A phrase that keeps going through my mind lately is, “every journey begins with one small step.” We’ve got lots of journeys in the works at the Parker house and that means lots to do! I’m hoping by participating in Money Saving Mom’s weekly goals that I will keep myself accountable and learn from the other ladies participating as well!

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking 

1. Turn in my son’s preschool application.

2. Deep clean the bathroom

3. Make special items for my husband’s lunch this week

Goals Blog/Business Goals  

1. Set up e-mail RSS subscription (I would love any tips!)

2. Blog about the yummy KIND bars we just tried

3. Change my Pinterest Board Covers and add board descriptions

Personal Goals

1. Pray morning, noon, and night – Starting this week, I am taking the challenge to complete goals from the book Joyful Mother of Children: The Magic and Mayhem of Motherhood by Linda Eyre. I’ve heard this lovely lady speak several times, as well as her daughters, and they’ve got brilliant and practical ideas straight from the trenches of motherhood.

2. Finish reading Joyful Mother of Children: The Magic and Mayhem of Motherhood (just a few pages left!) and read the first two chapters of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Discuss with my husband over dessert after kiddos are in bed.

3. Exercise at least 10 minutes a day 5x a week

Service Goals

1. Finish Primary birthday gifts

2. Make Proclamation on the Family packets for the teachers

3. Set up Visiting Teaching appointments for the month.

Hopefully this will help keep me accountable for next week! What are your goals for this week?

The post Goals for the Week – March 3rd appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Disney is a big part of our family culture. I grew up going to Disneyland and now that I’ve seen my own children’s eyes sparkle at the sight of Disney magic – we are hooked on Disney family vacations!

We are planning a Disney World  trip for next year. My brother priced it out and we discovered that it will cost about $6,000 for our family of 5 to go to Disney World.

Did I mention we are saving for a down payment on a house and for our next baby as well? When we worked out our 2013 finances, our chances of going on a cheap Disney trip were looking pretty slim. We determined that I would need to earn $400 a month OUTSIDE of our regular budget. How does a stay-at-home mom earn that kind of money? With three children under the age of five, I do not want to take on a second job. So I made a list of every way I have made money since my college days and decided to start tracking and hitting them hard.

I’ve listed below the ways I have met our Disney budget so far in 2013. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how doable it has been so far!

So my lovely readers know, I will only list companies/programs that I have actually made money from. Some of the links below are affiliate links – meaning that if you decide to sign up for Swagbucks, I get more swagbucks. Same with Ebates. Just want to be up front with you! I’m making money/saving money with those programs, though, so I want you to benefit just as much.

My five-year-old daughter sold the shoes she outgrew to earn money for Disneyworld.

1. Indoor Yard Sale. Online yard sales were big for us our first few months. I simply went on facebook and searched for our city plus the words “online” “yardsale” and “indoor.” I found five online yardsale groups in my area alone.

My husband and I went through our belongings and made a giant pile of items that we no longer use or love. FYI- we are living in my in-laws basement apartment – we don’t have a house full of antiques and lots of extras. But we did find a lot of things that we aren’t using and we were able to do $403 in sales so far this year. The best part is that my five-year-old daughter has got in on the action and decided to sell some of her old shoes – she’s happily made $5 for Disney so far!

2.On-line Giveaways/Sweepstakes. I love entering online giveaways/contests/sweepstakes. So far this year I have won:

• $5 Amazon.com gift card through a trivia contest via Love of Disney.
• Butcher’s Bunches Jam from Mama Mouse Says
• A Very Jane Bubble Necklace and concert tickets from Jani Serendipity
• Martha Stewart Wall Organizer from Organize and Decorate Everything
• Thanksgiving Point Family Pass from Utah Sweet Savings
• $25 Gift Certificate to Fab Decor
• $20 to Little Prince Couture

Only the $5 Amazon.com gift card counts toward our savings, but the rest of the prizes are nice ways to treat ourselves while on a tight budget! Be sure to check these web-sites out for more great giveaways.

3. Swagbucks. In January & February I earned $15 worth of Amazon.com gift cards. I earn “swagbucks” through my regular searches, daily polls, and a few easy surveys. I buy all of my diapers (cheaper than Costco) on Amazon.com so this definitely helps save us money.

4. Costco rebate. We have an American Express through Costco. It earns cash back from our purchases. We put our bigger purchases on the card and then immediately pay them off. We get a nicely sized rebate twice a year. This last rebate was 216.65

5. Freelance work. I received $200 for doing social media for a company and my husband received $75 for web work he did for a preschool. Think of any skills that you could use – babysitting, yard work, editing, etc.

6. Ebates. I do a lot of my Christmas/gift shopping online. I follow deal sites like Freebies2deals and local deal sites like UtahSweetSavings. Love the ease of having things shipped straight to my door. When I see a good deal, I first go to Ebates.com and then click through to the store via their site. Depending on the store, you can get anywhere between 2 to 16 percent cash back on your purchases. I received $13.79 in January.

7. Secret Shopping. I do restaurant reviews for several companies in the area. Typically you get reimbursed for your purchase and a little extra. So far this year, I have received $48.48 for secret shopping doing two shops.

These seven ways of making money have helped us meet our goals so far this year. We have our Disney World trip in sight! I will update the blog each month letting you know how we are setting aside that little bit extra for the big vacation.

What ways do you save money for vacation?

Linking up to Works for Me Wednesday and the Mommy Club

The post How to save for a Disney trip appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Forgive me for jumping right to New Years Resolutions, but as I have been enjoying this Christmas season I have also been busily planning for next year’s holiday season. I have big dreams and big goals that I am bursting to start. One thing I have learned is that I am more likely to achieve my goals when I share them with others. So here I go …

For 2013 my ultimate dream/wish/goal is a Miracle on 34th Street Christmas – complete with a key to a new home and the promise of a new baby on the way. The only difference is my dear daughter requests a “sister baby” as she already has two of the brother kind.

In order for this to happen, my little family has a few mountains and molehills to move this year. For the last six years we have been house sitting for our in-laws – a situation that has blessed us immensely! We have been able to pay off our schooling, have three beautiful babies, buy two new-to-us cars, and live comfortably in a fantastic area. Unfortunately, we are bursting at the seams and before our next wee one can join us we will need a new home. Our two-bedroom basement apartment has worked well for us so far, but soon it will be time to move on.

Before we take the next big step to home ownership we need to bolster up the money we have been putting aside for a down payment. Each month this year we will be paying a “mortgage payment” and “utility payment” into our savings account to help us get to that down payment.

As for the preparing for another sweet little babe, I feel like I need to buckle down and get my healthy habits on! With every pregnancy I have developed pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure and I am so determined to avoid that the next time around. I have about 30 lbs to lose and many a healthy habit to begin/continue/keep! Here’s hoping healthy habits will help avoid bed rest this time around – how’s that for alliteration?

So what does all of this have to do with you my dear readers? I would love for you to join me on this journey as I tighten my belt in more ways than one. I have some exciting new plans up my sleeves as well as some fabulous giveaways for us as we reach our goals together this year!

Now it’s time to lay it on me ladies. What tips do you have for getting fit both physically and fiscally? What are your goals for the New Year?

The post Keep Moving Forward With Me in 2013 appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

2. Don’t drink too much water while running – check!

3. Eat healthy during the week – check!

4. Go to bed at a good time the night before – thanks honey for getting up with the kiddos!

5. Eat an energy bar on the way there/eat a good breakfast. I ate my yummy organic oatmeal and had a banana – definitely gave me good fuel for the race!

6. Always make a goal – I haven’t even ran outside since high school unless you count chasing my toddler. I did train some on the treadmill. So I didn’t set my goal too high – 45 minutes. MY BIG goal was to finish and LOVE it so I would want to go again. This was definitely achieved. I did push myself, I finished at 45 minutes, and I kept my heart rate up somewhat. Now I have a time to beat!

7. Start at the back of the crowd so you don’t feel bad when the super fast people pass you. We did do this and since the race had chips it worked fine for us.

7. Run in actual sports attire. I went to Runner’s Corner and bought myself a runner’s skirt. Can’t begin to say how much I love it. It is SO SO SO comfortable. Much better than my mommy capris. I did wear just the race t-shirt, but I may be brave and get a nice running shirt next time. I splurged on running socks, too, and they made a huge difference. No sweaty feet or blisters which my sister had problems with – the blister part.

8. Bring a small piece of candy, protein bar, or Shot Blok for the seocnd mile. I bought some Shot Bloks and they were yummy! All three of us enjoyed one at the second mile and I definitely pushed it at the end.

9. Relax, enjoy the run, and don’t stress. Done and done. We loved it! Ready to push ourselves even more next time.

10. Invest in a good sports bra. Wouldn’t have even been running without this. After nursing two babies … definite must.

Some helpful pieces of advice that I will try next time:

1. Make sure your shoes are a half size bigger than normal. So I was running in my sister’s old cheerleading shoes. They seemed to be work fine and they were definitely a half size bigger. My ankles were sore the day after the race so I perhaps I will invest in some nifty little running shoes.

2. Always breathe in and out on your left foot (when your left foot hits the ground).
My sister and I may or may not have had little chatting breaks as we speed walked … during my next official 5K I will focus on this more.

4. Get some great music. I did have my IPOD, but not with music that I loved. Next time when I am running by myself I am sure that I will utilize it more.

5. Run with a watch so you can pace yourself. Definitely wish I had remembered my watch. I think I would have pushed myself a little bit more if I had known my actual pace.

The post 5K – Tips and Tricks! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

My sister over at Live to be Inspired is a smarty pants and already googled why water is so important. Here are her findings:

• We’re made out of water—Between 60 to 70% of your body is made from water. Your blood, muscles, tissues, and other parts are your body are basically water as well. Because so much of our body is made from water, it only makes sense that we need to drink a lot of water to keep our bodies running properly.
• Other drinks can’t keep you hydrated—Caffeinated drinks—especially sodas—actually make you even thirstier after you drink them. That’s because the caffeine acts as a diuretic, leading to more urination and more dehydration. Simply put, soda and other drinks just can’t hydrate the body like water does. That’s not to say you should stop drinking these beverages altogether, but don’t use them as substitutes for your daily water intake.
• Lack of water causes fatigue—Dehydration is one of the top causes of severe fatigue. So, if you aren’t drinking enough water, you’re probably tired all day long, and you might not have the energy to exercise, causing you to stay tired and out of shape. Don’t rely on caffeine to give you an energy boost, but instead, start drinking the recommended 8-10 glasses of water every day.
• Water is necessary for good digestion—Remember earlier when I said your body is made out of water and that it needs water to run properly? Well, this goes for digestive functions as well. If you’re dehydrated, your body won’t be able to break down foods as effectively as it normally does. Poor digestion can cause a wide range of problems, from constipation to severe abdominal pain.
• Water helps blood circulate properly—Water is a necessary ingredient for proper blood flow in the body. As you drink more water, oxygen levels in your bloodstream will increase, leading to better circulation and improved overall health. Good blood flow can help increase your energy levels and burn more fat.
• Toxins get flushed out by water—Your kidneys act as a filter. But for them to work as they should, they need to have plenty of water intake. By drinking the recommended 8-10 glasses of water each day, your kidneys will do their job more effectively, and your body will also expel more harmful toxins from the digestive tract.
• Water helps you burn fat—Drinking water can help you stay skinny in a few different ways. First, a lack of water actually slows protein synthesis—the muscle building function in your body. So, if you want to burn fat and add muscle, your body needs to be fully hydrated. Also, staying hydrated ensures that you don’t confuse thirst for hunger, causing you to overeat and gain more weight.

My two favorite points from her findings: water is necessary for energy and burning fat! Definitely would like to see some improvement in those areas. I’m a decent water drinker already, but I don’t keep track so this week I will keep track and see if I am really getting as much as I should!

On to walking …. awhile back I mentioned that I wanted to do a 5K in June and it seemed so far away. Now it is next month – YIKES! Time to really get moving. The 5K I have chosen to do is the Running With Angels 5K at Thanksgiving Point. I’ll be writing more about why I chose the race itself in a another post … something to look forward to. So it is June 19th – about six weeks away! This week I’ll be posting my jump start training schedule and how I am going to prepare.

But for now I’ll be walking with this little buddy …

The post Week Five – Water and Walking! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

The post Tracking Wrap Up appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.