Mommy Only Has 2 Hands!

All Pooped Out!

2012-02-25T22:06:00.000-07:00

Warning, this is a mom blog, written by the mother of a toddler and 12 week old baby, so I will be talking today about poop! Yep, if you are afraid of poop vacate now....you can't say I didn't warn you.

This is my second time this month where I've had to change the baby in a bathroom that does not cater toward the "mother".

Lately Baby B has had pooping problems. No he doesn't have a problem pooping, its the fact that it almost always comes out the top or sides of his diaper. It doesn't matter what diaper he wears, cloth, disposable, the huggies kind with the flap in the back that is supposed to keep runny messes in...it just comes out. He grew so much that he went from newborn to size 2. He only wore a size 1 for maybe a week and we still have size one diapers that we try to use when we hope he will only pee (we put it on him with fingers crossed and say a prayer as well). I don't know if I had the same problem with J Myster or not but he was breastfeed too and the only time I "remember" having a problem was when we were on vacation and he was on an antibiotic that caused that lovely "D" word. With Baby B, its almost every time he poops. Now fleece diapers tend to rinse the poop right out, but regular cotton clothing if you don't clean up that poopy mess immediately it stains. I've been scrubbing Baby B's clothing in the sink for weeks now.

So anyway, on to today's mishap. We go out to breakfast. Its one of our favorite places to go, but I didn't visit the restroom until today. Until I had to. Baby B started fussing. I had nursed him and expressed milk for him before we left, but for some reason he just wasn't happy. So Hunky Hubs is pacing with him in the lounge area of the bar and restaurant, and that's not helping Baby B's fussiness either. Finally Hunky Hubs walks back to the table and when he pulls his hand from Baby B's back, its wet. Sure enough Baby B pooped and it came out the leg of his diaper.

So I head to the restroom to change Baby B and I discover there is no pull out changing station. In fact it was just two bathroom stalls and a sink but no real counter space to change a baby. The space to change Baby B was as wide and long as he was. I had to use my stomach to keep him from falling off the side of the sink while I cleaned him up and of course I also realize I didn't pack a second outfit for him in case of poopy mishaps. Go Me, always forgetting something I need in the diaper bag! The pants he was wearing was completely toast and he had to continue wearing the onsie that was underneath it for the rest of the trip. At least that onsie only had poop on the leg holes and thankfully I was able to scrub most of it out.

But finally when he was changed he fell fast asleep in his car seat and I was able to enjoy my breakfast. Still you'd think most places would have changing stations?! I'm not a huge fan of using them and when all possible I try to make it home to change my kids before putting them on those things, but they are sooo necessary and especially in a restaurant where people come with their kids! Now I won't name the restaurant because we love the food there and the people, but they really need to invest in a changing station for both restrooms. Its a restaurant and its frequented by families...families with babies and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has walked into that restroom expecting to find a changing station. I seem to always be in these poopy situations, but I'm sure I'm not alone.

That's the end of my poop story. Got any of your own?

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This Week In Pictures

2012-02-25T04:37:00.000-07:00

....are of course about my little boys. When is it not huh? Well such is the life of a stay at home mom.

Here are my little cuties. Baby B is growing oh so very fast! I just can't believe it. He's got the most precious bright blue eyes and the best little grin!

Then of course there is J Myster who adores his little brother. He's always asking to "See baby brother" or hold baby brother, or read baby brother stories. I'm so glad he's got a little bro. I don't think he'd be as loving on a sister. I think J is going to take Baby B under his wing and teach him all the things he knows and these two are gonna be great pals. At least I hope so. Of course I can already see a few years from now, or heck even six months from now screaming down the hall when baby B steals one of J's toys. I know there will be fights and things like that. But when the two of them are at each other's throats, I'm gonna pull of these baby pics and show them how much they love each other.

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Riverside Nissan and Their Used Cars

2012-02-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to today's guest blogger Phil Dayton. He recently purchased a Nissan Altima and would like to tell you about his experience. Having owned a Nissan before, I can tell you they are reliable vehicles.

Phil:

Riverside Nissan is a very professional and affordable car dealership that really offers the best in both Nissan models and customer service. I recently visited this dealership myself and I have got to tell you, I was absolutely thrilled with how I was treated from the very moment I walked in the door. I came in with my family who was actually visiting from out of the country. Of course back there they had never seen so many wonderful and brand new cars before. I was prepared to be looked at in disgust as foreigners, but I was delightfully surprised when we were welcomed with welcome arms and grins. We went around, and although I had already picked out the car I wanted, the sales people and I both let my family look at pretty much the entire inventory.

They were just so fascinated and I could not help but grin when I saw my little niece's eyes light up when the employees let her sit inside the car. The car that I was interested in was in the Riverside used cars section. It was an older year of the classic Nissan Altima, and I had absolutely fallen in love with it after being driven around in one by a friend of mine. Since it was a used vehicle I got an absolutely astounding price and I was so happy that I had come to Riverside instead of taking my business elsewhere. I actually found out about them via Yelp and it was a great discovery. Now I go back there from time to time depending on what their specials are. Some of the current specials that buena park nissan offers right now include twenty dollars off most services or repairs, a full front brake special for under two hundred dollars, an express lube service for about thirty dollars and a bunch of different sales on different supplies.

-Phil Dayton

Nutritional Benefits of Sprouted Grain Bread

2012-02-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have never heard of sprouted grain bread until Kristin approached me and asked to write an article about its nutritional benefits, and after reading about the manufacturing process behind most breads you buy at a grocery store, I am behind this all the way.

Guest Blogger: Kristin Wells aspiring writer, cyclist and runner.

Preparing healthy meals that will please the entire family can be a challenging task. One of the best things you can add to your family's diet is sprouted grain bread. Breads made from sprouted grains are low in salt, and contain no yeast or added sugar. Sprouted grain breads are not refined or stripped of valuable minerals, and they are made without processed flour. It’s known as a live food because the grain is allowed to sprout before harvest. Sprouted grains are high in nutrients and vitamins. They are organically grown without the use of harmful pesticides or toxic herbicides.

Nutritional products are made from a wide variety of sprouted grains. The most commonly used grains for this purpose include millet, spelt, rice, oats, rye, and wheat. Sprouted soybeans and sprouted lentils are also used to make bread, bagels, rolls, cereal, and tortillas. Sprouted grain bread is made with no preservatives; it must be promptly refrigerated or frozen to avoid the accumulation of mold. For the best results, place bread in the freezer and remove slices as needed. Bread and rolls will stay fresh for a longer period of time.

Some of the nutritional benefits of sprouted grain bread include a low glycemic diet that is high in vitamins and fiber. Foods made from living grains are also low in saturated fat, they offer more protein and minerals than foods made from processed flour. Bread made from processed white flour contains little or no nutritional value. A diet of foods made from refined white flour can lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. It can also help with current conditions by boosting your immune system by giving you the nutrients you need. The American Cancer Society uses similar techniques when dealing with different types of mesothelioma. Switching to sprouted grain breads is an ideal way to increase your family's daily intake of vitamins and minerals. In fact, one slice of sprouted grain bread contains 9 essential amino acids compared to white bread.

Another difference between sprouted grain bread and white bread is the manufacturing process. White bread is produced by taking the germ and bran out of wheat flour, this process also removes a great deal of fiber and vitamins. The flour is then bleached and some vitamins are added to the finished product. For sprouted grain bread, water is used to sprout the whole grain berries. Once sprouted, they can be ground or mashed in preparation for baking.

The most notable contrast between bread made from sprouted grains, and those made from white processed flour is the taste. White bread is bland and doughy with no distinguishing taste. Sprouted grain bread is hearty and full of flavor. Either way you slice it, sprouted grain bread is the best option for your family.

Kristin Wells is a recent college graduate from The University of Georgia and an aspiring writer. She wants to make a difference in people's lives through her writing. Kristin also likes competitive cycling, running, and traveling as much as possible.

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Share Your Blog Posts! (Meme)

2012-02-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

(Week 16)

How many times have you participated in a blog hop and had someone come over to your heartfelt blog post and simply say "Hi, I'm following you from such and such blog, please follow back" ?

Well lets try to get a little deeper.

You spent a lot of time writing that post and you want more than a Hey I'm following you, follow me back comment don't you?

This blog hop is for sharing your heartfelt blog posts that you'd like more recognition for. This is not to gain followers, its simply to enjoy what we all like most, good blogging, good reads and sharing. Think of this as a show and tell hop. Grab your cup of coffee and be prepared for some good reads! :)

What are the rules?

1. Link up your "BLOG POST", something you've written from the week, not a giveaway or an advertisement or a link to the current coupons out there. They will be deleted. (yes I do them on my blog, but I don't link to them, if people are interested, I don't need to lure them that way)
2. Visit a blog post on the linky that you plan to spend time on and actually read their post to give a heartfelt comment back.
3. Put the Hop Button in your post or sidebar if you plan to participate.

That is it!

This hop will start on Fridays and last all weekend long. Yes you can link up more than one post from the week, or any time really, just be reasonable, don't be a linky hog.

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Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-21T20:31:00.002-07:00

I love comparing Baby B's Faces with Baby J's.

My two boys at about the same age with funny faces.

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Its The Hump Day Hop!

2012-02-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Hump Day!!

...and rest assured, because its all down hill from here. In a good way!

Welcome to a Mid Week Link up where you can link up everything you got! From GFC, to Google Plus, to BlogLovin, Twitter, Facebook, Networked Blogs and of course your Blog Frog Communities too!

Spotlight blog this week:

Tinna at Classic Children's Books is hosting an event:

Classic Reading for Kids is an annual event hosted by Tina and Ella of MyMcBooks.wordpress.com where they focus on Classic Reading for Kids and then They GIVE THEM AWAY! For more information about this go here.

***

1. Follow your hosts Mommy Only Has Two Hands, and Oh My Heartsie and Unexpected Mother on the linky form in each section you add something.

2. Retweet/facebook, Friend Feed, Dig, stumble, whatever this hop. You can do this with my tweet button in the top left corner of this post or with the sexy bookmarks widget at the bottom of this post. The more people who know about this, the more fun it is...and the more followers.

3. Follow who ever follows you! Of course you might have to initiate a follow by following people on the linky.

That is it!!

*If you would like me to follow you, leave a comment and your URL.*

It would be nice if you displayed the button in your post or blog sidebar. I just ask you only link up Family Friendly accounts only. I will make sure its family friendly!! Link up and have fun, after all the week is half way over....

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The Perfect End Table Lamp

2012-02-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

So since we may be in the market to buy a new house sometime soon I am often looking at new decor. We recently gave away my husband's old corner desk that took up one wall in our living room because my husband never sat at the desk. Since we both have laptops and now tablets we haven't really needed the whole desk thing. But I have since changed my mind if we do end up buying a house, hopefully one large enough that I might be able to have my own nook. Something that is just mine. The living room is already "The man cave", so I think I could have a little nook that would be just my little area, you know for blogging. ;) Currently I have a little fold up table that is just large enough to sit my laptop a mouse and my cup of coffee, but I'd like to actually have a very small desk in a corner by a window. That's all I would need.

My living room despite the addition of the new couch I think needs something extra. I saw this coffee table with built in lamp and thought this would be perfect and just large enough to fit at the end of our couch, and instead of magazines in the bottom, it would be a perfect place to store my ipad when I'm not using it, and the top as you can see is great for that cup of coffee or tea.

But see that also gets me thinking because if I have my own nook, then I certainly want some kind of sitting room, a room separate from the living room that when we have guests over we can enjoy their company with a nice coffee table and some nice chair side end table lamps.

Something like that would also be great right next to my husbands recliner. He has a little black knee high table right next to his chair, but I think the built in lamp would be neat and take up less space than having a stand alone lamp.

In addition to living room decor, we also are in need of a new comforter. Our down comforter has taken a beating over the years and all the feathers in it seem to be all fluffed out. We are constantly shaking it to even out the down inside and we just need a new one. So I was looking at this ma maison brandenburg 16-piece ensemble,comforter talk about elegant with its rust, burgundy and gold colors. It kinda has an old world feel to it. Also perfect for a guest room! Of course I have many ideas floating around in my head!

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The Belle Baby Carrier Review & Giveaway!

2012-02-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

I have several baby carriers. I have had 2 Bjorn carriers, a Moby wrap and recently I just had the opportunity to try out the Belle Baby Carrier and all these carriers are great in their own unique way.
The great thing I love about the Belle Baby Carrier is that it folds up so small to fit inside my diaper bag for when I need to use it. And trust me I need to use it. I often have to go grocery shopping with both my toddler and baby in tow and there is no way you can put both a baby and a toddler in a shopping cart, you have no room for any groceries if you do! So I will carry baby B in my carrier and J Myster sits in the front of the cart and we happily do our shopping and Baby B is comfortable hanging out with me. With the Baby Belle Carrier your baby can hang out facing outward or inward. This carrier is made for babies 8 to 30lbs.

And if you are into organic, this carrier is 100% organic, made of cotton and hemp materials. And don't worry about out sourcing with the Belle Carrier, these carriers are made in Colorado! ;) That makes me happy!

This carrier also has a detachable head support which is great if your little one falls asleep in the carrier. The head support can safely keep your baby's head upright, or when they are older you can easily remove the head support from the carrier and they can ride forward facing like you see in the picture below with baby B.

This is my cute little baby B hanging out in the Belle Carrier. We love using this carrier for when he just wants to look at everything.

Another thing I like about this carrier is how adjustable it is. I have a very small frame, and the waist adjustment can go as small as you need it to go or up to 49 inches long and the cross over straps in the back make wearing baby comfortable.

So how can you get a Belle Baby Carrier, you can visit http://www.bellebabycarriers.com/ and choose between nine different designs. I loved the organic moss. That is the green carrier you see here in the picture above, but you can choose between organic black, organic sand, organic jubilee, classic cappuccino, classic black, classic hoot, classic leopard, or classic orange blossom.

You can also buy the Belle Baby Carrier at some top online retailers like Amazon, Diapers.com BabiesRus and ecomom.com .

But of course I've been allowed to give away a Belle Baby Carrier, and I couldn't be happier to do this because it really is a great carrier.

Please read the restrictions at the bottom of the rafflecopter form before you enter.

Giveaway starts at midnight EST 2/20/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Preparing for Childbirth

2012-02-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to my guest blogger today Katie Moore who will talk to you a little bit about preparing for childbirth:

Preparing for Healthy Childbirth

Even before a mother delivers her baby, there are steps she should take in order to prepare for the new arrival. Although some of these preparations may not be obvious, some simple considerations have helped plenty of women face the unexpected during the birthing process.

Birthing Classes
The importance of birthing classes cannot be overstated. It’s no secret that giving birth can be an incredibly laborious task, , but there are training programs widely available to new moms that foster the physical and mental endurance necessary to take on the birthing process unscathed and deliver a healthy baby.

Birthing classes are available at hospitals and birthing centers alike, and each have their own unique approach. Common methods that have historically proven to be effective will cover the signs and stages of labor, positioning the body for giving birth, and how to deal with the pain and control the emotional stresses that arise from it. Birthing classes are also a great place to learn about all of your options when it comes to your delivery. One of the new, innovative options is cord blood banking. Cord blood banking is the collection of the remaining blood in your baby’s umbilical cord after birth. Stem cells from your baby’s umbilical cord may potentially be used in a future medical treatment for that child or a sibling.

Hospital Bag
Not to be overshadowed by mental and physical preparation for the big day, the infamous “baby bag” must not be forgotten.. . Mothers sometimes spend weeks compiling amenities to stow in the bag, and never use them. Research shows that a light bag makes for a more pleasant stay, as more baggage makes organizing and finding things later unnecessarily daunting. Many online forums consisting entirely of mothers answering birthing questions are available, including discussions on what to pack in the baby bag.

Newborn Feeding
Many expecting mothers keep a keen focus on birthing the baby, but also have a few key points to think about for soon after the baby is born. One of the first important decisions is whether or not you plan to breastfeed or formula feed your baby. There are classes that specialize in breastfeeding available at hospitals, local breastfeeding support programs and lactation consultants if you do decide to breastfeed. Physicians typically have inside knowledge of facilities that are highly recommended within the medical community. Formula feeding is also a choice of many expectant parents. Talk to your doctor to see which formula is best for your baby.

"This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, child birth and other topics within this niche. If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact her via twitter @moorekm26."

Have A Great Smile?

2012-02-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Do you and your kids have awesome smiles? Want to show off that amazing grin? Enter this photo contest!

The contest offers the chance to show off pics with your adorable children and have the opportunity to win a professional teeth whitening session in NYC for busy moms who need a get-away and a beauty pick-me-up.

The contest goes from now until February 24th. In addition to the big NYC grand prize, there are daily prizes and chances to win teeth whitenings in selected local areas!

Check out more information:

http://www.topdentists.com/smile/

This Week In Pictures

2012-02-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

This week in pictures was a little sparse. But it started off with J myster getting a lovely Valentine from his grandma that he is holding up in one of the pictures below. The top left one is J Myster at the gym and this little stinker loves running with his tongue just a flapping in the wind. He's such a little ham. The bottom picture of J Myster is when he helped mommy make Valentine brownies. That day he was excited to return a valentine to grandma and give her a brownie too. He made some Valentines for her and we cut a special heart shaped brownie aside for her, but once it was wrapped up and man handled by J, it didn't look like a heart anymore. And of course the little stinker on the right is my little Baby B jamming out in his bouncy seat to some Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble while mommy did dishes. I had to snap a picture of his cuteness and he's starting to get the hang of smiling when I get the camera out. Oh lets see who else loves the camera that much....Oh thats right, J Myster! Looks like I'm gonna have two little hammy children posing for the camera all the time.

Earlier this week my son built me a house and he said that I had my own room and I didn't have to share it with Daddy. Then later he destroyed the house with a giant truck.

How cute is my little family? One day I'll be in the pictures with them...maybe. ;)

Have some pictures to share from the week? Link up your picture posts below:

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Share Your Blog Posts (Meme)

2012-02-17T04:30:00.000-07:00

(Week 15)

How many times have you participated in a blog hop and had someone come over to your heartfelt blog post and simply say "Hi, I'm following you from such and such blog, please follow back" ?

Well lets try to get a little deeper.

You spent a lot of time writing that post and you want more than a Hey I'm following you, follow me back comment don't you?

<a href="http://www.mommyonlyhas2hands.org/search/label/blog post hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/Lynhea/Shareurblogpostshop.jpg" border="0" alt="Blog Post Hop" /></a>

Grab the code and put it in your own blog post and share the love!
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Facebook Funny

2012-02-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ok,

Do you have those relatives, or even friends who walk into a conversation, either in real life or say on facebook and have no idea what they've walked into, but their mere comment takes the conversation to a whole new level? That was this morning as I was sipping my coffee scanning my news feed.

Now before we start, I will tell you my husband has a dirty mind. There is no changing that and most of his facebook updates consist of something that can be taken the wrong way. He does this on purpose. Many laugh, many pretend they didn't see the update, and my mother in law often does this. This time she didn't know what she was stepping into, but it made my morning as I nearly spewed coffee all over my computer screen.

Now I've taken a screen shot of the conversation, but I've changed the names and blurred out the profile images to protect them, but I just couldn't help blogging about this this morning. I also want to say that my husband and I are friends on twitter so of course I knew he had a twitter account, but I said what I said to escalate the conversation to see what responses my husband would get. I guess over the years my husband has corrupted my innocent mind too. Ok, well I've never really been innocent, nor have I ever pretended to be. ;)

Enjoy!

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The Yum Yum Dish

2012-02-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

So since my morning sickness subsided with baby number 2 half way thru pregnancy, my appetite has been vengeful. It really has. I gave myself an excuse for snacking...why by golly I was pregnant! Let me snack! It was probably my choice of snack that was the culprit to the extra 10 pounds that has yet to shed off 11 weeks post par-tum. ;) I also blame having a baby during the holidays.

Well I was given this bowl to try out and review and to be honest, I've had a hard time with it. I've had a hard time writing this review for it because writing this review means I have to instill a little bit of will power. But the idea is amazing, as long as you have the discipline for it.

The Yum Yum Dish is your snack bowl. This bowl is great for weight loss. Its great for kids who get a special treat and you are trying to teach them portion control, or that once they have consumed their treat, that they get nothing more. The Yum Yum bowl makes you responsible for your own snacking.

How to use the Yum Yum Dish:

Fill up the Yum Yum Dish with your not so good naughty treat.

You know the one that when you open the bag or box, before you know it, you are half way done with the container?

YES THAT ONE! ;)

For Me its been Thin Mints, this week!

Those Girl Scouts really are naughty!

...Another reason why those last ten pounds are not falling off.

So fill up that Yum Yum Dish...

then sprinkle it with Reeses pieces! ;)

...then chocolate syrup...

(I'M KIDDING, even though I know some of you thought that was a good idea! ;) )

I repeat, I'm not advocating doing this.

There are better things to eat!

Carrots

Celery

a head of cabbage...

But the key to that whole portion control thing is,

when the bowl is empty...

And the responsible you, will not fill that bowl up a second time! :)

OH NO YOU DON'T!

That defeats the Yum Yum Dish secret.

See the secret is at the bottom of the bowl. :)

Yum Yum Dishes are dishwasher safe and come with a lid to carry your snack with you on the go. To purchase a Yum Yum Dish go to http://www.yumyumdish.com/.
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What Are You Pinning? (meme)

2012-02-16T04:30:00.000-07:00

Its a new round of "What are you Pinning?"

I thought I'd start a new meme where we can link up on our blog posts the things we've pinned on Thursdays! This meme is open all week long and starts over every Thursday. So feel free to talk about anything you have pinned recently in a blog post and share your pinterest profiles so we can follow each other.

1. So share what you've pinned in a blog post and link up. With Pinterest's new "embed" feature its easy to put your pins in a blog post now.

2. on the second linky, link up your pinterest profile.
3. Please share this button in your post so people know about this meme

Love this little monkey. My son loves monkeys and I think he'd absolutely flip over this little dude!

This would be perfect for my front walk way. A little bench, and then little pull out bins for the kids stuff!

Spring! Right now, there is snow on the ground and while I love all seasons equally, spring would be nice...minus the bugs.

I love crepes! So why not learn to make them!

I totally need this for my coffee mugs! :) I love sock monkeys!

Seems interesting...might give it a try.

Spread the word and Happy Pinning!

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Man Cave

2012-02-15T04:30:00.000-07:00

Guest post written by my buddy Aldo Mays:

What makes the ultimate man cave? Let’s start with a bar, a flatscreen tv, leather furniture, a keg, some dogs, and the ultimate tv package. So when I got a pay raise at work and bought my own house, it was time to start constructing my man cave. Of course when my buddies found out about my new house, I miraculously ended up with 2 new roommates. Oh well, I guess that’s just more people to split the bills with. Luckily, the bar was already built into the house, so I didn’t have to do any construction. Anyway, with the initial move, the requirement for the dogs was met. I already had the flatscreen tv covered from my apartment too. A quick Google search for direct tv pueblo and the largest plan they offered was installed the next day. Next, a run to the local liquor store and the keg was secure. Now if I could just find some affordable leather furniture, then the man cave will be complete. And now that I’m thinking about it, a king sized bed in my room, wouldn’t be too bad either.

Atom N570 Netbook Giveaway!

2012-02-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

Enter to win this Atom N570 Netbook! Here are the details of this amazing prize!

Key Features and Benefits:

Intel Atom N570 mobile processor 1.66GHz, 1MB L2 Cache
1GB DDR3 DRAM system memory Expandable to 2GB
Allows you to do the computer basics of web surfing, emails and documents
250GB hard drive Store 166,000 photos, 71,000 songs or 131 hours of HD video and more
10/100Mbps Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Connect to a broadband modem with wired Ethernet or wirelessly connect to a Wi-Fi signal or hotspot with the 802.11b/g/n connection built into your PC
10.1" no-glare display Intel UMA Graphics with up to 256MB total graphics memory

Additional Features:

Webcam with built-in microphone
3-in-1 memory card reader
3x USB 2.0 ports, 1x headphone jack, 1x microphone jack, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet port, 1x VGA port
3-cell lithium-ion battery, up to 3 h 39 min battery life

Software:

Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition
Microsoft Office Starter 2010: Includes reduced functionality versions of Microsoft Word and Excel, with advertising. PowerPoint and Outlook are NOT included. Purchase Office 2010 today and get the most out of your new PC.
TMS security software (30-day trial)
Backup and Restore options built into Windows allows you to create safety copies of your most important personal files, so you're always prepared for the worst

What's In The Box:

Power cord
3-cell lithium-ion battery
Quick Start Guide

Mouse:

The FileMate M2825 Wireless Optical Mouse provides the precision of 1000 dpi optical tracking and the freedom of wireless connectivity. It features a scroll wheel for faster scrolling and greater productivity.

FileMate M2825 Wireless Optical Mouse:

Wireless connectivity
Scroll wheel
1000 dpi
Dimensions: 52mm x 95mm x 25mm
Color: White and Asus Teal

Netbook Case:

The Merkury 15.6" Reversible Laptop Case is made out of shock-absorbing and weather-resistant neoprene material to protect your device and keep it scratch free.

Slim, lightweight design
Easily fits into backpacks, briefcases and other travel cases
Soft, scratch-free neoprene offers superior device protection
Premium neoprene is shock absorbing and weather resistant
Compatible with laptops up to 15.6", and similarly sized devices

Open to US & Canada Only: See Official Rules

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The Hump Day Hop

2012-02-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Hump Day!!

...and rest assured, because its all down hill from here. In a good way!

Welcome to a Mid Week Link up where you can link up everything you got! From GFC, to Google Plus, to BlogLovin, Twitter, Facebook, Networked Blogs and of course your Blog Frog Communities too!

Spotlight blog this week:

"Daddy Waddy Weeviews"

1. Follow your hosts Mommy Only Has Two Hands, and Oh My Heartsie and Unexpected Mother on the linky form in each section you add something.

3. Follow who ever follows you! Of course you might have to initiate a follow by following people on the linky.

That is it!!

If you would like me to follow you, leave a comment and your URL.

It would be nice if you displayed the button in your post or blog sidebar. I just ask you only link up Family Friendly accounts only. I will make sure its family friendly!! Link up and have fun, after all the week is half way over....

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And those of you who would like to possibly win an AtomN570 Netbook, go to "Home" at the top of the page and at Midnight EST, this contest opens! The post will go up an hour before the contest starts so you can keep that page open in your browser and get your entries in first! That will be 9pm MST, 11pm EST and 8pm PST.

*Also, we are looking for bloggers to help host a cash prize giveaway for St. Patty's Day. If you are interested, click here. *

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 <a href="http://mommyonlyhas2hands.org/search/label/Hump%20Day" target="_blank"><img src="http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/Lynhea/Humpdaybloghopbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="Its Hump Day!" /></a>

Add the code to your own Hump Day Hop Welcome Post:
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Add your giveaways here:

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Bloggers Sign Up To Host Cash Prize Giveaway

2012-02-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Fellow Bloggers!

Last year for St. Patty's day we hosted a cash prize giveaway and I plan on doing the same thing this year. This year it will be a little easier. Each blogger can submit two forms of how an entrant can follow, like, subscribe (whatever, to your blog) with a $10 entry fee. This can be in the form of following on twitter, BlogLovin, Blog Frog, Google Plus, Stumbling a post, tweeting another giveaway of yours, etc. I am leaving this part open to you as a host of this giveaway.

The deadline to enter as a host is February 21st at 11:59pm AZ Time. You will be contacted if you are chosen to host and emailed an invoice, the invoice must be paid before you get your html code for your giveaway post that will go live February 25th at midnight EST and end at midnight March 16th. The winner will be announced Saturday March 17th and be given either an Amazon gift card or paypal cash. Whichever form they choose.

Each blogger will be given a button to display on their blog for the giveaway. This will also be an additional entry to any contestant for displaying the button on their blog. Contestants can display the button and tweet every day for extra entries.

The goal is to at least giveaway $100 cash, but I'm not putting a limit on it until I see how many entries we get before February 21st at 11:59pm AZ time. Entrants will not be mailed an invoice until I see how many people have entered. It is possible that you may enter your blog but not be chosen to host due to the amount of people we have signed up. If you are chosen to host, you will be emailed an invoice, that is your confirmation to being in the giveaway event.

*Bloggers who host the giveaway are not eligible to enter the giveaway*
For any questions regarding this giveaway event please email me at mommyonlyhastwohands(at)gmail.com

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So Thankful For This Life!

2012-02-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write this post very carefully and put a lot of thought into it. There is a saying "Ask and you shall receive" (If it is in God's will) I truly believe in that, but I also know that many many people ask God and hope and pray to receive the blessings they ask for, and for some reason it doesn't happen. I can't explain this, I am not God, and I certainly am not deserving in the blessings he has bestowed upon me. The blessings I feel in life right now at this moment seem so unreal. I really just can't believe it happened.

My First Blessing!

When my first son was born I dreaded the idea of going back to work and only seeing my little boy for two to three hours a day. The thought made me sick to my stomach. The thought that someone else would see his first smile and witness his first milestones made my stomach turn inside out. He was having problems gaining weight, had acid reflux so bad he wasn't keeping bottles down and I didn't trust anyone to monitor his situation with keeping him propped up after feedings and the one person we hired to watch him was never home when we came to pick him up. While we gave her permission to run errands with him and do things with him outside the house, it was unsettling not knowing where he was and he wasn't even 12 weeks old yet. I had to return to work when he was 6 weeks old.

I racked my brain trying to figure out how I could stay home with my son and enjoy him,
and enjoy being a mother instead of spending the majority of my day working for someone who didn't care about me. I figured out that the only way we could do this was if I watched other children in my home while I got to enjoy being a mother and not miss any milestones. So I started watching a little guy that was three weeks older than J myster. These two now have regular play-dates with each other. I watched Big J until his little sisters were born and his mom was able to stay home with them more. When J was a little over a year old I started watching a little girl too to help with this income. These three were best buds and I really did enjoy watching them. Then little Miss CB went to another place shortly after she turned two, but we were able to see CB for a little while for play dates at the park and I hope to do it again soon. I think its important that little ones make and keep friends.

My Second Blessing

To replace the income for loosing Big J, I put another ad out in the paper and shortly after the new year in 2011, I started watching C. C started becoming a little complicated. I got pregnant in March and watching C started getting difficult. C was a big baby and lifting him was starting to get difficult when he was rapidly becoming the same size as my two year old in weight. I also found that with all day morning sickness I just didn't have the stamina to keep up with the demands of this little guy and my son who seemed to have cabin fever from being couped up inside 5 days a week. He was acting out and I was pukey and exhausted for 23 weeks. C's mom could tell the days were daunting for me and soon C was moved to another home day care situation in just enough time for me to start having some complications. I had to be put on terbutaline for a little bit of pre-term labor. While I wasn't on bed rest, no doubt I would have been if I continued watching C. So thankfully due to having a ton of money in Savings from back when my husband got his pention from being let go from his last job, we knew we would be ok at least until after the baby was born.

Now after a year of being employed as an IT service guy at the only hospital in our town, my husband quickly moved up to a management roll. The only problem, he was doing this job, and being promised this promotion, but it went overlooked for 2 years. Finally Finally he now is getting paid for the work that he does. This is a huge relief for us! My husband has worked so hard to get this far and its so nice to finally see that he is being appreciated for all his knowledge and hard work. With his promotion, which is basically a 39% income increase, I no longer have to watch other children, I can stay home with my little guys and be a mother and not worry about who is taking care of them. This weekend I would have been working on a parent/caregiver contract and putting an ad on Craigslist, and I am so thankful for the blessings that God has given us and that I don't have to do that anymore. Its not that I didn't enjoy being a caregiver to the little ones I was watching, but its also nice to just give my attention to MY children. J Myster has had to share me with someone else since he was just 3 months old and yes he now has to share me with his little brother, but I have the ability now to take him out places. I can take him to open gym, to the library, to the park, to the Aquaplex thru-out the week and he doesn't have to be cooped up in the house all the time. I can do things with the boys now! We can afford it!

I can now replace the socks that I've been wearing the last six months that have holes warn all the way thru the heals without feeling guilty. I might just be able to buy myself a pair of jeans here real soon and not feel guilty that I spent 25 bucks on myself! It will be nice not having to worry about money. Does this extra income mean that we will now be frivolous with our money? No way! Will I still clip coupons and shop for the best deals, you bet ya. But it may actually mean we can buy a house this summer when our lease is up. We shall see what God has in store for us.

My Beautiful Family!

This mother is very grateful! I know there are many many moms out there who would give anything to stay home with their children, so I don't write this to rub it in, I just write this as its a changing point in our lives and I want to thank God for what he has given us and its definitely a blog worthy event in our lives. I will be forever grateful for my husband, my children and this life He has given me and thank Him for every breath I am able to take and every smile I get to see from my kids and husband.

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This Week In Pictures

2012-02-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was an amazing day for us, my husband got some amazing news at work and I just happened to take pictures of my little ones that day. So I thought I'd scrapbook it. I'm absolutely loving "scrap-pad" on my ipad. The options are endless for making cute digital scrapbook pages. As you can see, I've been having fun with that!

Then Thursday I took J to story time at the library where he met up with one of his buddies from when he was a baby. These two have been buds since big J was 12 weeks old. They were playing in the library's play area right after story time and big J was showing little J the love he has for the play kitchen.

Then grab the linky code and put it in your own blog post.
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Share Your blog posts! (meme)

2012-02-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

(Week 14)

How many times have you participated in a blog hop and had someone come over to your heartfelt blog post and simply say "Hi, I'm following you from such and such blog, please follow back" ?

Well lets try to get a little deeper.

You spent a lot of time writing that post and you want more than a Hey I'm following you, follow me back comment don't you?

<a href="http://www.mommyonlyhas2hands.org/search/label/blog post hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/Lynhea/Shareurblogpostshop.jpg" border="0" alt="Blog Post Hop" /></a>

Grab the code and put it in your own blog post and share the love!
get the InLinkz code

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250 Die Cut Business Card Giveaway!

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Uprinting is a leading printing company on the web that many major businesses and corporations use for their business practices. They design some of the most innovative booklets, banners, flyers, stickers, wall graphics, postcards, posters, magnets and even yard signs out there. So no doubt their business cards are top of the line! And Uprinting is committed to Eco-friendly practices, providing their customers with options to use recycled paper stock. They also only use vegetable-based and soy-based inks.

The prize Uprinting is teaming up with me to give away are 250 professional business cards!

The Prize Details:

250pcs Die-cut Business Cards for one winner.
2x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x2" Rounded Corners, 1.75x3.5"
Rounded Corners, 2x3.5" Leaf, 2x3.5 Rounded one corner, 2x3.5" Half Circle Side, 2x3.5" Oval, 2.5" Circle.
14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
6 Business Days Turnaround time
Free US shipping only

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Disclaimer:
You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.

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J Myster Potty Training Success!

2012-02-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

I am soo pleased with my son and his potty training success! We basically can toss out the diaper already even at night and he will be turning 3 next month.

I actually used to EC train him back when I started using cloth diapers when he was about 8 months old. But then the chaos of watching 3 other children left me running ragged and putting him on the potty all the time just got stressful. I didn't have time to stick with the ECing, so things digressed greatly.

Then in March last year I got pregnant and trying to train a toddler to use the potty at that time for me was exhausting with all day morning sickness and fatigue. I was only watching one child at the time, but it was still daunting to put him on the potty every ten to 15 minutes. He'd always say he didn't have to go or didn't want to sit on the potty, even when we'd put a move on and let him read books on the potty, and I was too exhausted to fight him. We did try every thing in the book to get him to go on the potty, but the most we ever got was him sitting down for ten seconds, saying all done, then expecting a treat afterward, or eliminating in his diaper right after the fact.

So we changed the reward system to "YOU MUST ELIMINATE ON THE POTTY" to get a treat. He'd then decide the treat wasn't worth it. Hunky Hubs also created incentive by buying some cheap 99 cent toys that he put up on a high shelf to encourage using the potty. He'd beg for the toy, then just decide it wasn't worth even trying to sit on the potty for the toy. He feigned disinterest pretty well.

We had some set backs in the potty training department when baby B was born, but finally when I got my stamina back up, I was determined to get J back on a scheduled day. The daily routine had somewhat diminished those first four weeks after baby B arrived, but I was ready to tackle it head on!

I woke up one morning and laid out a game plan.

First thing in the morning, he would not get breakfast, unless he sat on the potty. I used a timer, he had to sit there for at least 2 minutes before he could get up. I set an alarm on my ipad to go off every hour to put him on the potty.

Before and after each meal...

before and after nap time...

and after about 3 days, he had this routine down and was actually eliminating in the potty each time!

See J Myster has always been a routine oriented baby. The routine is what has saved my sanity in motherhood. By about day 5, he was waking up first thing in the morning and before finding mommy or daddy, we'd find him sitting on his potty. Mommy was doing a happy dance and so proud of her big little boy!

We then focused on #2 eliminations and that came very easy afterward.

Since he was still a little nervous about doing a #2 on the potty we were still using a reward system every time he went.

Its been about 5 weeks of him being "mostly" potty trained (we've had just 2 accidents, both after we had been out and about and he needed to use the restroom badly!!!). For public potty use, I have invested in a second potty seat that I keep in the car to use at places and a travel package of Clorox wipes to clean that potty seat and any germy areas my son might touch. Public restrooms terrify me! J has used the potty in public twice without problems so far, also making me do the happy dance and him not the pee pee dance.

Now he wakes up with a dry pull-up every morning and wears underwear during the day. So if he's having dry pull-ups, no need to buy anymore right?

Way to go my big little boy!

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