Boutique For A Week

We are underway for our next Boutique For A Week sale.  With only 22 days left to make all the final preparations we are busy.

Boutique For A Week is a one week children's consignment sale specializing in gently used children's and baby items.  Clothes, toys, highchairs, cribs, strollers, everything you can imagine for your baby and adolescent children.

Check us out on the website - www.boutiqueforaweek.net  - you still have time to register to consign, volunteer, and shop.

Let me know if you have any questions!

SwagBucks.com

This is something new that I'm trying out.  It's called SwagBucks.com - basically it is a site where you search the internet and get rewarded with "SwagBucks" which you can then redeem for gift cards and various other "prizes".  I have done this on another site and I'm ready to redeem my points there for a $50 Amazon.com gift card.  I already have $5 Swagbucks and I haven't even purchased anything yet. 

So check it out, especially if you purchase things online a lot, or do a lot of internet searching.

Check out the widget at the bottom of my blog for all the details!

Happy Shopping!

Strawberry Banana Coconut Smoothie

Here's our current favorite smoothie to enjoy for breakfast each morning.

1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

1/2 medium banana

2 tbsp coconut milk

1/4 cup pineapple

1/4 cup skim milk

1 cup ice

Blend in blender...

I don't currently have pineapple on hand, so I've omitted it and since I'm trying to eliminate milk I just increased the coconut milk a little.  Also, David loves banana in his smoothie, so I used a whole banana in his.  Also, my mom was here and wanted some almonds in hers so I threw a handful in, she loved it!

I'm working on a "Green" smoothie, but haven't found a recipe I like yet.  I drank one the other day to take my vitamins and that was about all of it I could handle.  I also made Honey Roasted Peanut Butter - there is just one word for that... YUMMY!  I am going to attempt to make almond butter and hummus in the next few days. 

So if you have any favorite smoothies, can you put the recipe in a comment?  I would love that.

Get Healthy - Phase 2

Monday started a new season of my life.  A no sugar, dairy, processed food season.  I am also attempting to be coffee free!  I will also be taking supplements.  I am attempting to eat RAW for Breakfast and Lunch and then only chicken or fish for dinner.  David is joyfully joining me on this new journey.  And I have found a ton of encouragement from my family and friends.  

Breakfast consists of a fruit smoothie with protein powder and flaxseed oil (omega-3s).  Snacks throughout the day include all types of fresh fruits and veggies - apples, oranges, radishes, coconut, celery, chickpeas, carrots, mangos.  All super yummy things!  

Lunch so far has been a smaller meal for me than usual because of the smoothie in the morning.  I find that I am not hungry until like 1 or 2.  

David also blessed me with allowing me to purchase a very expensive blender - its called a Vitamix and its the most awesome blender i've ever used.  Mine has not arrived yet, but I've used a friends before.  You include the whole fruit in the blender, seeds, skin and all.  You can put a Avocado pit in it and it pulverizes it.  There are so many nutrients found in the seeds and skin of a fruit.  

I am praying that this journey is a successful one for me.  With the possibility of my symptoms changing but also to eat a more healthy diet will give rewards for years to come!  

No Soda - Day 7

Today marks a new milestone.  7 days straight with no soda.  My moments of biggest temptation are when we have to get fast food.  Who wants a burger and fries with a bottled water?  I believe the Lord has spared me from the typical lack of caffeine headaches.  I am still drinking coffee in the morning, but only 1 cup.  I've also added in having a fruit smoothie for breakfast.  Primarily strawberry and blueberry because, from what I've read, blueberries are naturally anti-inflammatory.  There will be many more changes to come, but I like baby steps the best :)

Central Florida Fair

Day 2 - no soda but plenty of sugar...

In my planning of cutting back on my sugar intake - I forgot that we had plans to go to the Central Florida Fair.  So Day 2 was not so successful, but we had a great time and ate lots of yummy fair food.  Hot dogs, corn dogs (the girls ate these, not me), funnel cake, cotton candy, sweet tea, gyros.  It was so much fun - i'll post pictures later.

Day 1 - Good bye soda!

Most of you probably wouldn't know this, but for the past 2 1/2 years I've had some health issues that have yet to be diagnosed.  At the end of last year I went to a Rheumatologist and he diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.  Without saying that either is a diagnosis, but rather a probable cause and something he could treat.  So I began treatment for RA (with three prescriptions).  At first there was immediate relief but after a few weeks - the meds stopped working.  So in the midst of pain and confusion - a dear friend asked if she could help me try to treat my symptoms by changing my diet.  I will officially begin May 1st.  But the first step is to try to eliminate sugar from my diet.  First to go - SODA!  What a chore this will be... for the majority of my adult life and all of my teenage years soda has been a regular part of my daily life. So today began my first day with no soda...I think I've drank more than my daily recommendation of water intake.  Eventually the goal will be to eliminate all sugar and then my coffee will go.  That will be another whole battle that i'm not really interested in conquering.  But I feel like this is where God is leading and this may be the only way i truly find relief.  The future is promising...my hope is the God will give me strength to be diligent with myself and what I eat.  But more importantly my greatest need has been met in Jesus dying for me on the cross.  There my hope will rest and true comfort and strength will be found.

Pray for me as I endeavor on the journey to new health! 

My wonderful husband surprised me on Saturday by taking me to the spa for the day.  You see, over a year ago we were given a gift certificate to a spa nearby and we have never used it.  So, saturday went something like this...

We participated in a serving opportunity with some of the young adults in our church for a few hours.  We went to a local Salvation Army Assisted Living Facility and cleaned apartments for a few of the residents.  We took Alyssa and Meredith along with us (they didn't clean, but they did bring pictures and shells that they picked up at the beach).  What a joy it was to serve them!  

As we walked out of the facility David's mom pulled up to pick up the girls and David told me we were going to the spa for the rest of the day.  We grabbed a bite to eat on the way to the spa and then enjoyed the rest of the day together.  It was such a joy!  We laid out by the pool, enjoyed the citrus water and fruit, David enjoyed the steam room and I enjoyed a massage!  We ended the evening with dinner at Maggiano's  (don't know if that is how its spelled).  They have awesome Fried Zucchini and Chopped Salad.  

We laughed a lot and decided we'd come up with a...

Top 5 things you shouldn't do at the Ritz-Carlton Spa...

5. Don't drink so much that your drunk (who wants to spend all that money to not remember it)

4. Don't swim like a whale or dolphin - splashing everyone else in the pool

3. Don't wear inappropriate bathing suits (ie.a speedo)

2. Don't bring floaties

1.  Don't do hand stands in the pool

Honestly, these are all things that we observed while we were there!

Why I live in Florida

Today was a beautiful day in Florida.  With a high of 80 degrees, beautiful blue skies.  It was a postcard worthy day.  We packed up this morning and headed to the beach - yep that's right - we went to the beach in March.  It was so much fun!  The girls loved it and besides getting sand everywhere possible they dug and dug and dug some more.  Brooklyn was afraid of the water (can't say that I blame her).  The water was on the chilly side, but that didn't stop Meredith and David from going in.  

There were sand castles built, sand fleas caught, shells collected and that warm Florida sun soaked in!

It was a joy to watch the girls enjoy the beach, laughing and skipping and chasing birds!  

Then David took us out to dinner to a place where my mom and dad would take Kristen and me when we were living in Titusville.  It's this pizza joint called Kelsey's.  They have a great greek salad.  So although we weren't in Titusville, it was a bit down memory lane today.   Cocoa Beach and Kelsey's pizza...

It makes me want to go back again on Monday, but I'm thinking this beach bum has too many "projects" to be working on around the house to have another day so soon.

Sale completed!

Well, this week is a week of resting.  Nothing planned during the day, movies, staying in the pj's is all thats on the agenda.  

Last week we had our second "Boutique for a Week" sale.  It was a huge success!  But exhausting to say the least.  I commented to David last wednesday, that I am so blessed to not have to work a full time job.  I was exhausted and it was so difficult to get all 5 of us ready to walk out the door by 9am every morning.  It gives me a way to pray for those moms I know that work outside the home during the day and then have so much more to do once they get home.  

Anyway, my mom, Kristen and I are living a dream which has become a reality!  What a blessing to be partners with two people you love so much. 

Our next sale will be in September, so we have some time to regroup and get ready for the next one! 

Sickness all around

This Tuesday started week number 3 of sickness in our family.  

First David caught a cold which turned into a sinus infection, then I caught a cold and thankfully, although it is not gone, due to some home remedies and over the counter medicine I think I'm nearing the end.  

The girls were all free from the cold, but then a stomach virus attacked. It started about 1 in the morning on Monday night. We had a break on during the day on Tuesday and through the night on Tuesday, except that Dustin came home from school throwing up. Then this morning Brooklyn had it - not throwing up, but nasty non-the-less and about 5pm tonight Alyssa started the throwing up.  So far, David and I have been spared, but I kind of expect it to hit us tonight or tomorrow.  

Tomorrow is David's 29th Birthday, so it wouldn't be all that fun of a way to celebrate him.  

I've been attached to my bottle of Purell, my can of Lysol and my Emergen-C. David and Dustin tease me that I am spraying them with it, but I haven't - only beds and couches - without any one near by and light switches and door handles and anything else little fingers can touch.

If you think about it, pray for us!  

Boutique For A Week is back!

We are busily trying to get ready for our upcoming sale.  Its right around the corner, February 22-27 in Winter Garden, FL.  

Kristen and I have been out this weekend hitting the garage sales to increase our personal sale items.  Now its time to hit the ground with printing our tags, pricing our items and getting our own stuff organized and ready to go!

Our last sale was so much fun, we are having the time of our lives. 

You want to know how you can help us out?  Tell all your friends about us... Visit our website at www.BoutiqueForAWeek.net, blog about us on your blog, join our Facebook Group called - I Shop Boutique For A Week, and view and rate our video on YouTube.

We hope to see you at our upcoming sale!

UPDATE January 2009

It's been a while...

What's new with us...

1. Some of you may not know, but back in September, David's brother Dustin moved in with us and we are loving having him here.  He is dual enrolling at the local community college and getting to spend extra time with David. David moved out when Dustin was 7 years old, so they are enjoying spending brother time together - wrestling, scaring one another, locking one another out of the house, you know - the typical brother things.  It is a joy to have him living with us!

2.  Brooklyn just turned 2 at the beginning of December.  We just moved her to a toddler bed because she was climbing out of her crib.  She is adapting well.  It has been only about a week.  She is waking up earlier than we'd like but we are sure once the newness wears off - she will be back to her normal self.

3.  I am in the midst of getting ready for another "Boutique For A Week" sale.  It will be February 22-28.  So I am working hard to get everything ready for that.  Website stuff, program things.  A bunch of things that I never thought I would have to or want to learn.  We are having so much fun! Check out our website - www.Boutiqueforaweek.net.

4.  Alyssa is almost 6 (coming in May) - learning how to spell and write, although we haven't started homeschooling yet.  

5. Meredith turned 4 (in August) and is getting so tall.  She enjoys being outside and her most recent activity is to play "PetsMart".  She loves anything and everything related to animals.

6.  David is still busy with Grace Church, preaching a lot (approx 2x per month).  You can download his messages from our Grace Church website - www.gracechurchorlando.org!  David will be 29 at the end of this month.  

So there is a brief update on us!  I have a ton of pictures from Christmas, but I got a new computer (a MAC) and can't quite figure out how to get all my pictures loaded on.