Maneuvering Life and Motherhood with Twins Plus One
Category: Money and Finance
Karie Herring shares some of her money and finance tips and great consumer items. Her years in consumer finance and lending have afforded her the opportunity to be exposed to many environments.
Last year I made the decision to radically transform how my family maintains their wellness. Seven years ago we transformed the way we eat by eliminating toxic, processed food. Yet we did not eliminate all the toxins in our home, we still had cleaners, fabric softener, wax melts, and cosmetics to name a few. All of these compound on themselves with processed, unclean food, which can lead to illness and the off chance of cancer. In an effort to continue to ward off and thwart any illness attack, I was very eager to truly own my health (and that of my family) to the fullest. While I dove in with my essential oils, absorbing as much information as I could and bringing in the oils that would support my family’s wellness, I still felt like I could be doing more to have a toxin free home. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free Home”
As a working mother I don’t have time to clip coupons. I have tried, and I cannot keep up with the growing time consumption of clipping coupons and comparing to the weekly grocery ads in order to save money on my grocery and or paper goods bill. So I was told about a great new way to save money without a whole lot of hassle, plus I can use my essential oils while eliminating toxic products from our home. Not only do I make my own bath soap, which is made from all organic vegan oils which is fantastic for my children’s delicate skin, but now I can make my own laundry soap with this great DIY laundry soap recipe. Continue reading “DIY Laundry Soap Recipe”
Around October we all begin to groan about how early Christmas has arrived in most stores. In all actuality, most of us really do celebrate Christmas in July. Christmas is about togetherness, family, and all the feels. During the summer months we take time off with our kids to enjoy vacations, togetherness, and the joy of being a family.When we are not enjoying the joys of togetherness, most likely our kids are trying to fight summer boredom. The way my kids have been fighting off summer boredom is by watching streaming television, movies and videos. We have a Roku3 so they have been watching the latest Minecraft videos to brush up on their gaming and Netflix for some of their favorite shows.
One new streaming service is Feeln by Hallmark. Feeln brings you heartfelt movies about love, togetherness and family. Feeln offers a wide variety of handpicked Hollywood favorite titles, Hallmark Hall of Fame features and originals you won’t find anywhere else. Feeln is commercial free and available on a variety of devices from Android, Apple and even on Roku devices.
In fact, Feeln is offering a Free* Roku® Streaming Stick® with a 2 year subscription ($98 value for $47.98). The Roku streaming stick is a take anywhere gadget. Just plug into any HDMI port on your compatible TV. No wires, no power cords, just plug and play.
Feeln is a screaming deal at only $1.99 per month which is cheaper than any Redbox movie rental. Not to mention the subscription is cheaper than the upgrade fee for unlimited DVD delivery with Netflix. Watch all your favorite Christmas movies this July with your kids or catch up on some of your favorite chick flicks. Don’t miss your opportunity to receive a free Roku streaming stick by celebrating Christmas in July with Hallmark and Feeln.
Disclaimer: Featured image courtesy of Flickr https://flic.kr/p/8QDqe5. Terms and conditions apply to the Christmas in July event. See Feeln.com for more details on the Christmas in July promotion with Feeln, Hallmark and Roku Streaming Stick. The Five Fish % Blondies LLC is not associated with Hallmark, Feeln and or its subsidiaries and is not responsible for the terms, conditions, and or exclusions that may apply to the Feeln subscription service. The Five Fish was compensated for this promotional post.
Our favorite Hallmark holiday is just around the corner. If you are like me and think that flowers just die and chocolate makes our hips a little more voluptuous despite New Years resolutions, there are alternatives to exhibit your love and affection. One great way to capture your loved one’s heart for Valentine’s day is with a photobook. I adore tangible gifts that can be put to use day after day and year after year.
Show that special someone how much you love them this year. Create a one-of-a-kind custom photobook from Blurb. With their cutting-edge book-making tools, you can make a book that’s all about the most special person in your life or share your story with your closest loved ones. You can add photos, words, stories, drawings—anything you want.
Valid 1/01-1/27: Save 25% on Large Square or Large Landscape books when you spend $100+
You can even create one from your Facebook or Instagram accounts, this handy little video will show you how! So what are you waiting for? Start making that special gift today, prices start as low as $12.99!
Instead of flowers that die or candies that kill your New Years goals, show your timeless affection for the one you love with a Valentine’s photobook.
This post contains affiliate links and is a sponsored placement of which fees and or payments were distributed to Blondies LLC on behalf of The Five Fish.
Tis the season for regret. We know all too well that come January we will all be griping, complaining, belly-aching and carrying on about holiday weight. Not to mention overall health and wellness. As if we didn’t learn the January prior to that or the New Year’s resolution prior to that.
For the past five years I have taken control of my health WAY before the holidays and even the New Year. I tell you, its a daily affirmation to live this way and not give in. Health, fitness, proper diet, these are all a lifestyle. By lifestyle I mean truly a way of living. Craving the life. Feeling cranky if you can’t live this life. But taking everything in stride and knowing, hey, there is tomorrow to reboot and actually acting on those desires; not putting tomorrow off for days, weeks, months and sometimes years. You see I kicked so many bad habits and incorporated some of the smallest ones to make the largest impact. The smallest habit was a daily multi-vitamin. Easy breezy, but what a difference when I don’t take my vitamins.
Let’s say though that you have ridden that “lifestyle” train before and found it didn’t work for you. Nod your head.
Maybe you bought some vitamins with the guarantee they would make an impact, but the only impact you felt was to your wallet. Nod your head.
Well you can put an end to that uninspiring and unhelpful way of living with Bulu Box.
What is Bulu Box you ask? I’m glad you asked! Bulu Box is the best thing since sliced bread to discovering your health, nutrition and weight loss products. Even more so are the added bonuses for money saving coupons and subscriber only offers hidden inside each box. All you do is subscribe for $10 per month and you receive a great Bulu Box like mine, chock full of great full size samples, a few trial sizes, and money saving coupons for products. The beauty of the Bulu Box is just the small monthly subscription fee and you are provided great products to try out before you go and invest all your hard earned money on something that might not be right for you. Or worse yet, you buy a product and
NEVER. USE. IT!
Bulu Box is more than a monthly subscription. They are a retailer that offers you the most premium health, wellness, fitness and nutrition items on the market. No gimmicks. Just honest reviews and feedback from consumers like you and I on products that work. Products that stand by their name. Products that are worth the investment after your initial testing.
I love my Bulu Box for the items I would have never thought to try before. I had seen them and thought, “Well I would like to try that but I don’t want to invest X amount of dollars and find it doesn’t work for me.” Bulu Box allows me to find what works for me and not invest a fortune.
Bulu Box is a great and affordable gift idea for that person who is health minded and conscious of what they are looking to put in their body or for the person who might be on the fence about jump starting their health, wellness and fitness goals. What better way to help them get a good start to the new year than with a subscription to Bulu Box. You can choose from the many different payment plans in one month, three, six or a full year subscription where each box holds something new. Additionally you can earn points to use towards full size purchases and other goodies. Who wouldn’t love those perks?
So I mentioned to you the money saving coupons. In my Bulu Box I received a $100 off coupon of $160 or more purchase of wine. Wait…what!? So I spend $160, get $100 off and basically I just order a stink load of wine for that little? We go through a lot of wine in our house so this was HUGE! My Bulu Box also had a great vegan protein shake, organic snack bar, and a guide for how the items in my Bulu Box combined with other items would be a recipe for success. I like those kinds of suggestions. Plus, I can try them out to see how they work for me and if they do, then I am sure to purchase the full size samples and continue making those same purchases to come. You see….healthy habit.
Here’s the best part as loyal Five Fish readers, you can receive a three-month subscription to Bulu Box for the low price of just one month! That’s right! Use BULUFISH as your code to receive a three month Bulu Box subscription for just $10. Talk about huge savings for the New Years resolution and for a fabulous holiday gift. Don’t wait another day. Grab that inner procrastinator by the horns and start improving your health today.
Disclaimer: Participating Blogs were not compensated for this post. This event is in not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact karie@thefivefish.com if you have additional questions or concerns.
Products and services as diverse as Samsung TVs, Mohonk Mountain House gifts and Jetblue flights all rely on good customer service representatives to handle orders, answer buyer questions, and deal with complaints. If you enjoy working with people and helping them solve problems, then you may like working in customer service as a CSR, or customer service representative. Continue reading “Working in Customer Service”
We have all been lied to. A world where everything we eat, drink, sleep and breathe is completely fine. Fukushima, well that was ionizing radiation as a cancer preventative. Genetically modified (GMO) foods are completely fine and have no negative lasting impact on our bodies. For years, farmers have been cross breeding plants for hardiness and for food variety so the splicing of genomes in a laboratory to create a new tomato that is immune to Roundup is no different. Organic, its a scam. The new bottled water fad and sure to die a slow and painful death much like global warming.
Dinner’s New Tomato
Angry yet? You should be. For the second time in a month I have had a troll Scandinavian dwarf strongly suggest to me on Facebook how ridiculously wrong I was for supporting the organic movement and opposing GMO’s.
Let me be clear though on my stance with GMO food products; I AM in favor of a farmers agricultural tactic to cross breed plants in a field (nature does this on her own too), I AM NOT in favor of Dr. Kevorkian playing test tube roulette with a new breed of tomato for my dinner. I support the organic movement because I was educated about organic. I did not hop on some fad toting, band wagon of the newfangled fashion called organic. I did not wake up one day and make the Laissez-Faire decision to just up and rid my pantry and fridge of conventionally farmed, GMO laced foods. Did I clean out my pantry of the majority of those products? Absolutely, maybe not all at once, but I eventually did.
Why you ask?
In 2008 I delivered my twins and found a support group later that year for mothers of multiples. Among our group was a very well educated woman who yielded a fancy science degree, I will spare you her details, however she explained the facts and science of genetic modification (present state), organic foods, farming, how you become USDA organic certified, blah, blah blah. I soaked up every minute. Why? Because why not? I had nothing to gain or lose from her sharing her knowledge, or did I? What I had not mentioned to this point is this amazing woman’s journey defeating breast cancer. She defeated her progressive breast cancer and has been cancer free during the time I have been honored to call her friend. Her battle also included a diet rich in organic fruits, vegetables and meat and dairy products free of hormones or additives. While I am not a doctor and make no claim of the science, I did apply common sense and hear a truly moving situation.I also applied this new found knowledge to another friend who also had breast cancer. A survivor or Stage IV, double mastectomy, reconstruction and lymph removal. She DOES NOT eat an organic rich diet, staying her course she still frequents all fast food joints, drinks large quantities of diet soft drinks, and just 18 months ago underwent another round of cancer treatment for a form of oral cancer found in her mouth and lymph nodes. She has continued failing health including joint inflammation, thyroid, diabetes, and a gamut of other ailments.
Which path would common sense direct you to choose?
Imagine my surprise when in 2011 I receive a phone call from my physician alerting me to an abnormal pap. Her phone call included “biopsy”, “cancerous cells of the cervix”, “advancing cancerous tissue.” I was in a panic. While my family had integrated organic into our diet, we still fancied some fast food and I still partook in an occasional Starbucks; I had not completely overhauled my lifestyle. November of that year, while undergoing a very painful surgical procedure to remove the cancerous cells and tissue I vowed to change my life for the complete good. My family went full organic. While we already had integrated the fruits and vegetables and milk, meat purchases were still from traditional farming, until that day.While nothing is wrong with traditional farming I could not support this mode of food production. The chemicals, the hormones, the pesticides, none of it seemed right or natural to me as someone who had been touched by cancer and as a mother. From that day forward I have been cancer free and my paps have all been normal every six months.
A little over a year ago my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer. Her treatment was and is aggressive. When we spoke shortly after her diagnosis she mentioned how doctors said if she was going to eat certain foods they had to be organic due to the pesticide interaction with her chemotherapy. I found great irony in that statement. So I went further and researched chemotherapy and an organic diet. At best I found the naturopathic and alternative healing methods like the Gerson Institute and the Breville Method, all supported an organic rich diet of fruits, vegetables and pesticide free proteins. Nowhere did any of the well known cancer sites indicate that cancer patients should be eating a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables, in spite of the fact that each of these people I know, all strangers to one another shared the same simple fact of eating an organic diet during their cancer treatment. For the conservatives out there I beg the question, what does a doctor gain from making this medical suggestion? If organic is purely a ploy for higher taxation and a fascist movement towards primitivism then why not exploit this venture, especially when physicians and the medical field are supported so heavily by big Pharm and the liberals?
Quite alright, we can save the Ayn Rand style debate for another day.
Do I dream of one day a world where we are free of harmful chemicals in our foods? Positively yes. My Rogerian beliefs is that we are all inherently good, so I favor for optimism in any outcome. Do I claim any health benefits that organic foods are more nutritious? Absolutely not. I am merely making an educated decision for myself and my family based on the research and real life experience of the effects of a diet with conventional farming versus organic farming; cancer or no cancer. I am a protagonist for a diet free of laboratory created, genetically modified foods and substances. When science tinkers around in the genomes and the DNA structure of plants for “improved” purposes I wonder what happens when that DNA is introduced into our environment outside of a lab. My personal research found that children with food allergies, autism, digestive disorders, chronic illnesses and cancer increased dramatically with the introduction of GMO foods. Here is the timeline:
1980 the first GMO was patented for the use to “gobble up oil spills,” because you know that has been a HUGE success
1982 an insulin produced by genetically modifying E.coli bacteria is on the market
1994 the Flavr Savr tomato is approved by the FDA for sale on grocery shelves and promoted for its delayed ripening and longer shelf life than conventional tomatoes
1996 the GMO resistant super weeds appear, weeds are found to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate
1999 over 100 million acres worldwide are dominated by GMO
2011 Bt toxins (a soil bacteria GMO, engineered to be kill insects such as moths, butterflies, caterpillars) found in humans, specifically the blood of pregnant women being transferred to the fetuses.
From 1997 to 2011 the CDC reported that children with food allergies, digestive problems, chronic illness and skin disorders increased by 50%. Based on the above timeline, I can correlate that negative effects of GMO to our health. The FDA approves drugs on a daily basis that have a side-effect list as long as an ingredient list on a processed food box laden with GMO. Proven fact, Prozac which was and is the most highly prescribed anti-depressant starting in the late 80s has had the longest clinical study, spanning 20 years and is still being studied, continues to releases new and harmful side-effect which include the following: suicidal thoughts and behavior, birth defects, premature labor, severe skin reaction, insomnia, stuffy nose, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, tremors, dry mouth, low libido, dizziness. Oh and my personal favorites: heart defects in newborns, lung problems in newborns resulting in improper adaptation to breathing outside the womb, and last but not least, an increased risk of the baby developing AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.
Argue that GMO is perfectly safe, despite the fact we do not have enough research, hence the Prozac reference. Argue that organic may be more expensive and it’s a scam. But when adults result to insults, personal attack, and the “if you don’t listen to what I am saying” since I think “I am right” attitude, I just stop responding. Now this is about you and your feelings, not respecting my choice of which I respect yours. I have no problem with anyone’s choice regarding organic, and I am not opposed to hearing their side, especially if new information of some compelling nature is shared. Maybe I am wrong. I am okay with that, but for now, until I have concrete scientific proof that the long term effects of GMO, herbicides, pesticides and hormones are safe and the whole ban GMO is bullshit, organic is always my choice.
I hate cliches. Nothing pisses me off more than a sappy, true to the heart cliche. Well, unless I am that cliche. A walking, living, breathing, truism in life. You see, for the last twelve months much of my life has been happening for a reason. Even more so, my faith in humanity and the just good of people makes my heart swell with joy.
You see just three short weeks ago corporate America tried to break my spirit. I worked for a misogynist. He feared my greater success over his, due to the fact that he had capped out his career based on his competency level. Plain English, he was a dumb ass. Bless his heart. With that being said, what actions do intellectually inept female hating bosses take? They seek to eliminate a threat. So he did, and I was fired for not lying in an email. But that’s another story. A rather good one to share as well. I digress, back to the story of why things happen for a reason.
The moment I was delivered the news of my termination I had a sense of calm, a relief rather and I knew that everything was going to be alright. Despite the fact that all the cells in my body were screaming, “Fuck!!! This is a mess…”
For weeks the cosmos were sending me signs, much like this one. Actually, my husband sent me this sign, but it is one that is forever changing our lives.
As I mentioned, over the last year things have been happening for a reason to lead up to where we are today. So during this time I have been talking endlessly about my dreams. You know? The dreams kids have. The dreams of what they want to be when they grow up. I have been dreaming big. I love to cook. I love to write. I love to serve people. I love to help. I wanted a restaurant, bistro, cafe. All mine with my own menu, flair, panache and to take in ego boosting, voyeurism of watching people eat and enjoy my food. But I kept thinking not yet; now is not the time. In the meantime, what’s a girl to do with all of these passions? Apparently you are suppose to get fired from a decent paying corporate job and go opening a freaking juice bar is what you are suppose to do! God had plans for me and I was not going about his plans the way I was intended so he was making destiny happen.
I was at a crossroads when I was leaving my former employer. Shaking, trembling, crying, grieving, cursing. What a horrible process to experience for anyone, is the grief of being fired by a dolt. Then the process of attempting to find other employment all while your dream is staring you in the face. So here I am. Writing this post to share with each of you that dreams do come true. Dreams are attainable. Never sell yourself short! Go for the goal. Reach for the stars. Get out of your comfort zone. My faith has tested me more in the last three weeks about my level of comfort than in the years I have been alive.
Please do not get me wrong. I am scared shitless! I am hopeful with my love of God and his sweet son Jesus that this project is going to pull through. A part of me is saying, “just suck it up Kar and go get an eight to five job and grind it out and maybe we can build the dream on the side.” But the divine infused part of me is telling me to grab the bull by the horns, slap it’s ass and serve him up for dinner! YE HAW!
With all this being said, please take a moment to check out what we are doing on Kickstarter. It’s a quick blip. We are doing what we love. I love God. I love people. I love to serve. I love to cook. I love my family and by golly I am going to do STUFF! So help us do some stuff. We are already seeing support. I watched Facebook explode when I posted this. Sadly I felt a bit of shame at first.
I was battling with myself to hit the big green SUBMIT button that was looking at me in the face. My divinely infused brain was yelling at my right hand to click the mouse while my scared shitless self was being a punk. In between my ears all I heard was shame. Beggar. Mooch. Scrounger. Bullshit. God took hold because I hit submit and within minutes a childhood friend from kindergarten kick-started my movement. My eyes welled and burned from the tears. The muscles in my jaw were contracting as my cheeks tightened to fight back all the emotion of love, joy, and HOLY SHIT this is happening feeling that was rushing over me in waves. Notifications were going off in my feed. I saw my photo in my Facebook stream as my friends liked and shared my story. My thanksgiving cannot be fully placed into words how He is working. How my friends are helping me to go make a difference, to make my mark.
Come share in our joy and successes. Help us to make a difference in this world, even if it is the smallest difference, that one small difference could be someone’s entire world that they are paying forward. Won’t you pay it forward. Share our Kickstarter. Just passing on the word is payment enough. Thank you friends for all your support as we go on our new adventure with food!
Spring and summer weather dawn the days of increased creatures, crawlies, bugs and the like. As a desert dweller, Arizona native, we know that the warmer temps definitely mean that tiny creatures will be crawling, flying and scurrying about. In addition to the warm weather, rain and humidity often bring about pests that can cause damage and are very costly. Adding pest maintenance to our spring cleaning routine has become habitual.
One might think that living in an arid and dry climate such as Arizona we would not be susceptible to the most expensive property damaging pests; termites. These little buggers are estimated to incur $5 billion in property damage costs each year. Sadly, home owners insurance rarely covers these wood chomping menaces, and the path of destruction accounts for more than combined damages of storms, floods, and fires.
Last year our home saw a rather extensive infestation that we quickly remedied. But while in the throes of the chaos of what to do with these nasty little pests, we experienced stress from trying to gauge how catastrophic the infestation truly was and the overall costs associated with treatment and repair, if needed.
However, you can be armed with the necessary tools to treat and avoid termite infestations with Truly Nolen; they can provide you with the following information in first line defense to combat these springtime pests. Some tools to help identify and cope with termites:
Small wrench to tighten your pipes. Remember, termites love moisture!
Number 2 pencil. Mud tunnels are pencil-sized tubes that protrude from a house’s exterior walls and serve as an environment of protection and moisture for termites.
Measuring tape so you can be sure that your home has the recommended minimum of 6 to 8 inches between ground level and porch steps, lattice work, door or window frames, etc.
Small flashlight to help you search for rippled or sunken traces behind wall coverings, which are indicative of termite infestation.
Truly Nolen stress ball to keep you calm while preparing for this year’s termite season.
Above all else, just know its not IF you will get termites, but a matter of when. No one is safe from these destructive pests, but now you can be ready to take preventative measures. As you are prepping your home for the arrival of warmer weather and impending pets during your spring cleaning, be sure to add pest control and prevention to your list as well.
The most permanent trend among parents and kids these days is healthy! Healthy habits such as eating, drinking and going green with foods and food delivery products. These habits are fostered by the parents with their children from the beginning to culminate a healthy lifestyle throughout generations. Not only are these life choices a clean way of life but they help to keep our planet clean and reduce the overall carbon footprint.
Brita® is a company that is listening to parents and the way they want to teach their kids healthy habits. Brita® has developed the Brita® Bottle designed just for kids. The filtration company known for water filter pitchers and water filtration for the home has developed a fun, affordable, and convenient solution for kids to drink great tasting water on the go.
No more purchased bottles of water.
No more worries about lead leeching water bottles.
No more worries about plastic leeching water bottles containing BPA.
Brita® offers three fun, bright colors in kid-friendly styles. 13 ounces of water can be refilled time and time again without having to replace the filter until you hit the 40 gallon mark, or every two months if your child drinks the recommended amount of water per day. Sadly, only 15% of school-age children drink the recommended amount of water the body needs to refuel and replenish (i). An even more pathetic and striking fact is that on average, school-age children consume six sodas per week (ii).
Why not promote a fun and easy way to drink water that is portable, green, and saves you money?
The water bottles are dishwasher safe, are fully recyclable, and can replace over purchased plastic water bottles a year. Fill up the Brita® Bottle anywhere and on the go because the filter is built inside. Don’t fill up our landfills with all that plastic and think about all the good we are doing by not allowing that plastic to leach into our ground water and water systems.
But the benefits do not end there! With every purchases of a Brita® Bottle for kids receive a free children’s book. Hurry though this awesome offer wont last long, so be sure to head to your local Meijer or Meijer brand store to pick up your Brita® Bottle and be sure to visit http://www.scholastic.com/brita/ for more details.
i. Hudson, William (2011, April 18). “For Children, Where’s the Water?†Accessed from: http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/18/water.school.children/index.html
ii. Strum R, Powell LM, Chriqui JF, Chaloupka FJ. Soda Taxes, Soft Drink Consumption and Children’s Body Mass Index. Health Affairs. 2010;5:1052-1058 http://www.kickthecan.info/sugary-drink-consumption
Quite alright, we can save the Ayn Rand style debate for another day.
With all this being said, please take a moment to check out what we are doing on Kickstarter. It’s a quick blip. We are doing what we love. I love God. I love people. I love to serve. I love to cook. I love my family and by golly I am going to do STUFF! So help us do some stuff. We are already seeing support. I watched Facebook explode when I posted this. Sadly I felt a bit of shame at first.
Last year our home saw a rather extensive infestation that we quickly remedied. But while in the throes of the chaos of what to do with these nasty little pests, we experienced stress from trying to gauge how catastrophic the infestation truly was and the overall costs associated with treatment and repair, if needed.
