My Favorite iPhone Apps

Because my mom just bought an iPhone here is a list of some of my favorite iApps, I'd have a better intro to this list but I'm still giggling over my mom buying an iPhone!

Instagram (Free)- they turn your cellphone photos into fairly interesting images, if not beautiful! You can also subscribe to your friends and see their photos.

The Monster at the End of this Book ($3.99)-  it's an electronic version of my FAVORITE book, so the high price was worth it. Chucky Sue loves the interactive illustrations, especially when she gets to knock down the brick wall. We also have the sequel with Elmo ($3.99 again).


FlipBoard (free)- This app puts all your "newsfeeds" into one location. I can read Google Reader, Twitter, Facebook, and different news sites all in one app. It works a lot better than the old RSS reader app I had (and paid $0.99 for!)

Lego Harry Potter ($4.99)- This app is expensive too, but it is a FULL video game and not easily completed. You definitely get your money's worth of entertainment. The controls are harder to master, but it's HARRY  POTTER guys. The levels aren't so long that you can't whip it out and finish one in a waiting room or in line at the bank.


Spendings (free)- A very simple budget app. You input how much money you have, wether it be your entire budget, your "fun money" or you just want to keep track of how much you're spending and where. Then, every time you spend money, open the app and add in the receipt. It's a very simplistic bank register that I use to help balance my account with my bank's app.

RunKeeper (free)- A handy little tool for exercise! You set up the app to track how far and fast you run/walk/bike/ride. It has coaching options, where a very nice computer voice will urge you to run faster or go for longer. You can share your results with Facebook too- it's great for running teams or exercise partners to keep tabs on each other.

 RedLaser (free)- A barcode scanner app, the first I believe. It's great to have when shopping, you can find a price if a label is missing, or see if you can get a product cheaper somewhere else. It also reads the QR codes on advertisements too.

There's a bunch more apps that I love: Plants vs Zombies, Jelly Defense, Words with Friends, Bananagrams, Scribblenauts, MadGab, the LDS Library, Nora's Bubbles and probably hundreds more!

Next Two Weeks: Budget Blessings

Clever readers of this blog may have noticed that I didn't do  a second update on our thin budget after the first installment. I had one all planned out,  showing the next few "cheapie" meals I was going to make and talk about how we're all doing. But then something changed- and the whole course of this blog series was turned upside down.

Instead of going out, Jake and I spent tuesday cleaning up the house, we dug out boxes that have been packed since our first move. In one of the boxes was all the memories from my trip to France from high school (Yeah, I went to France. It was pretty sweet.) in among the sugar packets (Yeah...I don't know.) old metro tickets and tourist maps, was over 50EUR!  I kept a few coins for memory purposes and we're depositing the rest.

So, adding what ended up being $70ish to our account took a LOT of the stress off. I knew my kid would have diapers, we wouldn't need to eat ramen for 5 days straight. I was feeling pretty good. I even wrote a little "p.s" segment to put at the end of next budget post.

Then I was checking my emails and goofing around on blogger (did you notice my new color scheme? I'm still tweaking it- tell me what you think!) and I got an email from app.socialspark.com- one of my advertisers. I had been paid for my past three sponsored posts- giving me $28 in my paypal account! We used $14 for some "extra" groceries and the other half for gas. I also have another $15 coming my way next week! So instead of budgeting a whole two weeks on less than $25- I've gained over $100!

Jake was also blessed- he managed to get extra overtime shifts at his everyday job, plus a  translation job from his on call gig. While we don't get that money right away, it will help very much in us "bouncing back" from this week. On top of all that, my mom sent us a care package with a hamburger helper dinner kit, some muffin mixes, and most importantly- a new water filter for Chucky Sue!

While I know we would have survived if all these things hadn't happened, they were such great blessings. I know 100% we got these blessings because we decided to pay tithing first, even though we knew it'd be tough. We're now enjoying this week, instead of just living through it.  Heavenly Father made it possible for us to find/discover/earn this extra money this week specifically- letting me know that He does indeed love me and care about even my smallest of problems.

So this who series took on a whole new turn- and I think it's become something even better than it could have been before.

31 Days of Halloween: Day Twenty Six

I've mentioned it before but my mom has a blog- it's at lambertslive.blogspot.com and it's extremely well written. She always has funny stories about the kids she watches or recipes she's been trying out. She's just a quirky lady and I love her for it :) This is completely stolen from her 2009 post.

(picture from google)

Dinner in a Pumpkin!

Repost from Life With Gracie

  Life With Gracie is my mother's blog, here's a copy of her most recent post: (Note: Carlotta= Chucky-Sue, Evergreen= Angelina)




Kaya doesn't remember T, but since I talk about T a lot, she thinks she remembers her.

She knows I have another daughter other than C and that my cat, Gracie, has a name that rhymes with T.

She knows cats have multiple babies (2 litters in her house) and that T was pregnant with multiples.

She gets these facts mixed up sometimes. She thinks all the events that happened with Evergreen and Carlotta were Gracie's, not T's babies. Conversations take on new meanings until I remember she's talking about T, not my cat!

She knows that sometimes babies die and return to live with Heavenly Father. She reminds me that her moms baby died and now their baby has a new friend in heaven because T's baby died too.

Which brings me to her most recent logic.

During lunch, she saw my cell phone screen saver picture. It is of Evergreen, sleeping. I love talking about my grand kids, even to a 3 yr old. We talked about the recent events (T is Gracie to her) and what we were feeling. Then her eyes lit up!

"I have a great ideer, Miss Jen! I gots a Baby Alive doll upstaahs. She eats and poops like Gracies baby, Charlotte. I get her for you so Gracie can have 2 babies again! 'Kay, Miss Jen?"

I know that T keeps her babies alive in her heart and memories, even more than I do, but that concept is lost on a 3 yr old. She believes she has solved a problem. She spent the next hour in her room looking for the doll. Too cute!

I love little children's logic on such adult problems, their sweet innocence is just too adorable to be believed. Kaya is also the one that said Angelina looked like Ariel from Little Mermaid, which in 3 year old terms is the highest of compliments. :)

Ask and Ye Shall Receive!!

Oh BOY did my mom come through! Today I went to the post office to pick up my package- expecting it just to be a jar of fluff and a cute note.

But no, the office worker smiled and said "Your mom likes you, it's heavy!"

when I opened it it was like a christmas feast! Chock full of goodies we've cut out of our grocery budget. :)

-2 large jars of fluff. YUMMM

-1 jar of peanut butter

- 4 cans of the "correct" tuna (solid in water, not chunk! ♥)

-Mini boxes of cereal

-gum! I've missed gum so much. chew chew chew.

- Dinty Moore Beef Stew. (oh she knows me well!)

- Single juice mixes

Now I'm going to smell Fluff and recall beloved childhood memories!!

THANK YOU MUMSIE!!! You've gone above and beyond the call of mommyhood! :)

Goodbye 2008

So before my sidetrack to the ER I had planned to blog about the New Year and what not. Here it is!

In 2008 I was newly married, living completely independent from my parents for the first time,(well like 90%, Parents never truly stop helping their children). I learned so much more about Jake in those first few months than we ever did when we were dating. I learned that while I could cook without burning down the house, my creativity was severely lacking. I started researching recipes and calling my mom to get all the recipes I'm sure she tried to make me learn when I was a teenager. One of my goals in 2009 is to learn 5 new recipes that I can make from memory.

In 2008 I gained a very strong testimony about family. Living far away from my parents and New England relatives made me realize how much I counted on them always being near-by. I now know that family doesn't always mean blood relatives. Friends and in-laws have been my lifeline through the tough times of the past year. I want to strengthen those relationships and keep strong relationships alive this year.

In 2008 I loved Art. I had always doodled and played around with crafts- but I had never thought that I had any talent for it. Now I know it makes me happy, and if I can find away to do something I love and make some sort of living out of it, I'll be even happier! I want to start making money off of this hobby in 2009, either by giving art lessons or selling online.

In 2008 I learned how strong I was. I learned that I could deal with loss, pain and grief with my chin up. I learned that I trusted in my temple marriage far more than I ever knew. I learned I could still laugh and let that laughter keep me above depression. I can't begin to say how lucky I am to have that talent, to be happy when everything in my life wanted me to be sad. I hope that in 2009 I get to be happy because my life wants me to be happy :)

Now on to 2009, I already have a new experiences coming my way and it's not even February!

I'm the Mom!

My mom sent me this hilarious video that I figured all the parents in the world would enjoy :)

Yellow Car!!!

I don't know if you've ever played this car game. I'm fairly certain is was made up in my mother's head. As you drive around, whoever sees and calls a yellow car gets one point, if you see and call an orange car, all the other players lose a point. The points are reset to 0 if any of the players leave the car. I first played it with my mom and sister this thanksgiving when we visited. Jake attempted to play, but was trumped by the In-Laws as they declared his orange car, red. Since then, Jake didn't want to play anymore.

When we got home, I started to play. It's a fun way to make the time go by faster, and to get anywhere worth going in this town, we have to drive. I'd call yellow and orange to my hearts content as Jake would say, "I'm not playing." Thus furthering my enjoyment cause I would win every car ride! Now, out of the blue, Jake has started to play. His competitive side wouldn't allow me to win so easily. He now knows the location of many yellow car residents and has always talked faster than me, so a simple trip to wal-mart can leave me at -3 points to his whopping 7 or 8! He's also changed rules, for as he puts it, his car = his rules. If you see two yellow cars, you don't have to say "Yellow, Yellow!" you can say "Two yellow" cutting your time in half to call them! He also is in control of the direction, so he can drive around our blocks LOOKING for the yellow spots.

So if you see us driving around town, and our eyes are plastered to the local parking lots and we start pointing and hitting each other, you now know it's because we're playing Yellow Car, a brutal game of cunning and speed.

Blessed

"When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done"

One thing I really don't like about public blogs is that I never feel comfortable enough sharing personal events with the entire internet as I do writing it in my journal. Some life-altering events have occurred in the past week to me and my family. These events could have easily put me in a deep depression, and most would say understandably so. But, to my surprise, while I am very sad and upset, I am still happy. When I thought this was happening, I imagined myself in a dark room, not answering the phone and shutting everyone out. I thought I would never want to get out of bed again. But I found myself wanting to visit with friends, talk to them, go out with Jake, and actually live life. I've been so much more thankful too. I'm noticing that I was extremely blessed before, and will continue to be blessed after this.

I had a great group of friends and family making sure I was okay, and that Jake and I didn't need anything. I have a mother who was able to drop everything in her life and come to my side when I needed her. My mother-in-law gave up a day's pay to be with me with Jake couldn't. Jake was beyond amazing. He did absolutely everything for me, and made sure I was okay before anything else. My family that was far away sent letters and cards of support and love.

I still wish this didn't happen, and that everything was okay- But I'm doing a lot better than even I expected. I'm very thankful for everything everyone's done- even if it was just asking me how I was doing, it shows that so many more people care about me than I thought.

My good luck had to run out...

Since I found out I was pregnant, I have had very slight symptoms. Practically no morning sickness, no annoying aches or pains. I felt very lucky that all I had was a bit of fatigue. Well Mother Nature must have thought I was getting too cocky about it, cause she hit me with the worst sickness I have EVER had in my life yesterday. Stomachache, headache, and nauseated ALL day. I don't know which I would prefer, a little sick all the time, or that sick for one day, and I can just hope that neither happens. :)

I don't know how my mom even considered having another one after being so sick with me- there is only so much I can take!!

Friday Five: A Day Early

So, Apple sent the part for my computer today. I was at work, but the tracking site said they had left if with my neighbor. I get home, and they have left it in the office. which is open 9am-5pm. Mon-Fri, and Michael and I work every day from 8am to 5:30pm monday through friday. So, until I get a day off during the week, we're stuck in the smelly ol' computer lab :(

But here's an early edition of Friday Five, to keep my mind of my anger.

1. What were some of the smells and tastes of your childhood? One smell that stands out is the smell of my closet in our old house in MA. My mom had put the head of our bunk beds in it, and made a really cool shelf unit for it. I remember the dusty, somewhat musty smell. I also remember just playing with my tiny knick-knacks till I fell asleep. I don't really have a strong memory of taste, while we had a lot of good food, there was no "Meatloaf Thursday" or anything like that.

2. What did you have as a child that you do not think children today have? Safety. My mom, while keeping a watchful eye out, didn't really have to worry that a stranger would come in our yard, or on our street while I was riding a bike and kidnap me. Now parents are warned (beyond reason) to never let their kids do anything by themselves. Keep them safe, don't smother 'em!

3. What elementary grade was your favorite? definitely 3rd grade. I had an AMAZING teacher, Mrs. Grey. She was phenomenal. She really got me into reading for fun, not just school. She was so smart, interesting, funny and engaging. She took time to get to know every single one of us in her class. She encouraged us to try new things (I remember our class having a ball during in-door recess, we'd play games, sing loud songs, make crafts, read books. Other classes just sat around for 15 minutes.) We had kept journals in her class, and at the end of the year, she wrote a note to us, to read when we graduated High School. It was just a small congratulations note, but it meant the world to be that she cared enough to remember even just a little about me.

4. What summer do you remember the best as a child? My childhood summers were always fun. I remember earning enough "Smiley Faces" during the school year to get a trip to Canobie Lake Park (Awesome Amusement Park, totally better than anything down here.) and getting there as soon as it opened, and not leaving till they kicked us out at night. I remember BBQs at both of my grandmother's pools, I remember the awesome memorial day parades (walking forEVER in my "Oreo" baseball uniform) in MA, with firetruck rides and ice cream for the whole town.

5. What one piece of advice would you give to your younger self, and at what age? I know she sounds out of date, but LISTEN to your mother every once in a while. She's been around longer than you and is probably the only person who wants the absolute best for you. and no, she is not stupid or mean or idiotic or out of touch. She is TRYING, and loves you and give her a well deserved break! I'd proably need that most around 14-15.

I'm Back!

My mom and I made it safely back to school! (Though we saw many truckers who did not.) Now I'm updating from my new room in my new apartment. =D I'll have photos once I've finished cleaning up and organizing. Mom was awesome and went to Wal-Mart like, 50683 times for me. Jake and Susanne lifted heavy boxes and we enjoyed some subs after.

I'm looking forward very much to starting school, finding an amazing job (aka less work for more money.) and actually getting to plan the wedding!