Healthy Me

My last pregnancy (our youngest is nine years old) was a painful pregnancy. Every movement I made hurt (stretched ligaments or something). We decided that we were done having kids at this point (we had four together + his two = six kids...he was 40 and didn't want to be retiring and having kids...and really, six is enough).

Every once in awhile, the urge hits but I think it is more an urge just to hold a little one and then give it back. I've had that urge lately and my husband tells me today if my health was better (it's fine) and he wasn't almost 50, he wouldn't mind another baby.

While the thought makes me a little happy, another part of me thinks about being up all night, packing diaper bags, wipes, bottles, car seats and not being able to leave the house as easily as we do now ('hey so and so, we're leaving, watch your little sister' kiss, kiss and we are out the door) and I just don't want to start over.

So we are looking at buying a horse boarding business that happens to be run on the property we are looking at buying (we are home shopping). It has almost 13 acres. Good thing is - we wouldn't have to move our horses to our new home...they're boarded at that same stable.

It has a playset (like these playsets in chesapeake) in the backyard for the kids already that we'd leave until our youngest outgrew. Then I'd go pool shopping I think. Maybe hot tub shopping too.

Not sure we are ready to own an equine boarding facility but the thought is out there. We'll have to think about it.

I know it's only July but it's time to start getting ready for the next school year (boo, I know).  Soccer started a few weeks ago. Cheer has started but it isn't mandatory yet. Band camp starts next week and we need drum sticks so we're taking a drive into the city today (I can say that because we live in the boonies) for sticks. I wish we had time to order the ones my son would really want but we'll make do with the music store the school uses.

I prefer to buy things from big name music places like Musician's Friend. Learn more about us at MusiciansFriend.com. However, as is the "norm" with teenagers, we didn't find out in enough time to get what we needed here by the crack of dawn Monday morning.

In the last decade, the economy has done all kinds of things, leaving many people struggling. We've been there but we've been one of the lucky families in that my husband has kept his job all these years. The hours weren't always there but he always had his job and we always had insurance. There were a few times we had creditors looking for their owed money and we were left wondering what our rights were and about creditor rights. It's a hard balancing act to manage when money gets tight and creditors are knocking (well, calling), kids need to be fed and clothed, and you need to keep the roof over their head. The last year has been better in terms of hours and we're doing OK. Not everybody is doing as well though.

Know your rights. Know the creditors' rights.

I've been juicing and making smoothies the last month since I got the new Breville juicer and Ninja blender. They are AWESOME. I love them both, but I REALLY love the blender. If the Breville juicer was easier to clean (not all parts are dishwasher safe), I'd love that just as much too...well, almost as much.

It is so easy to toss some veggies into a smoothie and hide it in fruits for my kids. I just grab a handful of spinach and voila - the kids are eating a vegetable they can't taste! I got the one with the individual cups too so it's easy to blend and go for myself or one of my kids.

For the juicer, a bunch of carrots and handful of kale or spinach with fruits and they're getting vegetable juice.

These are the two I have: