is sweeping the country (sweeping the world?).  When I visited her in 2008, she insisted she take me to see the original Twilight film, and I agreed to humor her.  The movie was pretty good, as movies go, but I just never bought into the craze.  I haven’t seen any of the sequels or read any of the books.  I do however tease her when she posts anything about Twilight on Facebook.  It is what I do, hehe!

Twilight related merchandise is everywhere, especially for the new Eclipse film.  If you have seen the same ole, same ole Twilight gear in the stores and are interested in more unique merchandise, check out custom Cafepress t-shirts for Eclipse gear.  While you are checking out the Twilight stuff, I’ll be a couple clicks over browsing cute custom onesies and bibs.  I won’t even tease you, like I do my sister, as you shop the craziness.  LOL! 

And, since I am pretty sure no Twilight related post is complete without asking “the” question, here goes…

Team Edward or Team Jacob?

 
 Links brought to your by friends at Cafepress.com; all opinions are 100% my own.

The newest show to hit Sprout is Chloe’s Closet: magical worlds, fun-filled adventures and an imaginative little girl!  Each night the journey begins as Chloe and her friends get swept away through the power of dressing up.  These new worlds discovered by this adorable little girl show audiences the endless possibilities that come from using your imagination.

I recently created Savvy Frugalistas, which is a work in progress.  A slow process it seems, but in progress none-the-less. There’s been a little bit of a set back due to time and theme complications. I created Savvy Frugalistas to allow a more focused outlet for my love of saving money and have hopes of it being community-minded and promote fellow budget-minded bloggers. In the meantime (the “time” part of the set back) I learned I am carrying our second child (it is actually the related ickies that is/was part of the set back), working on another blog project, and looking for more ways to save money. Always. I’m a frugalistas at heart, remember.

One area I have been researching and doing a lot of thinking on is TV. We currently pay DirecTV a wad of money every month for shows that (in most cases) we can get free.  There are several steps I need to go through to get to the point of telling DirecTV goodbye, and I’ve written on it, but it is semi-backburnered due to time and other things on the to do list. This is an area that people spend a lot of money on simply because it is “just the way things are done” and I want to break from that mold.

Another area people can spend a good bit of dough on is moving expenses. It isn’t a monthly or even semi-regular expense, and moving can be so stressful, that many do not look for deals for moving services. It is either do it yourself or pay the big bucks to have it done for you. But, there is some middle ground: search for savings and deals offered by local movers. BTW, if you are in AZ, you can also check out Tucson moving companies for deals. My hopeful plans of getting the house ready throughout this year to put on the market didn’t happen, so that may be a focus for 2011.  While we may go the route of DIY moving, it is nice to know there are {frugal} options if we feel it is more than we can handle on our own.

Links brought to you by Billy.com, however all content & opinions are 100% my own.

I found this nursery set last night and just fell in love with it!

CoCaLo Jackson

Monkeys, elephants, and lions, oh my!