Moms Need Friends, Too! #ItStartedwithHELLO

Many thanks to Lindt HELLO for sponsoring today’s story and giving my readers a chance to win really sweet prizes! I am so thankful for my group of friends.  I have friends for everything: hanging out, venting, shopping, double dating, and for support.  I really don't know how I would make it through most days without them! When my kids were toddlers and preschoolers, I met moms through play dates and friends of friends.  Our kids were friends, so we were friends.  Then we moved, and even though we keep in touch through text and Facebook, it's not the same.  I cherish those friends who've stayed in touch the last two years, but I wanted to connect with local moms with whom call with questions about the school and have bonfires with. When you're a kid, teenager, or even young adult, making friends is a lot easier.  Once you become a mom, you're limited on time.  I work from home, so I don't meet friends at work.  I'm also painfully shy, so I need so

Canned Spiced Vanilla Pears Recipe

When we moved to the farm, one of the things we loved the most was the established orchard.  Building an orchard is expensive and can take years to produce fruit.  We have a full orchard with several types of peaches, pears, apples, cherries, and plums!  There are almost 300 trees in the orchard, so we have a lot of fruit!  I love experimenting in the kitchen, so I combined a few recipes and made these spiced vanilla pears for canning. I was hesitant to can so many pears because the kids and I don't like them much.  Or we thought we didn't.  We'd only had storebought canned pears, and those don't compare at all to these amazing home canned pears.  I canned them in pints the first year, but I won't do anything but quarts from now on. As soon as I open these, they are gone.  There are never any leftovers! If you can get some pears this year, make this recipe.  You won't regret it! Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a commiss

Why Moms Need A Girls Night Out #mymikesmoment

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of  Mom Central Consulting  for mike’s hard lemonade. I received a Circle K gift card to facilitate this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating. When was the last time you had a night out with your friends?  If you are like me and can't remember, then you need to a plan a GNO quickly. My friends and I get together a few times a month, but we always have the kids with us.  Yes, they play together, but we can't get some real quality girl time in.  And when the kids are there, it always turns in to our favorite topic - our kids.  We all have awesome kids, but we are more than just moms.  We are women too. I love my kids, and I love my hubby.  But sometimes I need a night off.  We all need a break to recharge our proverbial batteries.  A few hours off for me helps me be a better mom, and it definitely gives me more patience when I'm at home. So I called a few friends and invited them ov

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This book has received so much hype lately, that I had to read it before I saw the movie.  I was honestly a little scared to read it.  I was afraid that it would be too sad for me.  I hate hearing about kids suffering from cancer or a disability.  It's just too much for my heart to take.  The book was sad, but I am so glad that I read it.  I would put this book in the top books I've read in the last five years. Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from sales.  Thanks for supporting my blog. I always look up books on Good Reads before I read them.  I don't want spoilers, but I don't want to waste my time on a poorly written book.   The Fault in our Stars is one book is one that I wish that I hadn't looked up.  A lot of people mentioned in their reviews that the book wasn't realistic.   Teens don't really talk like that , they said.     Well, mine does.  He's only 12, but I can imagine him tal

Save the Undies! Feel more confident with U by Kotex® + A Free Sample

This article is sponsored by U by Kotex® Pads .  As always, all opinions are my own. Time of the month.  Your period.  Aunt Flo. Whatever you call it, it means the same thing to most women:  Ruined undies.  Ladies, it is time to Save the Undies ! Pretty colors! Raise your hand if you've got a stash of panties just for that week.  Now raise your other hand if you've been caught off guard and ruined a good pair of panties on accident. I see a lot of hands out there. How much money have you wasted replacing your panties?  Three pairs per year?  Six pairs per year?  Times...what...10 years?  Twenty years?  All of those panties thrown in the trash add up. Do you get frustrated when you have to toss a pair of undies or delegate them to "that time" panties?  I do.  I definitely have some pairs that I love more than others, and I hate to not keep them in rotation. Save the Undies! Ladies, I have some awesome news for you.  You can Save the Undies with U by

How to Can Tomato Juice at Home - Vita Nut Milk Bag Review Juicing Without a Juicer

Thank you to Vita Nut Milk Bag for providing the bag for this post.  As always, all opinions are my own. I love the taste of home canned spaghetti sauce from my fresh tomatoes, but I hate making it.  Last week, I cooked it for 9 hours to get the water off, and that was only half a bushel of tomatoes.  By the time I was done, I only had 6 quarts for my pantry and the extra liquid had evaporated.  A few days later, I got the Vita Nut Milk Bag to review.  It's made for making almond milk and juices, so I decided to use it on my tomatoes to try to save some of that precious juice.  This was a great idea because my sauce only had to simmer for about 2 hours and now I have a gallon of tomato juice to can for soups and chili!  Here's how to make tomato juice to can at home without a juicer. What is Is The Vita Nut Milk Bag is a fine mesh bag that you can put fruits, vegetables, or even nuts in to strain.  The holes are smaller than cheesecloth, so less solids pass throug