Penny Pinching Peach

For the semi crunchy, homeschool friendly and totally frugal!

Tag Archives: motherhood


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Morning Sickness Madness

Tiebreaker!

Tiebreaker!

Oh, the fickle nature of morning sickness! One morning I couldn’t stand even the sight or smell of the food I was fixing for my family for breakfast. The next I’d be scarfing down leftover Mexican food first thing in the morning. One day I wake up feeling like I was hit by a mac truck and spun around in circles 50 times. The next I wake up energized and ready to run. One day my morning is miserable. The next I’m fine all morning and feel like death all afternoon. More often, until the past couple weeks, miserably ill all stinkin’ day long!  Btw, does anyone else feeling punching the guy who called it that right in the stomach, because he got it soooooo wrong and you’d love for him to experience a bit of your agony??? LOL JK Really, though, if you only got it in the morning, you are one lucky gal!!

With my first (our daughter), “morning” sickness was an all day, pull-over-on-the-side-of-the-road-to-throw-up, repulsed by all odors regardless of whether they were pleasant or nasty, frustrating kind of business. With my second (our son), I hardly had any at all, just some occasional and very mild nausea. With my third (which I miscarried) it was a mild all day thing. With this one, it’s been completely neurotic and unpredictable, but for several weeks it was an all day misery of sickness and loss of appetite, resulting in losing five pounds while simultaneously developing a noticeable baby bump (not the same one as I’m sharing below).

Some things I found that helped with nausea a bit were:

Anything with real ginger in it. Real ginger ale. Real ginger tea. Real candied ginger. Real ginger drops (bonus points because holding a piece of hard candy in my mouth also helped some). I’m going to post a link to some real ginger candies at the bottom if you want some. Yum for relief!

Crackers, especially sucking on them. I’d even keep them by my bed to suck on occasionally before I got up to lessen that overpowering wave of nausea when I first stood up in the morning.

I have heard those pressure wrist bands are great for morning sickness, although I’ll admit I didn’t actually try it. Dunno why, except maybe the fog of misery prevented it. Link at the bottom to a cute pink one!

Slowly sipping warm drinks or even broths can be soothing at times, especially safe herbal teas. Do your research before you indulge, because some herbal teas are not recommended during pregnancy. Red raspberry is one of the more popular, but I’ve heard good things about the Earth Mama teas, so I’m including a link to their morning sickness tea below.

Lemon drops and lemon water seemed to help me, but I have absolutely no scientific backing for that. It just did, okayyyyy?? LOL

Was/Is your morning sickness on any kind of pattern? If you have multiple children of both sexes, did you notice worse or milder sickness with the different genders? Any remedies to share? I am so glad my sickness is slowly subsiding! There is nothing fun about “morning” sickness, except maybe accidental weight loss, Read on for the promised handy links to helpful products.

Ginger People Gin-Gins Natural Hard Candy – 3 pack – 3oz Bags – Great for morning sickness and nausea!

Sea-band Mama Acupressure Wristband

Earth Mama Angel Baby Organic Morning Wellness Tea, 16 teabags, 2 pack
“Penny Pinching Peach is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com”


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FREE Breast Pads For Nursing!!

♥♥♥Breast is Best!!!♥♥♥

I just ordered from http://www.breastpads.com, and if I can get at least 5 of my friends to order using promo code C88DD6019 (good for $ 35.00 off!), they are going to refund my shipping & handling charges!

We are trying to do things frugally, as usual for me. I breastfed both of our first two children. The fact that it is frugal is an incidental and wonderful side benefit to something so natural, healthy and sweet, honestly. I used disposable nursing pads mostly with my first two because I didn’t know of any decent cheap alternatives and the homemade ones I rigged up just didn’t work out well, either due to lack of properly keeping comfortable or the material irritating me. I needed really good ones, since I made an overabundance of milk both times when it came in, and it just didn’t stop! LOL This time I’m hoping to be able to use a lot more of the reusable kind, since I ordered 10 pairs of these babies. They come in a variety of cute prints. I got six in basic colors like black, nude and light pink, but four are in more cutesy designs. I’m excited to see how these feel when they come in!! 🙂

Anyone else want to try these out? Total charges for this set of 10 pairs wound up being $14.99 shipping with my free code, which seemed pretty reasonable to me. They currently have a special going right now where you can get additional pairs at $2.00 each, if you’d like to try even more.


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Mom In Heaven

Mama and me

Mama and me

December 20th was the seventh anniversary of my mom’s passing. She was only 44 at the time. I had no idea how I was going to face life without my mom, because she was my best friend, mom and everything all rolled into one amazing woman. Life has gone on, but it will never be the same. I wrote a poem about her on the 20th, but was hesitant to share it here. It’s “off topic”, and not my best work. I decided to go ahead. Maybe it will touch someone else struggling with facing life and/or the holidays without a loved one they feel should be here to celebrate with them…

If you had asked when I was young

How long I thought my mom would live,

I’d have told you she’d outlive us all

And still have time to give.

If you had told me she’d be gone

When she was only 44,

I’d have called you crazy

And not listened anymore.

If I had known that she’d be gone

Before her time should be,

I’d have done all I could do

To keep her here with me

If I were given the chance

To see her once again,

I’d tell her how much I love her,.

Thank her for all she’d been.

She lived more in her short life

Than many who are old and gray

She was the best mom she could be,

And I miss her every day.

When she knew the end was nearing,

She had little left undone.

She just wished she’d see me married,

Get to hold the children of her daughter and son.

When I look at her grandbabies,

I see her sparkle and her smile,

I feel her love and laughter,

See her dancing silly and wild.

I know her love is with us,

And in our hearts, she’ll never die,

But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss her

Or in the darkness cry.

If I could give my mom a present

I’d fly all of us up to Heaven,

And spend a day with her in

The place she’s been for seven.

In Loving Memory of My Mom, Dorinda

Mom, Nana and me

Mom, Nana and me


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Share the Kindness

 

All of my mama's girls

Share the kindness through the generations!

I’m not sure if anyone noticed that I missed my normal “Cooking With Coupons” blog of the week or posting anything else for a few days. I apologize for the silence. What should have been my mom’s 51st birthday was a few days ago. My brain just hasn’t been able to churn out any creative thinking in the little time I’ve had to attempt to use it, and nothing I have written was inspiring me to post it.

My mom was one of the most kind and caring folks I have ever known.

She was radiant, and I only wish she were here now to continue to share that radiant sweetness she had with the next generation. She isn’t, but I am, so I’m doing my best to pass it along. Today, I’m going to just share a few thoughts and issue a challenge in her honor.

First, I’ll share my daughter’s reaction to my mom’s birthday:

Princess Peach was upset that I didn’t make a cake for my mommy’s birthday, and was quick to let me know about it. She said I needed to make a cake right now so she could put a candle in it and make a wish for her grandma. When I asked her what she would wish for Grandma, she replied “I’d wish for her to be able to come down from Heaven to visit so she could meet her beeeeauuuuutiful grandbaby!” as she patted her own little chest. Her mommy wishes her wish could come true.

Moving on…

All of us know someone who needs encouragement in one way or another.

Take a few minutes out of your day and just do it. Some ideas?

  • Send a card to a widow whose husband passed a couple of months ago, sharing a fond memory you have of him (if you knew him). By that point, most folks have forgotten she is still alone and needing something to help fill the void, but she hasn’t and the loneliness is probably kicking in at a new depth.
  • For the teenager who struggles with school, but got a great report card, send an email or a note on social media letting him know how proud you are of his efforts. It helps teens to know others notice when they are doing well, and not just when they screw up. (We all know they get in enough trouble! 🙂
  • If you know a child who is painfully shy, take a minute to speak to her and let her feel heard and noticed, whether commenting on her drawngs or complimenting her outfit. Don’t push her too much and scare her, just pay attention. Your acknowledgement could help her come out of her shell, and will at least help her to know she isn’t invisible. (Spoken as a former social phobic young girl. 🙂 )
  • If you see a mommy struggling to get into the grocery store juggling little ones, cuppies, purse and diaper bag, open the door and compliment her on her cutiepies. You’ll help her feel better about the tough job of being a parent.
  • Encourage your children to be kind. Have them color pictures for grandparents, do thank you notes for those who do nice things for them, hug the elderly woman who always sits on the pew in front of you at church, or other little things that can brighten lives.
  • If you know someone is going through something you’ve been through already, share with them how you got through. Not in a judgmental way, just in a manner to let them know they aren’t alone and someone else has been there and survived.
  • Smile. Just smile at people. It takes less effort than scowling, and the trickle effect of your sunny mood can brighten someone’s sour face. 🙂

I could go on all day, but I won’t. The point I’m trying to make here is that you don’t have to do anything huge. Just do something small every day you’re blessed with the precious gift of life to spread kindness in the world. It makes a much bigger difference than you may ever know.

Now for the challenge:

I want to ask anyone who reads this to share at least one “small” kindness someone did for you that made a difference for you. Maybe it will inspire others to do the same for someone else, continuing the kindness bestowed on you. Please, please share!

Remember…

“You can change the world one act of random kindness at a time.”

To see the beginning of this series, head on over to Acts of Kindness.


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Mommy Meltdown Moments

Driving mommy's cart
When Mommy is having a meltdown,  but we’re still cute….

My toddler loves to go shopping with Mommy. Does Mommy always enjoy that experience? Umm….nope!!

There are times when shopping with my beautiful children is pure bliss.

We wander the aisles of the grocery & department stores, racking up compliments on how gorgeous and well behaved my little angels are while my daughter points out all the neaterific things she sees everywhere with witty descriptiveness and my baby happily chortles at every grandmother who smiles at him. These are the moments of pride & joy in motherhood. I glow and think I could handle a few more of these wonderful beings.

Then, on the other end of the spectrum, there are the “Mommy Meltdown” moments on a routine grocery shopping trip.

If you’re a mother and claim to have never had one of these, you are either actually an angelic being posing as a human mommy or a big honkin’ liar! I’m betting on the latter! 😉

My personal meltdowns have been triggered by a myriad of crazily challenging experiences. Want a sample? Let me see…

How about the time my daughter was pitching tantrums and trying to grab things all through the store? The icing on the cake was when she grabbed my coupon organizer and scattered it’s contents all over the cleaning aisle. An older lady came upon me in tears on my hand & knees, baby strapped to me in a carrier and my other hand holding the seat of the pants of a squirming toddler. She was very sweet and helped me gather up my many pieces of paper gold, assuring me this happens to the best of us now & then.

Oh, oh! And the other day when my sweet little girl was sharing Cheerios with her baby brother, and dumped the whole container all over the drugstore floor? That took awhile to clean up, especially since I made her “help” and had to keep her from putting the nasty crumbs into her hungry little mouth while baby brother cried from his perch in the buggy.

That same trip, as I strapped both kids into the car, she pulls two lip balms out of her pocket and exclaims “Surprise, Mommy!!”. Yeah, that was a fun trip back into the store.

You should’ve heard the lecture she got through our whole grocery trip about what stealing is, why it is bad, and what the consequences will be if this ever happens again. She can now be heard loudly lecturing random strangers in stores about not taking things without paying for them.

My most recent meltdown happened this morning at home.

Both kids were content playing for a moment, and I walked away for a minute to get something. Suddenly, I heard suspicious scribbling noises. As I walked back to the kitchen, asking Princess Peach what she was doing, I heard a clattering crash and baby protesting loudly. Miss munchkin ran guiltily away, pencil in hand, refrigerator covered in her hastily scribbled “artwork”, with the echo of me hollering “TIMEOUT! NOW!!!” following her into the other livingroom. Baby was looking at up me in irritation, still grasping the trash can lid in hand, wondering why everything was scattered all around and why I looked so frustrated. The next little while saw me scrubbing the fridge, gathering the trash, scrubbing the floor, cleaning the baby and muttering under my breath “God made them cute to ensure their survival”. 🙂

So, yeah, I’ve had my share of “I-am-so-embarassed” and “If-one-more-thing-goes-wrong-I’ll-implode” during routine trips to the grocery store, ill-planned visits to restaurants or even simply trying to get a few things done around the house.

What triggers your “Mommy Meltdowns”?