Posts

Posted on

Purex 3-In-1 Laundry Sheets Review and Giveaway!

Have you all seen the new Purex 3-In-1 laundry system?

I have to say I was so pumped when I applied to be a Purex Insider. I wanted to know what all the buzz was about. Now that the product is out I really really wanted to know how it worked and how well it worked! Well I was able to get the chance. But before I get into that here is the deal with Purex and how they are changing lives for women around the globe:

Purex is trying to change lives not only with this revolutionary product but also by helping others. They have teamed up with Angie Harmon and Kiva to support women owned businesses around the globe. Visit www.purexchangeslives.com to view the profiles of women-owned businesses. You can support a femal entrepreneur of your choice just by entering the bar code form any Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets. For every bar code entered, Purex will make a donation to a Kiva approved woman-owned business.

Mom Select - Bringing Companies and Moms Together

When I received the package I was totally ecstatic! I immediately called my sister and asked if she was part of the Mom Select product opportunity. She told me she had not seen anything yet. We gabbed and I immediately had to do laundry! I know I am a huge geek. But I had to see for myself if the product was really as phenomenal as everyone was saying.

Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets come in three different scents: Tropical Escape, Spring Oasis, and Pure & Clean. The packaging comes in a starter pack which is the sheet holder and 20 sheets and refill packs. I got the starter pack, so all I have to do is buy refills.

So I did some laundry. They smelled clean. They smelled fresh. But were they soft and cuddly like my clothes normally turn out after washing and drying?

To be honest I love my clothes feeling like wet noodles, just oozing softness and reeking of softener. Only because I am weird like that. So while the clothes were clean and crisp, they were not to my softness standards. But I figured okay, they still have to go through the dryer, lets see how they stand up. Once out of the dryer they were dry, soft, but not the soft that I am used to.

I truly love the product. I mean look at the room it takes up in my laundry room as opposed to the bulky bottles and other stuff. Plus the ease of use, no more pushing that pain in the neck button to dispense the soap and the softener. Not to mention the drip messes! ICK

My next test was that of the “stain.” Kids are kids, they are slobs and everything gets all over their clothes! My Little Bitty is the queen of stains. The girl can stain anything, anywhere, anytime if you give her something she will make it a stain somehow. So here is her shirt the night we had spaghetti (Tuesday night). I pre-treat all my clothes in Holy Cow, and if you have never heard of or used Holy Cow….HOLY COW are you missing out! Go check that post out later.
But I treated Little Bitty’s shirt with Holy Cow and threw it in the wash. Her shirt did not turn out the way I had hoped, remnants of the spaghetti sauce still remained, which required me to throw the shirt back into the laundry for yet another washing. However, the box does state that larger loads or dirtier loads may require an additional sheet….so maybe this might have helped.

All in all, I think the product is great, maybe a little more tweaking with the softener and detergent potency, but again, a great product! Plus look at all the extra space in the laundry room!

Now that I have had a chance to test out this fantastic product one of my lucky readers will enjoy the opportunity to WIN their very own starter package of Spring Oasis Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets! Here are the rules….and remember rules are rules, everyone play fair!

THESE HAVE TO BE DONE PRIOR TO ANY ADDITIONAL ENTRIES. IF NOT, NO ENTRY.

  • Go to the Purex site and tell me why the Laundry Sheets are better.
  • Check out the entrepreneurs and let me know which one you would support with this package.

Extra entries

  • Follow this blog (or tell me you already do!)
  • Subscribe to my feed, or tell me you do (I do verify! So no monkey business)
  • Follow me on Twitter (or tell me you already do)
  • Tweet this giveaway and what it supports
  • Stumble this post, come back and tell me you did.
  • Fave my blog on Technorati (or tell me you already have)
  • Blog about this, spread the word about empowering women around the globe, come back and leave me the link. (Worth 5 extra entries, be sure to post a comment for each entry)
~~**CONTEST ENDS MIDNIGHT JULY 10TH ARIZONA TIME.**~~
Please leave me a valid email address. Scavenger hunts are not my forte! No valid email address no opportunity to win. Also remember, follow the first two rules in order to be considered for the giveaway. Good luck to each of you!
Posted on

Meal Planning Tips and Tricks

Meal time is always the worst part of my day. Any meal. Any time of the day. HORRIBLE!

I have four people who have no idea what they want to eat, stand with the fridge door wide open saying “What do we have to eat” when the fridge is full, and no one can agree on the same thing.

So I have learned to set out a ton of meats, fish, and chicken during the week and basically whip up either favorites, new dishes, a little gourmet, or a little of “Not sure what this is….but it’s freaking good!”

My tips and tricks are with food….I truly hate food. Food and meals are my demons. But here is how we fish survive in the tank when someone else isn’t feeding us (aka takeout):

  • Casseroles. You can’t go wrong with any sort of casserole type dish. Lasagna, enchiladas, anything that you can make in a single dish and toss in the oven. Plus if it is simple to whip up, dinner and clean up are a breeze.
  • Grill. I personally love to grill. The food has a flavor that cannot be replaced. Plus less energy usage. So when I grill I throw my whole meats on the grill FROZEN, this keeps them nice and juicy and you never (ok hardly ever) have to worry about burning or overcooking where the food is so nasty dry. You can grill anything and everything…give it a whirl! Grill lots of extras too! This way you have extras for the week for dinners, lunch, whatever.
  • Menus. I love a menu, this way everyone in the family can participate in what foods they want to eat during the week and makes meal time a breeze. Especially because if dinner is not served at FIVE O’CLOCK SHARP at my house…..demons invade. Seriously its like that moment where Spike from the Gremlins movie takes over the house. YIKES!
  • The Crock Pot can be your friend. I really hate the crock pot because it is ugly and takes up precious storage space. However, I have created many a meals, very tasty ones at that, in my ugly plug her in machine.
  • Forget the rules. Who says you have to have breakfast at breakfast and dinner for dinner. We call it “Brinner.” Who doesn’t love a belgian waffle smothered in fresh fruit, a side of (turkey) bacon, and maybe some scrambled egg whites for dinner or breakfast! Go nuts!
  • Avoid pre-packaged dinner meals. Like the ones where the rice and everything is in it you just add your own meat. HELLO CALORIES!! HELLO CHEESE TO MY ASS! Yeah I made that same “dinner” with brown rice, fresh cheese, frozen broccoli, and chicken. About 400 less calories than the box dinner and everyone wanted and had seconds! Super easy to do as well.
  • Salads. Yes the dreaded greens! But the greens can be fun I have a great taco salad dish that my kids eat because they are involved in the process. Plus if you tell them they can smother it with ranch…they are total game, oh and it has Doritos (I know shame on me).
  • Colors, lots of colors. I tried to have a lot of color in my food. Part of my OCD I think, but I hate when my food looks tan…..all of it. I love vibrant colors and flavors I am a true food whore about that because I have such odd tastes in food.

I would love to hear what your tricks are when making meals, keeping the family happy, trying not to serve the same old “slop” night in and night out, and what helps you save time? I also have lots of yummy recipes for everything from breakfast to dessert that are super easy peasy and totally fool proof! Quite a few are posted on the blog my sister’s and I share and I hope to post some here real soon. Happy Thursday everyone….and stay tuned! I have some great reviews and fun giveaways!!

Posted on

My First, And Only, Retraction, or Edit

So many of you, as I did, thoroughly enjoyed the post about my letters I never intend to send. DH enjoyed it only half as much as we did.

I WAS LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY WHEN HE READ IT!!!!

OK, in all seriousness the man giggled, and then asked for a retraction.

I told him HELL NO……..but the words never left my lips. DAMN IT!

He Google messaged me……”Did you post the retraction yet? That I DID NOT clog the toilet?”

I ignored the Google message. Never happened. (LMAO)

“It was Big G’s fault the toilet clogged….you know how he is?”

Again…..the retraction why? Like father like son?!

“You know he likes to use A LOT of TP and baby wipes to wipe his ass.”

Yes my dear boy still uses baby wipes….he will also be the only child in the lunchroom at school using a warm, lemon scented towel to wipe his hands and face before and after eating.

Here I am on a Monday night, when I would rather be making my beer brew soap….which is OH SO DELICIOUS! You can use it as a shampoo bar too, so rocks, lots of lather, great conditioning.

OH RIGHT, sorry, so here I am posting my retraction about the “toilet and ass wiping abilities of DH.” As I had promised him…..because I never break a promise….unless it has to do with our parents….then I don’t promise anything….

Here is my official retraction to Mr. Fish:

My Dear Husband, I love you and at least 90% of the time your wiping abilities and flushing capabilities are adequate. However, at least 10% do require some tweaking. But I am willing to accept my wrong doing in that the dear boy Big G was the single, sole, and ONLY culprit for the toilet clogging incident that I, yes me ALONE, had to clean up. Please accept my public, very public apologies for the misrepresentation of your business with the latrine. Good day.

I can’t wait to see his reaction to this post.
I haven’t been able to stop laughing since I started typing!!
I love you dear.

Posted on

Little Bitty Soap Giveaway!!

You can have a piece, well pieces, of the Little Bitty Soap company in your home!

My sister Brittany is hosting a giveaway of my special blend that I made for her and a lucky reader to enjoy in their home and bath!

So please head on over to Brittany Greer’s casa and check out the Little Bitty Soap Giveaway!

Posted on

To my Husband on Fathers Day

I knew in your heart that you wanted to be a father. Your armored exterior was merely a facade of protection from the world, not letting them know that you are a sensitive, loving man.


From the time we went to our friends back yard barbecue and we fell in love with that little girl who radiated to us. We were so fresh as a couple that kids were just a far off fantasy. She clung to me like I was her mom and she fooled with you as she would her own father. Her grandmother told us that her parents looked just like us and that her name was “Sara.”

That day forward we knew what we would name our daughter……if we ever got to the point of marriage. For which we did.


We walked down the aisle on October 1st, 2000 (you barely making the ceremony thanks to my over anxious, highly intoxicated family starting the show without you). Our first born was a son in 2003, Grant Thomas. Grant for the simple fact he was a gift after our heartbreak and struggle, he shares the same initial as your Grandfather as a token of remembrance and Thomas after your father.

When we thought our family was completed YOU were the one who roped in my heart for another child, for Big G and for us. We got a two for one special and you were radiating while all I was doing was radiating heat and hormones during the incubation! We welcomed a day after Valentines Day in 2008, Seth Michael, Seth because you liked the name and very fitting of the appointed second son, Michael for both our uncles, and Sara, our princess, our sole girl, our finale, Noel after her mother as the first born daughter.
We were complete in every sense of the word.


I love the moments where you struggle to be the father your children deserve, the father you want to be, the father you feel you did not have in your own dad. I love the moments where you sit among them and they crawl on you like the solid oak tree in a summer field. I cherish the moments where you stop and just look at all we have accomplished, how special, beautiful and wonderful our children are because of our love and your foundation as a father. You are a wonderful Dad. You are patient, kind, stern, and a push over, you love without beginning or end, definition or purpose, bumps and bruises are mended with kisses and tickles, frights are cared for with hugs and snuggles, and each one of those little people saw you first upon their arrival into this world and for that I could not be more blessed.

I love you my husband, the father of my children, best friend, worst and best enemy, my debate partner, my comic, my lover, my soul mate, my eternal love.

Happy Father’s Day.

Posted on

Letters I never intend to send

I love writing letters. Especially ones with such raw emotion, with vigor….I love vigor, and you can vent all your angers, frustrations, hurts, and sadness without repercussion or worries. So today while battling with Pickles Magoo on his napping (or failure to take one) I thought I might take a moment to relax. Catch up on my friends’ blogs and all they have going when I hear screams…two to be precise coming from down the hall. One is Pickles Magoo, with a faint choking sound, and the other is Big G again a faint sound of distress and I am unsure so I jump from my chair and book it to the intersection of three doors.

I felt like Bob Barker should have jumped out with flashing lights from the Price is Right to help be choose a door because I opened all of them. No new car…damn. Twins in their cribs, no one is choking, okay onto door number three. NOT door number three. Please oh please…..why did I have to open door number three.

While nothing Earth shattering….or at least not in my mind….had taken place, Big G was standing in a mess the was preemptively caused by his loving, and sometimes clueless father whom I love, adore, and wanted to strangle.

There I stood….in the bathroom with water, I will go with water so I feel okay, under my feet and three screaming kids. Armed with nothing I scrambled for the plunger. All the towels were in the wash….Cheese and rice who’s bright idea was it to wash all the towels today!? Oh right, me. I plunge the toilet cursing Big G’s fathers name over and over and handle that small fire. Run into the Squids room to handle their fire…….still reeling in my anger and frustration I sat down to write this letter to DH that I never intend to send:

My dear love,

I understand nature comes calling. We all, as beings upon this Earth, either animal, insect, and or bird will generate excrement of sorts that must be expelled from our bodies for proper operations. However, your asshole is no different than any other in this household. Each of us has an asshole, each of us will take a heinous shit from time to time. These do not mean that you qualify to use MORE toilet paper than usual to wipe an asshole that quite frankly is the size of a quarter. Your ass on the other hand may be large, but your starfish is much smaller. Please take heed next time you wipe your ass that if you require a double flush to hang around and flush that second or maybe a third time so as to avoid a high speed blow out for me to clean up. Otherwise I will suggest you take the “Proper Ass Wiping Class” with your five year old son in order to learn proper technique and adequate toilet paper consumption. Thanks again for playing, have a great day.

Your loving wife and Plunger Employer Extraordinaire,
Karie

I felt so much better to have gotten that out and we never had to fight about it. I just told him how we had a clog….preemptively caused by him, and all was right again.
Posted on

I am never bored….

Not true….I am actually bored quite often.
My therapist Patricia “Pat” always tells me,
“Bored is healthy, bored is good.”

Bored is good for the boring. Pft! No really, I like being bored, but I feel unaccomplished. I know, sounds crazy, which is why I pay $75 a hour for a great therapist! Anyway, I have found a new project! Actually I am planning on, OK seriously hoping, that my little project turns into a successful venture.

I have always had a love of all things homemade. I am a big fan! I mean I try to homemake a lot of our family meals among other things in our home. So one day, while sitting in my bathroom.. thinking…I had an idea. I will try to start my own little business.

I won’t do catering…..too many issues and I don’t have a big enough kitchen. Although I know I can do it…just a lot can go wrong. Will go wrong. and I do not want to clean that mess.

I won’t do a franchise….not right now at least.
Too much initial investment and too little return on the initial investment.

I can do homemade bath and body. I love bath and body. I live for bath and body.

Seriously, in my bathroom I have at least 30 different designer perfumes….not counting all the samples I have received here and there. Soaps?! Yeah, I got soaps from the homemade French savons to the local farmers market cold processed. I love soaps. Maybe has to do with my OCD of cleanliness but I love feeling clean, smelling clean, or using the soaps for just a great fragrant accent in a drawer, bathroom, or just as a decorative accent in a bathroom.

So here has been my little project and of course the little linky on the right hand sidebar…..yeah the brown box…Little Bitty Soaps….that’s me:

 

Cold Process “Sweet Pea Pie” Hot Process “Spa Massage”
(honey, oats, sweet almond oil)

Hot Process “Boyfriend” Bath Soak Salts & Teas
Lavender & lavender leaves

 

Hot Process “Honeymoon”
Lavender & Rosemary
Posted on

Home Improvement: Mrs. Fish’s Thursday Tips and Tricks

One of my friends asked me the other day,”Karie, is your house always this perfect? All the time? With Twins? And you were going to school? And you work out of the house? And, and and…..”

I felt so embarrassed, I mean I really do try to let my house go. To let the dishes pile up, the laundry spill out into the adjoining rooms, for my house to collect dust like the desert floor. I mean I really do try to let the old girl go sometimes.

But with three kids, a husband and a dog who cannot distinguish her own identity you learn a few little tricks here and there that help you stay on top of all the messes and keep a clean house without spending days or endless hours slaving, only for your hard work to be flushed away.

Here are my tips and tricks to staying on top of my house:

  • I don’t spend one WHOLE day cleaning and doing laundry. I spread the love around. I do laundry everyday, a load at a time, this way, laundry gets done and I get caught up without spending an entire day devoted to dirty linens and such.
  • I clean my house one room at a time, or one section of the house at a time, one day at a time. This way I just have to maintain. I vacuum everyday, only because I hate crumbs and such under my bare feet. Maintaining is a lot easier than power cleaning.
  • I do dishes as they are dirtied. I run the dishwasher at night so in the morning I can unload it and start fresh, and I never have piles in my sink. (Well never say never…..DH has still to learn the location of the dishwasher to the sink.)
  • Trash is handled by DH and Big G….sometimes me if they slack.
  • Big G’s chore is to feed the confused Bulldog.
  • Little Bitty knows the location of the trash and recycling…..we are still working on the logistics.
  • Pickles Magoo only knows where the food is…..the fridge. And that it can go on the floor for the confused Bulldog to clean up. This makes sweeping a breeze.
Hope this helps some of you Mom’s who feel like your whole life revolves around cleaning the house. I try to look at it as “maintaining my perfection” (*cough…bullshit), OK, so I try. I have to say though that maintaining a clean house is easier than always trying to clean a dirty house. I hope to post some more of my Tips and Tricks.
Posted on

Giving Credit where Credit is Due

I have had so many wonderful men and women come into my life since I began blogging. Either by a simple stumble, maybe a mistake, a referral, or some obligation but I have been so blessed. I think so many bloggers deserve recognition and credit that this post is for you! I am humbled by your comments, your feedback, your friendship, your support that you deserve to be recognized for being such a wonderful person, blogger, and friend.Please go check these wonderful ladies (and gents) out. They brighten my day, have wonderful reads, and are near and dear to my heart!

  • Beth
  • Stesha
  • Stacie
  • Equidae
  • Holly
  • Modern Mom (Still have yet to learn her name…I am so BAD!! But she knows I love her!)
  • Miss Behavin
  • Lizz
  • Karrie
  • Lisa
  • Melissa (I love her to death and she knows it!)
  • Tess
  • Valerie (She has a heart of gold!)
  • Aubrey
  • Helene
  • Veronica (She is my alternate deviant twin)
  • JAM Just call her Jam! LOL
  • Alisha
  • Jennifer
  • BuckerooMama
  • Sissy
  • SITS Girls Tiffany and Heather (We all love them!)
  • Stephanie
  • Veronica Lee
  • Angela
  • Melissa of Sweet Serendipity
  • Muthering Heights
  • Jaime
  • Meg Ryan’s Mom (she is a crack up!)
  • Sherry
  • Sandy
  • Kadi
  • The Monkeys Mama
  • Cynthia
  • My sisters
  • Shelly
  • Becca
  • Fiona
  • Melodie
If I don’t have you on the list take no offense…I most likely was pulled away by the Squids as I have heard random screaming ALL DAY and the time is almost 3pm AZ time which mean I have to get off my bloggy duff to run errands and start making dinner for tonight. Oh so glamorous life you know!? I love all the ladies (and men) that I read and wanted to share my love and create a post just for you!All my bloggy love and friendship,
Mrs Fish
(Karie)

Posted on

Oldest Child Syndrome

Being the oldest child of any family is a real pain in the neck. Really, it sucks a giant goats ear if you have to know. Speaking, clearly, from experience.

I, am the oldest of 5 children. Not all from the same mother. Hang in there….
I have 2 “blood” siblings from my mother, then 2 “half” siblings from their mother.
Our common denominator is…..our father (yeah he was a man whore).

Now being the oldest of THAT many siblings is trying at best. My youngest (half) sister completely looked up to me and thought I was and am the most beautiful person ever. Very sweet of her, granted she just turned 20 so I chalk her up to being naive and not as jaded as I am. My younger sister, the sister I called my baby sister, poor dear always felt the need to live up to me. She too thought I was some goddess of heaven, I think, when we were growing up. Only recently did she find that I am not, nor was I ever, perfect.
Perfectly flawed really, but far far far from perfect.

My mother. Ah, yes, my mother. I was the first. I was the guinea pig. I was the one child you learn from, make all your mistakes with, wish the world for, expect the most out of. Yes, I was the ultimate mold, the continuous masterpiece in progress.

I EFFING HATE BEING THE OLDEST!

I love my mother dearly, but when she gets around me and starts “mothering” me in front of other people like I am still that masterpiece to be molded, my pitchfork and horns begin to poke through my skin and I can feel the fiery wrath of hell behind me just waiting to be unleashed at my command. I understand and love that she is my mother, I would ask for NO OTHER, however, STOP with the crap. And let me explain the crap…..and of course I am the only child who gets it….because you see I am the unconventional, NEVER have listened to my mother, oldest child. Strong willed, my way or the high way, you are always wrong I am always right oldest child. The other children get her crap…..but not to the extent I get it, because I am the first and oldest child, forever and always, the oldest child.

Here is how the “crap” was laid today in my “perfect” kingdom.

My mother, God-mother (yes I really have one of those….my folks were old school), sister, nieces and nephew all came to visit and play in the pool today at my house. I love visitors, because they visit and then they leave. Not like guests…guests stay a while….I hate guests. Anyway, the women are sitting around the kitchen yakking like a bunch of hens would while the children played when we began discussing children. I hate this discussion…..always have….I was hounded by a MIL for years about bearing fruit for her and what does she do? Never visits. Gosh, off on another tangent…sheesh! See this is why I have a therapist.
OK…..where was I?
Oh yes, the discussion about children.

Mom is telling god-mom all about my sister, myself and our brother and how many children we each have, planned to have, going to have, are not going to have anymore. Yadda Yadda Yadda My mother, being the snipe she can be threw out into the conversation about my situation with more children, like I really need more children…with my history,

“Well in my mind you are not done having children yet since neither you or C are fixed yet!”

“That does not mean we are going to have more children mother, this just means that we have craptastic health insurance and the cost of “FIXING” the flowering fruit is out of our budget, so what is in our budget is condoms.”

“No! You are not done yet. Until that deed is done, in my mind you are not done.”

“Not going to argue with you about MY uterus and HIS penis.”

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO KNOW?

Now my mom never means these comments as a joke, or a kid, or I’m just saying. No, she says this to drive me mad. Half the time I want to reach over and choke her. Does she NOT understand the brutality I went through with my pregnancies? With my journey to motherhood? Does she truly not get that I AM DONE?!

Sister on the other hand, she chimed in how she is fixed, which mom backed her 100% that she is done having kids. (No offense Britt….you know how Mom can be)

???????????????????? Are you serious????????????????????

See as the oldest child we are pushed to the very edge of being perfect, we have to meet these untold standards. What standards? Where is the damn book that says “You must be this tall to ride this ride.” I find myself riding on Big G in that manner and I have made a conscious decision to stop, because I do NOT want the boy to end up like me. Resenting the comments his mother makes. I also do not want him to constantly be in pursuit of something that is unattainable and does not exist……PERFECTION. He is perfect in my eyes just the way he is, no better no worse. He is my creation and that makes him perfect.

I just do not understand why moms push the oldest children as hard as they do. I mean my life is challenging enough WITHOUT the childhood minutiae my mother can bring to the table.

So Mom, I love you, but do me a favor and keep your crappy comments to yourself. Even if you think you are just making cute jabs that are jokes or what have you….I really don’t need anymore hell in my life. Bad enough hell is my neighbor, I’d like for it to remain so.