Hello, Cabbage!

Ever heard of the Cabbage Soup Diet?  I certainly hadn't - not until last Wednesday when my friend Amy told me she was in the middle of it. 

I did some research here and downloaded this gal's free ebook, and decided I should try it.  Normally, I am not a "diet" kind of person, but this one is different.  It's a 7-day course, and you can actually eat during it!

Now, a little background.  I don't totally and completely blame the situation . . . but David was working at McDonald's to generate a little extra income during the summer, and BAM!  I gained 10 pounds.  Yes, me.  Not him.  Who could resist those free burgers and shakes because her husband was "employee of the week" every week for 2 months straight??  (Never mind he was one of the only people who actually worked for 2 months straight!)

And then came Halloween.  Should 2 toddlers really eat so much candy?  I think not.  And Thanksgiving.  Which launches itself directly into Christmas and New Year's.  I think you get the picture.  Our New Year's resolution was for our family to eat healthier, with less sugar and more natural foods. I've been having trouble getting rid of my cravings, though, and needed a boost. A little "detox".

This is why I've started the Cabbage Soup Diet.  I'm on day 2 and things are going pretty well!  Yesterday I made my soup in 2 pots and made one spicy while leaving the other plain for experimenting with different spices such as cumin and curry powder.


Regular Pot of Soup



Spicy Pot of Soup





I have to admit, I was not thrilled about Day One because it's soup and fruit only.  I am not a fruit kind of girl, unless it's, y'know, inside a pie or a cobbler!  But an apple, some grapes, and some frozen strawberries plus 4 bowls of soup, and I made it just fine.  Today is going much better.  It's veggie day!  Who wouldn't enjoy this for lunch??

Yeah, that's a big stir-fry using cooking spray, and then I made a sauce with water and a whole bunch of spices.  Y-U-M!!  Add a little ice water with a splash of cranberry juice and lime, and you've got a meal! 

So, 2 days (almost) down, and 5 more to go . . . I tend not to follow through with things, but I've made a commitment and I'm going to do this!  I can't believe how much more energy I have today than usual, I think largely because I haven't had sugar now for about 48 hours.  We'll see how the rest of the week pans out, but my hope is to end it feeling much less of a need for those things that should be "sometimes" foods. 

Then I'll be free to get back to watching Rachael Ray and reading my beloved Taste of Home, and hopefully I'll have some awesome, budget-friendly meals to share with you all!



A Welcome Change in Plans

Two years ago I started out as an educational consultant for Discovery Toys, and I worked pretty hard at it the last year.  However, after taking the Financial Peace Univeristy course last year and giving it plenty of prayer, David and I have made a commitment to God and to our family: we are going to do all that we can to be debt-free aside from our mortage within the next year.

Because of this, I am no longer actively pursuing Discovery Toys, though if you need something, please contact me and I can definitely still get it for you!  David suggested that we start a blog for our family and we thought, we may as well use this one we already have.  After all, we are definitely DISCOVERING LIFE right now!! 

So if you were following this blog for DT only, I'm afraid you're not going to find much that interests you in that regard.  I do hope you'll continue to follow, though, to read about and maybe even share your own stories in living a frugal, fun-filled, blessed life!   

Just to get it out there, here are the topics I'll likely share:

-Eating healthy, whole foods more often than ever before
-Dealing with allergies in our son and what we're changing to help him cope
-Frugal living - tips, deals, recipes, etc.
-We'll see where this goes from there!

Happy Monday, everyone!

New toys! New games!

I am so excited!  There are so many new things to choose from with Discovery Toys, and just announced . . . a new game that's all about money!  If you've seen my previous posts, you'll know that my husband and I are trying to pay off our debts and begin to build wealth so we can give to others.  So we are all about something that teaches our children how to deal with money. 

To read all about this game for yourself, and to see all our other new products (just in time for Christmas!!!), please visit my website and/or contact me!
www.discoverytoyslink.com/kidsarenumberone

Wow.  Has it truly been two months since I've posted?  How time does fly . . . especially once we are approaching this upcoming holiday season! 


I got a big box on my doorstep today.  A VERY BIG box.  And it is filled with Discovery Toys!!  Some are for friends, some are for customers I have met only once, and some are for my family to enjoy. 

Here is the one I am most excited about this time:  

Mosaic Mysteries!!  Just look at those brightly colored blocks!  And see all the patterns just begging to be arranged onto the tray?  This is going to provide hours of entertainment . . . for my husband and me.  The perfect pairing of coffee table games!

Have you ordered your Tricky Fingers or Mosaic Mysteries games for your living room yet? 

If not, now is a good time.  Discovery Toys is selling out of items such as these at a very quick rate this holiday season.  They are simply the best, and word is spreading! 

Order yours today at www.discoverytoyslink.com/kidsarenumberone

Exploring Alzheimer's and Dementia

I worked a fair booth for a few days this past weekend and most of it was the usual crowd.  I did, however, have the opportunity to talk with a man whose mom is suffering from Alzheimer's.

My ears perked up.  Dementia is something with which I am quite familiar.  My grandfather had this condition basically from the time I was born until he lost his battle with it in 2005, and since they lived in the same town as us, my sister and I spent a good portion of our childhood with he and my grandma. 

The man with whom I visited was at first a bit ashamed that he was looking at toys for his mom.  But the more we visited, the more excited both of us became at the prospect of stimulating his mother's brain and giving her something worthwhile to occupy her time.

My conclusion was that most anything Discovery Toys has to offer can potentially do both of these things; it really depends on where each individual lies in his or her mental and physical capacity at any given time.

A few of the suggestions I have, though, are as follows:

Giant Pegboard: especially great for someone who enjoys bright colors, stacking, and patterning

Caterpillar Shape Sorter: a puzzle with varying shapes, patterns, etc., this is rewarding and produces a finished product

Flip Flop Faces: very hands-on; bright colors; works on hand-eye coordination; may help one to express emotions if he or she is nonverbal.

Playful Patterns: varying levels of difficulty; requires some hand-eye coordination, and is just fun!  Produces reward of a finished product.

Tricky Fingers: exercises the fingers - may help keep them limber (good for arthritis); patterning; problem solving as this is a puzzle. 

Wiz Kidz: great for those adults who enjoy word puzzles.  Exercises the brain by using word association such as "something in the garage".

Do you have a loved one who has dementia or Alzheimer's?  Do you know of a care facility that you think may benefit from one of our award-winning products?  Contact me today!  See my website www.discoverytoyslink.com/kidsarenumberone

A Debt-Free Christmas!

David and I have recently taken the course, "Financial Peace University", and are committed to getting out of debt and changing our future.  Now, the purpose of this post is to discuss neither the financial course itself nor our debt, but that information serves as the background for the rest of what I have to say.

Because all of our extra income currently goes toward debt, I feel like we rarely get to enjoy the luxuries that I think we should have.  I've found a different - and fun - way of getting those luxuries for free.  It is through hosting parties and shows for other home businesses!

I've received jewelry, beauty products, and cleaning supplies that I never could have bought - at least not for a few more years.  Yet my family and I get to enjoy these things as my gift for hosting and taking orders! 

I know many people think that they can only host one or two times per year, or whatever given time frame they have in their minds.  But this is not true!  I do believe you need to be sensitive to friends and such, regarding the number of times you invite them.  However, I've found that different products appeal to different people.

I have certain friends that I do invite to every show I host, and they understand that I do not expect them to drop everything to come; nor do I expect them to purchase items every single time.  But others, I invite to select shows to prevent burnout.  For instance, I invited all my co-workers to see the jewelry, I invited some recent high school grads and their moms to the beauty product show, and I invited a chiropractor friend and my neighbors to check out some new chemical-free cleaning supplies.

As far as snacks?  I don't spend a fortune!  I usually do something like a pan of brownies, or most recently, I bought a tub of yogurt to serve with berries and granola for parfaits (Saturday morning party!).  It's a very small amount to spend when you consider the amount of products received for free!

I challenge you to think about your reason for hosting . . . or for not hosting!  What might be holding you back from receiving free products from Discovery Toys?  By inviting just a few of your friends and acquaintances to your home or even to a coffee shop, you can easily get a virtually free Christmas for your children, grandchildren, nieces/nephews, etc.  I also mentioned in my most recent newsletter that I am now offering an Express Show option that takes virtually 60 minutes or less!  

You don't have to be on the fast track for getting out of debt like we are - it's a necessity for our family.  But I imagine you have a million other places you could spend that money you usually spend on the children in your life.  Give me a call today!  I look forward to helping you enjoy your debt-free Christmas!

It's My Job!

Driving across I-80, having bid my husband goodbye for the evening, I reflected upon the blessings in my life.  One of the biggest as of late?  I love my job!

I was driving down the interstate to attend a Discovery Toys meeting.  We ate, we laughed, we played with toys . . . did I mention this was a meeting?

That got me thinking.  What are those blessings that come with my job as an independent consultant?

• I am my own boss!  I set my hours around my family and never have to miss a moment.  (I also get to enjoy the tax benefits of self-employment.)
• My job includes the following: toys & games, girls' nights, laughter, food, learning and educating, recognition, and the list goes on and on!
•  I work 1-4 hours in any given day (and less if I'm just plain busy!).  Most of that time is directly from my home, and when it's not, I'm able to make $30+ per hour.
• I have met sooo many new friends from all walks of life that I never would have met apart from Discovery Toys.
• Meetings and training days feel more like "hanging out with my girlfriends" days, yet I still come home feeling confident that I can help families through the knowledge I've gained.
• I get to be a stay-at-home mom while contributing to my family's financial well-being. 
• I know that my children have the best of the best when it comes to their toys and games.  Without my even realizing that he wasn't just playing around, my two-year-old learned how to recognize and match shapes and colors! 

 Wow, I could just go on about these blessings.  Maybe I'll continue the list another day!

What would you enjoy about being your own boss?  About knowing you could help families grow and learn together?  I am looking to expand, and would love to talk to you about becoming a part of the Discovery Toys team!  Will you consider the blessings you could receive as well?!?