I have a confession to make. Over the past 6 months, the House of AiC has literally fallen apart. Where I was once almost ocd about being organized and on top of things, these past few months, I have not been. It seems like life just fell apart and went to Hell and back right around June…lol. It finally hit me today exactly why:

It wasn’t that the other people in the house were fighting me. It wasn’t that we each weren’t doing our individual shares. It wasn’t that we wanted to be disorganized and running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Is anyone else now singing the tune of the chicken dance?

No, it wasn’t because of anything like that…it was because..for some strange and unknown reason…we were all living our own lives instead of living as a family. Each of us, while trying to help the situation, actually made it worse. Where I would organize something the way I wanted it, Tom would then undo it by trying to organize it his way. Instead of working together, we were each doing it our own way.

As we rearranged and organized the living room today (that’s why there hasn’t been that many posts today), we worked together. What we found was a room that is now neat, orderly and has so much more room to move around in. What was once cluttered and filled is now clean and open..and today, for the first time…we feel like an actual family.

It may seem like a small lesson. In truth, it really is and it’s one that we should have already learned..but hey

Sometimes the good ones, the lessons that really stick, take a bit to break thru all of the muck and mire of our brains.

Wow. Here we are at the end of another year and at the beginning of a new 0ne. I have to confess. I love new years. A new start to the calendar is a second chance to wipe all slates clean and start over again. It’s a chance to make new goals

and break them of course

and a chance to win new battles and give up on the ones that need to be given up on. I truly love new years.

This year has been quite the emotional roller coaster for me. I’m not going to lie. I have felt elated and depressed, loved and hated, on top of the world and defeated more than I thought possible. I’ve had some great ideas and of course, I’ve had some insanely stupid ones. (Oh come on! Like I’m the only one who has the occasional stupid idea!

I’ve made great friends and unfortunately, as life goes, a couple of “enemies.” I’ve begun new lifelong relationships and have ended other lifelong relationships. I’ve been blessed more than I have realized on a daily basis.

I’ve been the fool and I’ve been the queen. I’ve taken up my role of “Queen of the Kingdom of Mom” (read=my home) and I’ve given it up at times to the King of the Kingdom of Mom. I’m okay with both of those options but at times, I’ve not been okay with it. I’ve had my great Mom moments and I’ve had some low ones too. I started the year in Ohio and I am ending it a proud Texan.

All in all though? It’s been a great year.

With all new year’s though, come new goals and aspirations. I am no exception. I don’t do resolutions. I do goals. Resolutions are meant to be broken. Goals are meant to be attained and reset. Goals are good. I like goals. Goals make me happy. So this year, I wanted to share those goals with you all, my faithful friends.

This coming year I want to be not only a good friend, but a good lover to a man who has made my life so much better. I want to be not only the Mom to my Emma that she needs, but a friend to her as well,

yeah, yeah, can’t be both, I hear ya..let me dream okay?

I want to actually find my organized home and lose the clutter.

I want to find a shape for my body that’s something other than round (I say this every year, btw) but if I don’t, ah well. There’ll be other victories. I want to find a mood that isn’t stressed all of the time. *insert eye roll here because it will never happen*

I want to make a million dollars.

but I’d settle for a nice, stable income to provide a decent life for my child and my own personal Mr. Miagi (don’t tell him I called him that, k? That’ll be our little secret)

Hopefully, by the end of 2013, I will be one together woman!

or not

Now. don’t think that all of my goals are personal based. Of course not! I have AIC to think about don’t I? 2013 is bringing some big plans for Adventures in Coupons…or so I hope. There are several weekly and monthly series’s

-brief interlude, it’s 5:30 am and I haven’t slept yet..someone please correct my spelling on that word I just horribly mangled –

planned to help (hopefully) you guys save as much as possible. I’d like to get better organized and not have 8,500 emails to go through at the end of the year…again.

Yes, I did have that many. Your point is?

2013 will bring more deals, more savings and more budget tips for you guys. It will mean an even bigger money saving adventure for us all and one that we can travel on together.

I think the biggest goal I have as far as AIC next year is this…

I hope to share more of myself, more of my family and just more in general. Over the past 2 years (almost), I have gotten to know some of you very well. I think it’s high time I return the favor!

because no one likes a selfish blogger..just sayin

So there ya have it. My goals for 2o13. Stay tuned and we’ll see how many I hit..oh and share yours! I’d love to hear from you guys on what you will be working on next year!

OH and..

Happy New Year! May 2013 be a year of love, blessings, happiness and prosperity for each and every one of you. ♥

Newtown, CT/Sandy Hook Condolence Mailing Address

I haven’t spoken out about what happened Friday in Newtown, CT on here yet. I tend not to with things like this because I consider AIC my “safe” place. It’s the one place I can go that is free from politics, bickering and the like. In truth, I pushed my initial reaction to the Sandy Hook tragedy down and didn’t deal with it…until yesterday.

I made the mistake of looking at the names and the photos of the victims and I realized that every single one of those children were my daughter’s age. She’s 7.  That really brought it home for me…more so than I expected. She also thought I was rather nuts when I ran over to her and held on as tight as I could while crying so hard I couldn’t speak to tell her why. Being the kid she is, she simply wrapped her arms around me and held on until Mommy had passed her “mommy moment,” then asked why I was crying. I don’t know that she quite “gets” it but she will understand some day unfortunately. She’s such a goofy, happy go lucky kid and it saddens me that someday she WILL understand why Mom was so upset. That she will someday, possibly have to deal with the same realization that I did yesterday. That those “victims” were just babies and could have been her (or her kids). That’s just beyond what I’m ready to think about right now.

My Emma Friday Night by the campfire.

I know that a lot of you have had a hard time with this as well and when I saw this, I knew I had to share it. You can mail your letters or gifts of support to Newtown directly by using the address below:

Messages of Condolence for Newtown
P.O. Box 3700
Newtown, CT 06470

I can not imagine what those families are going through and honestly I don’t want to. I’m so grateful and blessed to have my Emma and I don’t even want to think about life without her. To those that are directly affected by this horrible event..my heart breaks for you each and every time I think about it and I’ve no other words for you other than I’m so very sorry and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Photo Credit

Thomas,

Yeah, I know. Not quite the love letter type. Tough. You’ll deal with it. I constantly walk around saying “never mind” when talking to you and I’ve explained why, I know..it drives you nuts. Guess what? I’m going to tell you what all of those never mind’s mean. You saw my letter to Emma when I wrote it. Did you really think you would get off without one? Please. You know me better than that.

Some of this you likely already know but some of it you may not. Read it anyway. It never hurts to hear something twice.

1. You intimidate me. Yes, you read that right. Yes, I’ve been through a lot in my life but what I’ve gone through will never compare to what you’ve gone through and have done. It’s a bit more than intimidating to someone who has lived a relatively sheltered life.

2. You make life fun. Yes, even fighting with you can be fun. I’ve never had someone in my life who would go toe to toe with me and you’re willing to do just that. It makes life not only interesting but fun as well.

3. I love to laugh with you. Either you’re faking it, you think I’m a ditz or I’m just plain hilarious, but I love making you laugh and laughing with you. Never in my life have I been with someone who I’ve laughed as much with and honestly? That means more to me than you will ever know. I chose to believe option number 3, but hey, that’s just MY opinion on the matter.

4. You really do chase the monsters away at night and that’s something that no one else has ever been able to do. It may be the reason you THINK I steal the blankets. I’m just snuggling to safety further away from the ghosts that go bump in my nightmares.

5. You drive me up a wall and down the other sometimes. There are times where I’d love to just smack you upside of your head and beat my own against the wall. You generally make those feelings vanish with a smile though.

6. I can’t stay mad at you. I’m more than sure by now that you’ve figured this out but I can’t. Trust me. I’ve tried.

7. When I say for the rest of my life, I mean it.

8. Finding you was one of the best things that has happened to me in the last 3 years and I don’t regret a single thing that has happened.

9. I really do love that I can walk through the house and say nothing more than “blarg” or “narf” and you understand 100% what I mean..lol.

10. I love you. For everything you are or aren’t. For everything you will or won’t be..for what you have done and haven’t or never will and for everything you stand for or don’t, to me you are just short of perfect (there is that matter of you *thinking* I steal the blankets ) and I honestly can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.

If you’ve got a tiny one that’s currently using a Bumbo Seat, you may want to check out this recall information. Always play it safest when it comes to your tiny ones.

Baby Seats Recalled for Repair by Bumbo International Due to Fall Hazard

Consumers should order free repair kit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Bumbo Baby Seats

Units: About 4 million in the U.S. Note: In October 2007, 1 million Bumbo seats were voluntarily recalled to provide additional warnings against use on raised surfaces.

Manufacturer: Bumbo International Trust, of South Africa

Hazard: Babies can maneuver out of or fall from the Bumbo seat, posing a risk of serious injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Bumbo International know of at least 50 incidents after the October 2007 voluntary recall in which babies fell from a Bumbo seat while it was being used on a raised surface. Nineteen of those incidents included reports of skull fractures. CPSC and BumboInternational are aware of an additional 34 post-recall reports of infants who fell out or maneuvered out of a Bumbo seat used on the floor or at an unknown elevation, resulting in injury. Two of these incidents involved reports of skull fractures, while others reported bumps, bruises and other minor injuries.

Description: The bottom of the Bumbo seat is round and flat with a diameter of about 15 inches. It is constructed of a single piece of molded foam and comes in various colors. The seat has leg holes and the seat back wraps completely around the child. On the front of the seat in raised lettering is the word “Bumbo” with the image of an elephant on top. The bottom of the seat has the following words: “Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030.” The back of the seat has several warnings and seats manufactured since 2008 have an additional label on the front of the seat warning against use on raised surfaces.

Sold by: Sears, Target, Toys R Us (including Babies R Us), USA Babies, Walmart, and various other toy and children’s stores nationwide, and various online sellers, from August 2003 through August 2012 for between $30 and $50.

Manufactured in: South Africa

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product until they order and install a free repair kit, which includes: a restraint belt with a warning label, installation instructions, safe use instructions and a new warning sticker. The belt should always be used when a child is placed in the seat. Even with the belt, the seat should never be used on any raised surface. Consumers should also immediately stop using Bumbo seat covers that interfere with the installation and use of the belt. A video demonstrating proper installation of the restraint belt and proper use of the Bumbo seat are available at www.recall.BumboUSA.com

Consumer Contact: Order the free repair kit by visiting www.recall.BumboUSA.com or calling (866) 898-4999 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Thursday and between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. CT on Friday. Do not return the Bumbo seat to retailers as they will not be able to provide the repair kit.

 

 

 

Get more info from CPSC

Okay Moms. Let’s talk. How many of you are overwhelmed with all of the paper in your life. Honestly? It seems like everytime I turn around, there’s more of it. My Emma’s artwork, the bills, coupons, newspapers and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. How many of you have a box stashed in the back of your closet that is filled with nothing but papers? My bet? You don’t know what a single one is and if you actually need it.

Trust me. I know the feeling. About 4 months ago I was drowning in paper clutter. Now however, it’s under control. Let me show you how I did it with these  3 programs that I absolutely adore and use everyday to help manage our lives.

About One – This site saved me. Literally. Saved me from mountains of Emma’s artwork and school work that I wanted to keep. It’s an online personal organizer that will store just about any papers that you need to. Online and off of your kitchen table. (Admit it, you know it’s true.) This site helped me remove (and no, I’m not kidding) two 13 gallon trash bags of clutter from my closet. I kept the ones that I absolutely couldn’t part with and the rest are stored on About One.

Manilla - This one is my absolute favorite. Manilla allows me to manage every account that my household has….all at once. I can view balances, pay bills, check transactions and more just from my Manilla account. Manilla helps manage my credit cards, my utilities, my newspaper subscriptions and more…they’ve got over 20 different accounts that you can add! That alone is worth it’s weight in gold! I got rid of so much paper clutter when I started using Manilla.

Mint.com – Mint has been both my financial and my paper lifesaver. I use it to manage not one, but four different bank accounts (my ING Electric Orange Checking, my cousin’s ING Money account (teen checking), my ING Orange Savings and Emma’s ING Kids account). Do you realize just how hectic taking care of four bank accounts can be?? Really? (lol). With Mint, I have access to all four accounts from one Mint account. I can schedule transactions, see past transactions, see balances and more. It’s helped me not only get my budget back on track but to also clear out paper!

Take my advice. Check out these programs. Not only will your home have less paper clutter lying around, but you’ll be able to breathe easier!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Manilla, however all opinions are 100% mine. I personally use the program and truly love it.