New Breakfast Idea

This post brought to you by Quaker Oats. All opinions are 100% mine.

First let me state that I am anything but a morning person. I'm prone to grabbing a cookie or something like unto becasue I just don't do mornings. This makes things super difficut when I'm pregnant because it makes me dislike mornings even more but I know how it is important to get wholesome food so you have the energy to get through the day.

Recently I was told about the new Quaker Soft Baked Bar. The cinnamon pecan bread sounds just delightful! They say you can eat them cold or do a quick heat in the microwave for a easy breakfast snack which sounds like just what I need. Now doesn't that sound simple and delicious?

I can't wait to share try these and share them with my kids! I know we will just love them and that they will be an awesome snack for us for breakfast, or most any other time of day. I also hope they come out with more flavors soon because I just know they are going to be a big hit!

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Do you ahve a great new flavor idea for Quaker? If so, let us know in a comment and I'll be sure to pass the recomendations along. Thanks!

Sleepin on a Wordless Wednesday

How Do You Calculate Your Savings?

At the Kerr house we figure what we saved with this formula:

Total saved (coupons, rewards used, gift cards)

[total spent (including tax) + total saved (coupons, rewards used, gift cards)]

this means that rewards and gift cards earned are not included but tax is. We love this formula because we feel it gives us a true representation of how we are doing.

Having said that. Here's what we did this week.

Total Spent: $65.02

Total Saved: $162.34 (71%)

Rewards Earned: $59.00

#EclosBeauty Review & Giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of éclos Skin Care for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a young mother of three I am always looking for ways to help myself feel younger, more my own age, by keeping my skin clear. As I am pregnant and on hormone treatments sometimes this can be a challenge. Recently I was given the opportunity to try éclos Skin Care line and I have been very please with the results.

I was sent a kit that included Facial Cleanser Skin Prep, Cellular Activator Face Serum, Moisture therapy Regenerative Cream, Restorative Eye Cream, Instant Radiance Facial Scrub, Skin Renewal Clay Mask and a complimentary head band. These products are special because they contain Apple Stem Cells that have been shown to stimulate skin stem cells. Along with the new stem cell technology, the line includes plant extracts, vitamins and anti-oxidants to help your skin feel its best.

I have to say that I was super impressed! The only piece of this kit I didn't love was the Restorative Eye Cream due to a minor allergic reaction (this is super common with eye anything on my face). Other than that I have enjoyed using each piece. Completing the full routine does take a little longer than I would normally spend on my face but the finished result is worth it. I would have to say that my favorite piece is the Facial Cleanser Skin Prep. It tends to leave my face a little dry, only before using the Face Serum and egenerative Cream however. After using each of these my face is super smooth which I love!

As a side note, the scent of these face products is wonderful! They smell natural but beautiful and for me it is perfect.

Today you have your chance to win your very own beauty kit! Make sure you use the Rafflecopter below to enter and even if you don't win make sure you get your own kit because this stuff is awesome!

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Birthday Fun - Wordless Wednesday

Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler Review

As a family working on being as green as possible one of the things we try to do is recycle. Of course our city makes this as difficult as possible with their lack friendliness to recyclers. For us to recycle we have to save, sort, and then deliver our items to the appropriate facility (that means three different places). Sometimes this can be a struggle but we have worked out a system that works fairly well.

Recently Rubbermaid sent us their new 2-in-1 Recycler to review. I really like this product and think it is has functionality, just not in my kitchen. If you were to visit my kitchen you would understand our dilemma. Our kitchen is shaped like a T and is very narrow. Our trash fits between the stove and the cupboard under the counter and it's a tight squeeze at that. Since we moved in we have kept our recycling boxes just outside the garage door on a shelf (so you don't have to go down the stairs) and it has been working fairly well.

On the up side, we have been using the 2-in-1 Recycler to hold chicken feed in our garage and it is awesome! We have 2 types of feed that we need almost every day and this makes a simple way to access both. I love that I can simply take off the top container to carry outside with me when I feed scratch grain. I also love that both containers are removable for easy refills.

As I said, this would work as a great recycler in your kitchen if you have a spot to put it. It also works great for other things however when you don't have the space. Either way you should check it out and thank Rubbermaid for another great product!

Potty Time Review

Due to our children's developmental delays we have done quite a bit of signing at our house. This came at a recommendation from the older boys speech therapist when we first found out about C's tongue tie and began looking at what it would take to fix the problem. Throughout this process we have been teaching the boys to use sign language which has been interesting as neither E or I are knowledgeable about signing.

Through this learning time we have tried many different books and videos to learn new signs. Signing Times is a series we have loved from the very beginning because of their unique songs and simple way of teaching. Recently, Signing Times has sent us a Potty Time DVD to review. The boys have really enjoyed watching this movie and although I can't say it's helped our potty training any we do now know all the signs we need to potty train our boys.

If you haven't seen any Signing Time videos yet you should check them out. They are great for kids who talk and those who don't. They have wonderfully fun songs that you will find your kids, and yourself, singing because they are so applicable to everyday life. Make sure you check out these awesome DVDs today!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Plane Trips

Remember last week when I told you how I like to plan vacations when I'm having one of those days. Well this week as I was planning my vacation I decided it should include a Charter plane service. Doesn't that sound like fun! I've always loved flying, in fact when I was little my dream job was to be a stewardess so I could see the world.

I think my love of flying stems from the fact that I've lived most of my life on the opposite side of the country as my grandparents and my parents liked to make sure we went to visit as often as possible. That meant about every other summer we'd get to take that long, but fun, flight to see grandma.

It's been a while since I was on an airplane but I can't wait to take the kids to visit their grandma, who also lives cross country. There is so much to see and do and since I get car sick, flying with my family is the obvious answer to helping us get to all the fun places I want to share with them! Hopefully in the not too distant future we'll be able to take our first plane trip and start our summer adventures as a family!

The Job Hunt

When E and I first got married we faced two major tasks, find a place to live and find a job. The first one was fairly simple as we moved into a family rental property but the second one took more work. We considered a lot of different job options including some Local Driving Jobs.  We searched everywhere, online, the newspaper, and finally began looking through the phone book to see where we might go apply.

The last idea finally paid off and we found jobs for both E and I with comparable hours and decent pay. E's job especially was a huge blessing as he is still working this same job today and they have allowed him the flexibility to go to school, help me when I need it at home, and take an occasional vacation.

We know the job search can be hard and that there are lots of people looking but we also know there are lots of great jobs out there. E's boss is still looking for people to hire this year because no one, with a clean driving record, as applied. For me this is very sad because I know there are people who need these jobs. If you are one of these people please keep looking! The job for you is out there and I know you can find it!

Masters of the Veil Author Guest Post

Masters of the Veil  tells the story of Sam Lock. Popular, good-looking, and with a future as a pro football player, every guy at Stanton High School wishes he were Sam. That is, until the championship football game, when Sam accidentally links with an ancient source of energy known as the Veil and reveals his potential to become a powerful sorcerer. Sam is whisked off to Atlas Crown, a community of sorcerers who utilize the Veil as a part of everyday life. Once there, he trains beside a mute boy who speaks through music, an eternal sage who's the eyes and ears of the Veil, and a beautiful girl who's pretty sure Sam's an idiot. As it becomes clear Sam's meant for power magic-the most feared and misunderstood form of sorcery-people beyond Atlas Crown learn of his dangerous potential. An exiled group of power sorcerers are eager to recruit Sam, believing that he is destined to help them achieve their long-held goal. If they succeed, they could bring about the downfall of not only Atlas Crown. but all humankind.

"A funny, imaginative, and delightful read!"
~Author Kate Kaynak

Author Daniel Cohen is offering one lucky person a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card.
Last day to enter is May 31st

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Ewww, She's Stinky! Wordless Wednesday

Mountain Mama Review

Over my past three pregnancies I have been on quite the adventure with maternity clothes. With my first pregnancy I was working so I had a uniform that kinda fit and then was on bed rest so pjs worked just fine most days. With pregnancy two I was still trying to adjust to having a new baby and couldn't have cared less what I looked like. By pregnancy three I was doing better and was in need of some clothes that I could see the public in. The biggest problem I faced at this point was that we live in a small town and there wasn't a huge selection to begin with let alone a selection in my small size.

With baby four I have been super excited to try ordering maternity clothes online and one place that I have really loved is Mountain Mama. They sent me an Olema Tee to review and I have to say that I love it! The color is beautiful and the style is very flattering. I will make a note here that this shirt is very long and if you have a short torso or don't like long shirts this may not be the shirt for you. I will continue to try to get a picture of me in it, E seems to come home late every time I wear this shirt, so you can see what it looks like. My very favorite thing is the neckline! It is low enough to show off some of that pregnancy bust but it is still high enough that I feel super comfortable playing with the kids and being the mom I need to be. Thanks so much for letting me share Mountain Mama!

A Story of the West By Susan Spence Book Review

I know I probably don't look like it but I'm all about a good western and that's just what I found in A Story of the West. I want to start by telling you my one complaint. I felt sometimes Susan wasted words by telling me details I already new about. This wouldn't be a problem if you had never saddled a horse or made bread but since I have I felt sometimes there were too many details.

Other than that I simply loved this book! It was a fairly simple read because there was not a huge amount of characters to keep track of. The story told of Matt, a Montana rancher/cowboy, and his struggle to maintain a ranch in a time when the west was new and lawmen weren't common.

The story tells of Matt's struggles as a land owner, a son, a husband and a father in a time and a land where anything is possible. You can't help but fall in love with Matt, Lavina, Big John and all the other inhabitants of D Rocking D. It is a well written book with an ending you won't want to miss. Thank you Susan for sharing a wonderful book with me!

Speakers for Father's Day

This post brought to you by Lenovo. All opinions are 100% mine.

It seems like every guy I know is all about electronics and with Father's Day approaching that means it's time for me to catch up on the latest technology news. One thing I have been investigating is the Lenovo speaker M0520. This speaker has built in amplifiers and a sub speaker but my favorite feature is that these speakers are small and that they use a USB connection so they are easy to use with your computer, laptop, smartphone or other music device.
I think these speakers will be the perfect size to take to school, work, or wherever else we may need them and having a set around the house is going to be awesome! I can't wait to show E what I found and I'm sure even the kids will enjoy them as we take them on trips with our laptops so they can watch movies in the car, something they haven't been able to do in the past.
I think these would make a great gift for father's day, or graduation, or just about any other holiday. I simply can't tell you enough about the great features of these speakers. I personally also love the style. The bright red is super cool and I love the sleek design. The best news is that these speakers are on sale through May 21^st for just $11.99 (plus tax and shipping). What a great deal on the perfect Father's Day gift! Make sure you head over right now before this sale is over.

One of those Days

Today has been one of those days where the kids are extra stubborn, E is working overtime, and I am needing a break. There are two things I love to do on days like today, one is read and the other is to look for places I'd love to go visit, preferably relaxing places where I could enjoy myself once the kids are grown.

There are lots of fun travel websites to browse, in fact almost every city has one. On really bad days I like to plan a whole trip. I begin by picking where I want to visit and how long I would want to stay. Then I go find all the things I would like to see and/or do while I'm there. While I'm in the area, I like to find a good hotel nearby and maybe even search for some fun places to eat too. Once I've got all that done I like to check out over to a site like www.mega.co.uk and see if my trip is something that I will be able to afford and look forward to taking in a few years.

Try it, It may be just what you need to brighten your day!

Some Holiday Shopping

This week I shopped Target and Walgreens. I had some good coupons and found some fun clearance items that will be going for Christmas/Birthdays including sweats for E, beach towels for the kids, and lunch box organizers for the older boys. Overall it was a great week!

Spent: $27.72

Saved: $169.70 (86%)

Rewards Received: $22.00

Work, Work and more Work

If there is one thing my boys love it is a big truck. They will often ask to go to see dad at work so they can see the big trucks they transport trees and dirt with. Some of the trucks at his work are getting pretty old and it seems like they are always in and out of the shop. We keep telling the boss he needs to start looking for commercial trucks for sale so he can be ready when one of his trucks is finally beyond repair. They loss one plow truck last winter but thankfully there wasn't much plowing to do after that. We sincerely hope they find a new truck before the snow starts this winter or they will have more drivers than plows. I think the biggest problem is that we live in a small town where commercial trucks are not overly prevalent and the boss rarely takes time away to travel elsewhere, especially this time of year, for things that don't seem overly pressing like searching for a new truck. Oh well, everything will work out in it's own time. In the meantime I'll be grateful I have all of you to listen to my brief rants about work.

Adoptable: Maggie

There are many families who desire a small dog and thankfully there are many small dogs who need a forever home. If you're looking for a small dog there are many rescues dedicated to small breeds. One of these is DRCO (Dachshund Rescue Colorado) where Maggie is available for adoption. Maggie is a 14 month old Dachshund that is smart and is house trained. She really likes having a consistent routine that helps to give her confidence. Maggie is spayed so she will make a great companion for someone who has time to work with her and give here the love and care she needs. To learn make sure to visit DRCO and see Maggie and all their other great dogs for adoption.

Are You Loosing Sleep

So for those of you who have been wondering where I've been for the last little bit the answer is that I've been trying to keep enough energy to get the basics done. I wish I had a more exciting answer for you but it seems like I can barely get the housework done and keep the kids fed without feeling physically and emotionally drained. Thankfully I recently began my shot treatments and they are slowly helping me feel better however I still have a long way to go. Slowly but surely I am beginning to feel a little more like myself and my house is beginning to look a little less like a war zone.

Exhaustion is a common problem during pregnancy and there are many different things you can try. Some, like lavender treatments and baths, are simple and inexpensive, while others, like a new Tempurpedic Mattress, are a bit more pricy but will also have more lasting effects. There is tons of research out there to help individuals who are having problems sleeping if you take a little time to find it. Whatever you decide please go check out your options. There is really no good reason to be loosing sleep.

Searching the Internet

Finding information on the internet can be difficult. For the person searching it means you have to find exactly the right words to tell the search engine what you want to know. This may involve trying many sets of keywords, specific punctuation, or even multiple search engines. That can mean taking some time to find even a simple answer.

For those with information to be found life isn't much easier. Search engine optimization is something that takes time and practice. You have to learn what keywords to use, how to use links, and how much to write on each page. While some writers seem to be naturals at creating pages that are found by search engines, for most of us it is a process that we must keep working at with the ultimate goal of helping people find what they want to know.

The internet is a great resource with a wide variety of information and when used correctly it can be a great asset to most individuals. This however does take time and practice both from those creating content and those searching to find the keys to the system of internet search engines, ever changing and each slightly different from the next.