An "official" shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jillybeansmommy

Above is the official link to the official shop... it's official. No, I don't know why I can't stop saying official. I finally bit the bullet (now I must look up why that saying is what it is) and set up a shop on Etsy for bows and such.

My best advertisement is my little girl that never goes anywhere without a bow topped on her head. I get compliments and questions often. At the mall yesterday an employee of a store I was in made a comment about wanting the flower clip for her granddaughter so I spoke up and ended up with her card to email her info! I often just quietly say thank you when someone mentions the bows but I decided I should start talking it up!

Business cards and special glossy cards to place the bows on are ordered! (Thanks to VistaPrint for FREE stuff... only a few bucks for shipping. Check it out! www.vistaprint.com)

Until more of the items get listed on Etsy, here is the album link to all that have previously been created: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=179695&id=709685374&l=ef840cf780

Lunch @ the Park

Today was a gorgeous day!

Earlier in the week, we thought it would be fun to meet Daddy for lunch on Wednesday. Since it is closer than the mess of restaurants and it was a beautiful day, we met him at the park near his work.

After grabbing Subway on the way (my healthy turkey was frightened by his crazy meatball with olives-n-more), we drove into the park ready to munch away and enjoy some nature!

We rolled Miss Jilly to hang out in her stroller for a bit while we ate and then we ventured over to the slides "supposed-to-look-like-a-boat??" contraption. Daddy and baby girl went on the slide for the first time! She did not seem terribly impressed or, for that matter, phased at all... but it was mighty cute to see them play!I think it was a nice break from his normal lunchtime routine. Good times had by all.Disclaimer: I do not have a picture that captured her zonked out little self I saw in the backseat mirror as we headed home. :)

Pajama hunt

I really don't understand pajamas for infants! Our weather doesn't allow the use of the oh-so-convenient footie, snap-up, long-sleeved sleepwear anymore. Jillien really just wants to be cozy without getting too warm or too cold. :)

I love Gymboree's "Gymmies" (get it?? "jammies" by GYMboree) but I'm having a hard time finding the ONE style in Jillien's size in the stores... not to mention that I'm not thrilled about $20 for pj's. Gap has a few of this same style for over $20.

Now you might ask, "Why can't you just slap her in a onesie and call it a done deal?" Well, my friends, it's because sometimes that diaper just can't handle that explosion and I'd rather clean up an outfit than the oh-such-a-hassle-to-change sheets that she sleeps upon!

My Ebay hunt continues for a NWT (new with tags) set of Gymmies... until then, she wears a onesie with some form of legged item that doesn't allow the explosion to escape her Pampers!

This week's meals & Today's shopping

Meals for this week & next:
If marked with * it is a Weight Watchers recipe!
Cheesy shells*
Taco soup w/cornbread
Stove Top Chicken Casserole
Crescent bake *can be made for WW depending on ingredients/toppings you choose
Nachos
Chicken Spinach Quesadillas
Chicken Bowtie Pesto
Breaded Chicken Parmesan
Breaded Pork Chops w/veggies
Crockpot Chicken Parmesan
Swiss Chicken w/veggies

Weekend breakfast specials: Sausage balls, Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Lunches: Leftovers, Frozen Meals (Stephen's - Marie Callender, Boston Market @ $2-2.50ea.),
Sandwiches (turkey and swiss, egg salad, grilled cheese, PB&J), Mac n cheese w/ or w/o sausage.

Grocery shopping @ Target today:
Spent $112.09 (which is for 2 weeks worth... we usually just have to grab milk and maybe 1 or 2 other small items the 2nd week.)
Saved $38.57

My favorite deals:
*FREE 4 pack of Breyer's Yogurt from a previous Target trip catalina (coupon that prints out
@ the end of check-out).
*3 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for 1.69 each plus my gallon of milk was free!
*32 oz box of Market Pantry Thin Spaghetti = $1.25 - great stock-up price!

Things I would have bought anyway but found on sale and/or with a coupon:
Hormel bacon - saved .30
Goldfish - on sale for 1.66
Reduced Fat PB - on sale for 1.79
Taco Seasoning (Market Pantry) reduced sodium - .66
Avocado - .89 ea
Whole grain bread (Mrs. Baird's was on sale) - 1.89
Kraft 2% shredded cheese - with coupon 1.34
Big bag of dog food (Kibbles) - with coupon 9.59

Random finds:
*39 cents for a pair of white dressy gloves for Jillien's "dress-up" down the road someday... gotta love the 90% off Easter clearance section!
*14 pennies :) for an egg dying kit, egg wraps, colors, etc. for next Easter!

Fun discoveries

I discovered a brand/store at the Galleria in Houston when I was hunting for Jillien's Easter dress. It's "Naartjie" http://www.naartjie.com/Default.aspx
They have mix'n'match colors for all ages of kiddos and I think their stuff is just really fun, different, reasonable and realistic!
I love Gymboree and just keep hunting clearance racks and Ebay for deals on their stuff. Crazy 8 is a brand by Gymboree and I liked some of their in-store stuff as well at the Galleria.

WHY is it that little girls have to be so much fun to buy clothes for???!!!!

Cyber-bullying

So a ridiculous thing has unfolded in the past 24 hours that has effected some of my former youth group girls. It breaks my heart, makes me angry, causes me to question a lot of things and frustrates me to no end.

A group created on Facebook was treated (to quote one of the girls) like a "burn book" calling specific girls unfounded, horrible and completely disrespectful names and labeling them as people that they aren't. The creator was not listed and the admin person was (in my opinion) placed in that position (as the creator can do) to cause extreme grief for her. My heart and prayers are with the girl being "framed" because I am so sure it is not her.

The thing that makes me think is that God's got bigger plans for this person than what they are choosing to do with their time in such creation of an awful website group. A very respected friend reminded us all of this scripture:

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier." Luke 6: 37 (The Message)

I hope this occurrence of ridiculous proportion doesn't effect the hearts and lives and future God could have in store for these girls... and yes, even for the one created this mess in the first place.

My heart is heavy and my mind on overdrive for the past 24 hours. My passion for the teenage world just didn't end at the resignation of a youth director position. *SIGH*

Catching up...

So since it's been a month since I last blogged, I'm going to ease back into this slowly! :) I have had plenty to talk about, just not much time to put it on here!

Jillien is 20 weeks... I've been calling it "4 and a half months" to those that ask. LOL Why is the age thing so complicated with little ones? What's the official timestamp to quit calling their age by weeks or months?? It's a secret code, I tell ya!

She went for her 4 month check up on March 19 and weighed in at 14 lbs 5 oz and was 24" long. She has been rolling around both ways (tummy to back and vice versa) for a couple of weeks. It has caused some issues at nap time because she wants to practice but I think that novelty is fading... thank goodness!

Jillybean has started solids! "Solids" is such a loose term though as it is her eating of a tiny bowl of rice cereal that is a very runny mix with my milk. We feed her this at 7:00 PM because she had begun to wake up in the mornings much earlier than she had for almost 2 months prior. Her sleeping has returned to a great, healthy 11-12 hours. Mommy & Daddy are quite grateful! We will soon start thickening the cereal, increase the amount and add it to breakfast as well as eventually lunch! We are taking it slow and easy though.

Stephen has been traveling for work recently with a trip to Aberdeen, Scotland. He felt accomplished from the trip and also got to take in some really cool sightseeing of churches, old churches turned into bars, delicious restaurants (where you have to watch what you ask for!) and shopping trips for goodies for the family! He will travel to Brazil again soon for 9 or 10 days... it's hard to have him gone from our household but we know it's really not often or much in the grand scheme of things! Jillien & I make daily videos for him to watch so he doesn't miss out on some of her fun, silly and lovey-dovey things!

I'll post more in the future about keeping up with the budget, deals, coupons, craftiness, etc. All of that has continued! It's just been an adventure trying to keep up! :)