Less is More

I'm finding an interesting phenomenon in my life lately.  I've noticed I've been writing less about fun stuff to have in our homes and more about getting rid of stuff.  I personally gotten rid of truckloads of crap.  And you know what, I don't miss any of it.  Actually, when I had to name it off for the garage sale add, I couldn't remember what was in the pile.

I've been reading lots of articles about minimalism, decluttering, organizing, etc. After a slight disaster in our house this week, I've discovered the benefits of minimalism and getting rid of stuff.  We literally didn't do any housework for a week except a few loads of dishes.  And, the house didn't fall apart. We have less stuff which means there's less things to make messes with.

I've been sharing lots of articles, blog posts and pictures on Facebook about the fun new lifestyle were trying.  So, I've decided to revamp this blog. Welcome to learning more about simplicity and the fun things in life that really matter.

Story Leather iPhone 5/5S Case

I've spent the last week thoroughly enjoying my new ipod case, a Story Leather iPhone case.  Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE it!  Story Leather generously gave me the Sky Blue Cross Pattern Apple iPhone 5/5s Book Style Premium Leather Case to review for all of you.  Story Leather makes numerous different custom leather items and they are all beautiful so I am so excited to get to try this one!

Oh, did anyone notice my change of words of ipod and iphone?  I originally had planned to give the case to a sister in exchange for helping me with the review.  However, I was very happily surprised to discover that my iPod Touch 5th Generation fits it, too!  It was like Christmas receiving this beautiful case and discovering it fits my Apple electronic.  Yay!  So much classier and sophisticated than my old zebra striped plastic case.

The first thing I noticed upon receiving the case was the detail that Story Leather puts into presentation and making you feel special.  Wow, I was impressed when I opened the shipping box to find a deep blue felt wrapping with a gold seal on it.  Adding to the fun and suspense was the fact that I didn't know which case I was getting or what color it was.

I pulled the sticker, slowly lifted the fabric (think kid at Christmas here) and found a gorgeous sky blue phone case.  Gee, how did Story Leather know my favorite color is blue?

The outside of the Story Leather case has a cross pattern on it and  beautiful embossing on the interior.  The Cross Pattern case also included a foam insert for extra protection in shipping.  Very nice!  There are also two pockets on the front flap, one is the full length of the cover and is accessed from the leather hinge area.  If you look closely at the pictures, too, you'll see that edges holding the iPhone in place curl over to provide a sturdy lip to keep the device from slipping.  This is a very snug fit and I had a little bit of a hard time getting the case on my iPod.  However, for me that is a good thing as I know it won't fall out. 

I am SO excited about how study and gorgeous this case is!  Story Leather has put a good amount of thought into design on this.  It's very light weight yet sturdy.  The bottom area is completely open leaving easy access to the headphone, charger and USB ports.  That is one thing that I find difficult on my two plastic cases.  Also, you'll notice there is a cutout for the iPhone speaker on the top cover.

The side flap has a magnet in it that helps keep the case closed.  At first I was worried about the book style but I have discovered I really like it.  I did loan the case to a friend for a bit who said that you can hear very well with the case fully closed and that she really enjoyed using it as well.  I was concerned at first that there is no screen protector but that is obviously the job of the cover.  The Story Leather book style cover does help keep it from getting dinged up in the purse or diaper bag.  Plus, it fits much easier in my pocket than a plastic case does.

As mentioned earlier, the Story Leather Book Style Premium Leather case also fits an iPod touch 5 as well.  The photos taken above are with the iPod touch.  The photo below is the one I took of my friend's iPhone in the case.  Since the iPod touch is thinner, there is just a very small amount of wiggle room from front to back but the wide and length of the device is the same.  I find the case holds it very well.

Overall, we both really liked the Story Leather iPhone 5/5s Book Style Case.  On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd definitely give it a 10!  Thanks Story Leather for making such a fabulous product for all of us!  If you are interested in any other Story Leather products, stop by the Story Leather website to find out more.

Make it Monday - Oatmeal Spelt Muffin Recipe

Oatmeal Spelt Muffins

It's Make it Monday recipe time with Oatmeal Spelt Muffins!  Okay, granted I am getting this posted on Tuesday but I made them on Monday.

We've decided to try gluten-free again for one our kids and I went in search of my old recipes I had left.  Fortunately, Ethan, our one-year old had found them while emptying a drawer in the kitchen for me.

My kids LOVE these muffins!  I found a somewhat similar Oatmeal muffin recipe years ago online and adapted it to our liking.  You can make them with any kind of add-in: blueberries, raspberries, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.  I chose chocolate chips this week because I have two picky eaters and knew chocolate would definitely win them over.  The Oatmeal muffins are also made with Spelt, which some gluten-free eaters can tolerate and some cannot.

These muffins are super easy to make and only take a few minutes.  We make them ahead of time for school day breakfasts.  They are more dense them a regular muffin but we like them that way.  I gave Hubby a mini-muffin last night and had him try it.  I got raised eyebrows and "Wow, these are really good.  Especially for being gluten-free!".  So if you have a picky gluten-free eater, these muffins are a good addition to your recipe collection.

Oatmeal Spelt Muffins
Makes 1 dozen muffins

1 C. Oatmeal
1 C. Spelt flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg (optional)
1 C. Soy, Almond or Regular Milk
2 eggs
blueberries, nuts, chocolate chips, etc., for add-ins

Mix all ingredients in bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.  Spray muffin pan or liners.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  15 minutes for mini-muffins.

Spelt flours can be bought online but we prefer Amazon.com because they are so easy to work with and trusted. If you don't have many people in your family, you might prefer Bob's Red Mill 24 oz. 4-pack. For larger families, we recommend the Great River Organic 25 lb. package. Vitaspelt also offers a 5 pound 6 pack for those that like smaller packages and don't want to deal with a large bag.

Glad Mini Round Storage Containers

As mentioned previously in the post Your Body Better, I started a new diet and exercise program recently.  This also facilitated my cooking and preparing food ahead of meals.  Anna, the fitness coach, suggested preparing food in single serve containers.  So, I cooked up a batch of chicken, broccoli, cauliflower, and other vegetables.  Now I just needed something to put them in.

I ran down to Walmart to see what I could find.  I found the Glad Mini Rounds storage containers that looked like they would be a good size.  I bought a  package, along with a number of other storage items, and brought them home.

Glad Ware Mini Round Containers & Lids

Turns out I bought the PERFECT size and I love the Glad Mini Round food storage containers.  After accurately measuring all my food servings, I discovered the containers are just the right size for one serving.  Also, my morning oatmeal is 1/2 cup, the exact same size as the Glad Mini Rounds.  I didn't know that was the size I would need for that as I hadn't read the menu all of the way yet.  Premeasured protein shakes, veggies, rice, etc.  Tge containers were literally the perfect fit for them all!

I also love how snug the kids are.  Even when my kids accidentally drop one, the kids don't pop off.  The Glad Mini Round lids are also easy to take on and off thanks to the extended lid lip.  A definite benefit for children.  

Also, making cold lunches is easier, too, as the kids can just look in the fridge and pick out what they want and they don't have to take big containers.  I also enjoy how quick snacks and lunch are now for the same reason.  i just grab the containers and go.

Thanks, Glad, for making our meals a little easier around here!

Case Lot Sales

Everyone likes to save money at the grocery store. This week is the perfect opportunity to do just that.  Both Albertson's and Smith's grocery stores are offering case lot sales this week.  These are a great way to stock up on food at a discount price.  Add a coupon or two, or more, on top of that and you got a great deal!

One of the perks of case lot sales is how fast checking out is.  At Smith's Food and Drug, they have a preprogrammed list for each case item.  All you need to do is tell them which cases you have and they type it in.  Much faster than buying individual items that must be rang up separately.

Each store, at least where we are, also usually has plenty of products on hand.  Do plan on lots of available trunk space when you go!  Sales are good through Tuesday, April 8th.  Check the Albertsons Grocery and Smirh's Food and Drug websites for your areas weekly ad as they differ from region to region.

Fisher Price Cruise & Groove Ballapalooza

RECOMMENDATION:  Very high

My one year old LOVES balls.  He is all boy.  And he is also the fifth kid - as in "what can we possibly this kid for a gift?" at Christmas and birthdays kind of kid.  With four older siblings, we already had necessary baby gear, clothes and plenty of toys.  He really doesn't NEED anything.

Fortunately he also came preprogrammed with his own personality which zeroes in directly to balls and trucks.  All on his own.  Trust me.  His older sisters have thrown enough girl toys and Barbie movies in his path that I'm amazed he isn't converted at all.  Although, he does love to dance with the girls.

So, when I came across the Fisher Price Cruise & Groove Ballapalooza, I knew we had found a perfect match.  Balls and music.  PERFECT.  And I am happy to say that we were not disappointed.  Being only 17 months and on the tiny side, Ethan was too short to reach the top ball drop on the Ballapalooza for a month or so.  Fortunately he could start the ball anywhere he wanted until he got to where he can reach the top.

While I knew our toddler would love it, I grossly underestimated how much his older siblings would!  He had no shortage of people volunteering to start a ball for him, or crawl through the arch, or push the music buttons.  You get the idea.  Fisher Price definitely knew what they were doing when they designed the Ballapalooza.

Initially we had to get on the big kids cases to let Ethan play with it.  Envision telling your 14-year old son, "Hey, it's THE BABY'S toy. Let HIM play with it!".  We've now had it three months and we still have big kids playing with it.  It's like a magnet.  When Ethan plays with the Zballapalooza and the music starts, without fail a sibling comes running over.  The Ballapalooza is probably the MOST well loved toy in our house!

The fun things we love about the Fisher Price Cruise & Groove Ballapalooza:

1.  Multiple starting points.  One down low for babies, mid-range for toddlers and top drop slot for 18+ months.

2.  Two arches.  One is short for babies to crawl through.  The other is taller for walking toddlers.  And in our case, five and ten year olds to crawl through.

3.  Three spinners.  Two down low for babies and one in the middle.

4.  Music.  We love the energetic music chosen.  I've had to listen to it a lot and have yet to have it drive me crazy.  Music does keep playing for a bit after a ball is inserted.  Also has two volume levels.

5.  Six lights.  Coordinated to the music and great for entertainment.  Three lights on center pole on two opposite sides for a total of six.  Low, middle and high for different vision levels.

6.  Set of 8 balls.  There are enough balls that even if a few get wandered off with, baby still has plenty left.

7.  Hanging inflatable ball with rattle and swinging gate.  Just a little extra fun for baby to swat at.

8.  Very stable and we don't have to worry about the Ballapalooza tipping over.

What we didn't expect:

1.  The Ballapalooza is a lot bigger than we thought and takes up about a 4 foot diameter space including play room.

As you can see, the pros greatly outweigh the con.  We highly recommend the Fisher Price Cruise & Groove Ballapalooza toy for babies and toddlers.  There is definitely lots of fun to be had with it!

Blogging from A to Z Challenge - Letter A

While perusing twitter, I ran across the fun looking Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  Since I am trying to grow my blog I thought, "Why not?".  So, I'm joining the ranks of lots of other bloggers out there and getting ready for a fun month blogging all the letters of the alphabet during April.

The premise is simple.  There are 26 days in the month, not including Sundays.  Each day bloggers write a post centered around the letter of the day.  April 1st is A, April 2nd is B, so on and so forth.  You choose the theme and whatever you want to write about.  Let the creativity flow!

There is still time to sign up so head on over to the A to Z Challenge website and get started.  Today is day 1 and letter A.  Have an "A"mazing time blogging this month!  It's "a"bsolutely fun, "a"wesomely inspiring and great to meet other "a"uthors like yourself!

Blogging from A to Z April 2014 Challenge Calendar