It’s amazing how fast things happen!  The past couple of days have been hell for the Midwest.  Oklahoma was pounded with Tornadoes and an entire town obliterated.  News reports run rampant of the death toll from 2, to 4 to 25 to 100 people.  In reality, the Medical Examiner’s office said, as of early AM hours today, 21 people were dead.  This is still a high count and the number of people affected by those deaths, even larger.  This is a risk that those in “Tornado Alley” face, but, it still sucks when it happens.  I have family that live in Oklahoma, not too far from the town that was destroyed.  I was worried about them and posted on Facebook for them to check in when they were able to.  My Uncle responded to let me know they were ok, one cousins family had to seek shelter and other cousins called and checked in as well.  Another cousin had to trekk to a daycare and in his words, what normally takes 15 minutes took four hours.  He posted pictures of what he saw on his wall, and it was scary to see.  I can’t imagine going through it!  The devastation was massive.  Look anywhere online, there are pictures everywhere of the damage.

In my news feed on Facebook, I’m sharing posts left and right, along with many other people, about families stuck and if anyone can help, please do so.  Posting about children found, they are ok and numbers to call to meet up and return to the rightful families.  Social Media gets a lot of flack about the use, dangers, etc, but, without Social Media, the information to help families, wouldn’t get out there as quickly.  It definitely brings a nation together and makes it a smaller place to be.  Everyone knows someone in those areas.  I have friends from Oklahoma as well as family in my friends list.  They have their friends and they have their friends.  It’s the 6 degrees of the USA.  Word will get out there and the right person will read the post for help and will be able to get out there to help.

Photo found on Oklahoma Nation Facebook Page

It’s also nice to be able to see the good things that happen in the aftermath.  I just watched this video where the woman thought her dog died.  During the interview, someone in the background all of a sudden said, “The Dog!  There’s the dog!”  The camera crew then helped the lady get her dog out from under debris.  On the flip side, there is the sad stories that is shared with the nation, of family members who were killed.  But, that is Social Media, it helps people get their stories out there and to also honor those that are no longer with us.

You can check out the video I mentioned about the dog HERE.

Are you able to help and donate to help with Oklahoma relief?  There are several ways:

TEXT BASED DONATION INFORMATION: STORM to 80888 for The Salvation Army USA. REDCROSS to 90999 for Redcross, SP to 80888 for Samaritan’s Purse or FOOD to 32333 for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Each text is for $10 charged to your phone bill.

Make sure to check out Oklahoma Nation Facebook Page for more information on how you can help!

Mother’s Day.  All about Mom?  Sometimes!  However, when you are spending it with your Little, you want to make sure they enjoy themselves too!  Here are some fun things to do that vary in price from free to pricey:

- Picnic in the Park.  Pack your picnic basket and get going!  Take a blanket for the grass.

- BBQ at home with your family.  Have everyone bring something over and have fun!  Make sure you have activities planned for the kiddo’s.

- What events are in your area?  Delaware was the Wilmington Flower Show every year on Mother’s Day Weekend.  Flowers and fun activities for everyone

- Mani’s/Pedi’s!  This is a fun thing to do with your girl at different stages in her life!  When they are a toddler, they love feeling special.  As they get older, they will either love it or hate it.  But, as my daughter tells me, it’s my day, so, she’ll suck it up, lol.  But, now that she is older and getting into doing nails more, hopefully she isn’t just going because it’s MY day!

- Shopping – What better way to enjoy time with your girl?  Sorry mom’s of boys, I don’t think they’ll enjoy this one too much either!

- Movies – Unfortunately, this year, I wasn’t thrilled with the selection out there that she AND I could enjoy.  And the one’s we would, we’ve already seen!

- Game Day – Spend time together playing games!  Especially if it’s a rainy day.  Perfect way to just chill and enjoy uninterrupted time with your kiddo’s.  Don’t let little things interrupt, that normally do on other days.

- Ice Cream Shop – You are NEVER too old for Ice Cream

- Hiking – Get the whole family out there and enjoy the nature’s bounty around us

- Breakfast in Bed…  For you and the kid’s!  When you’re a Single Parent, you don’t normally get to enjoy this one until your kids are older.  But, why not help them make it and you all go back to bed and enjoy that treat!

- Sporty – Hit the Tennis Courts, go Bowling, shoot some hoops or go bicycling.

- Matching Tattoo’s – Kidding!!!!  Just wanted to make sure you were awake and reading!

What do you and your family do for Mother’s Day?  Do you have traditions?  This year my girl and I are going to get Manicure’s, go to Lunch and enjoy a game afternoon

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO is a prime example of why kids these days, don’t like themselves.  He issued a statement saying that he will not make XL or XXL size clothing for women because they are not part of the “cool group” at schools.  OMG.  Are you flipping kidding me???  Why in the world would you freely admit this?  I mean, seriously…  All he had to say is “That is not the style clothing we choose to offer”.  Ok then.  That would have been MORE than sufficient.

There are so many girls out there with such low self esteem because they don’t fit what Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO, Mike Jeffries, considers “the mold”.  From what I remember when I was in High School, there were some girls who were not a size 0, or a size 10, that were part of the “in crowd”.  In my daughter’s school, there are kids outside those sizes, and is part of the “in crowd”.  How dare this man come in and undermine any shred of confidence these girls may have had because their friends like them just the way they are, even if he doesn’t?

Quoted from this interview, “He doesn’t want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people,” Lewis said.  “He doesn’t want his core customers to see people who aren’t as hot as them wearing his clothing.  People who wear his clothing should feel like they’re one of the “cool kids””.  This makes me sick.  As a mother of a girl who is a size 0 and has friends who are not as skinny and she is part of the “in crowd”, I am VERY proud that my daughter looks beyond the size of their clothing and sees the HUMAN BEING behind the clothes.

My girl – Beautiful Inside and Out

He goes on to say that “hot people are his primary marketing tactic”.  “It’s almost everything.  That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores.”  Hmmm.  That sounds like a discrimination suit waiting to happen, to me.  Basing your employment on your looks and not your skills?

It is men like Jeffries who turn teen girls to suicide.  How would he like to be on the flip side?  He’s not all that good looking himself.  So, who is HE to pass judgment on anyone?  I will not allow my daughter to shop in this store.  She doesn’t need to help support some Neanderthal with preconceived notions about what is and is not attractive.  He is a disgusting little man who should not be the driving force of a company like this. I seriously hope they do not renew his contract past 2014.

Those of you who know me, know that I do not go on rants such as this.  But, when you mess with a kid’s confidence, I will back each and every one of them.  Skinny or Obese.  You know, because that is what a TRUE adult would do.  Not someone who is trying to have a “do-over” and surround himself with people he didn’t have the first time around.  If he has this kind of personality, I’m sure the friends he has now?  Are probably hanging around to have the “privilege” (word is used very loosely) of saying, “Oh, Mike Jeffries?  The CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch? Yes, I just hung out with him last weekend in The Hamptons.  And what did you do?”  Name dropping groupies I call them .

Suggested Activities for Your Next Get-Together

What single parents do in order to make ends meet is quite an impressive feat, and we all deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. In Spain alone, a study conducted by the University of Barcelona found that “increasing number of one parent families, mainly headed by a woman, is one of the most important features in the current process of family change in Spain,” with a conclusion that “single motherhood form is here to stay”. With this recognition we seem to have earned more respect from the rest of the world, pushing us to be our absolute best form.

We all know that being a single parent is not a walk in the park. In the same study mentioned above, single parents in Spain were found to be “in worse social, economical, legal and political conditions, have fewer opportunities within the job market, and worse conditions to confront their possibilities in regard to social mobility”. It sometimes takes its toll on us, and despite the joy of motherhood or fatherhood, we still find ourselves exhausted by the roles we play every day. Parent, colleague, provider, partner—we go through these cycles and routines for the most part in our lives, so it’s somehow inevitable that stress and exhaustion overtake our systems. It is therefore advisable to gather round with fellow single parents from time to time in order to share anecdotes and de-stress through various amusements. Here are a couple of suggestions which you can try the next time you hang out with your friends:

· Play. Bond over some card games like poker, and make a reward system with the chips won—doesn’t have to be hundreds of dollars, dimes and nickels will do the trick. If you want to show your friends you’re the cool parent, prove it by being tech savvy—play games on Facebook or participate in online tournaments over at partypoker. You can also try variations of Spanish card games like mus, botifarra, chinchon or pocha. It’s interesting to note that card games like poker also teach strategic and analytical skills, which we all need in the long run. The International Mind Sport Association (IMSA) even recognized poker as a mind sport and a game of skill.

· Indulge at the spa. Not only will this be relaxing, it also has known health benefits. iDiva.com, a website for women, itemized these advantages as follows: “promotes cellular renovation through skin exfoliation, helps your body stay in shape, aids in pain management of chronic conditions like muscle spasms and arthritis, relief from muscle tension and cramps, pre-natal and post-natal benefits for women, release of serotonin which is responsible for the body’s feel-good condition, stimulation of the lymphatic system, and improvement in blood circulation”.

Disclosure: This is a Partnered Post and I was compensated.  However, as always, all text/thoughts are my own and no one else’s.

So, as many of you know, I have been trying to lose weight and have been pretty successful!  In the past just under 2 months, I’ve lost 9 lbs!  (Insert insane cheering here!)  My meals have consistently been lower fat/calories and that of course includes Rice!  I love to eat Rice with Vegetables and Soy Sauce for flavoring.  Please, Please, Please!  Forgive me.  I took a picture of the meal at the time, and it accidentally got deleted!  I know.  I’m an absolute horrible blogger!  So, quickly made an evening snack using Minute Rice :

Getting it ready!

I love soups. They are the best meals for winter time.  And I will admit, I know that brown rice is healthier, but, I prefer white rice so much more.  But, as my eating includes low fat/calories, white rice fits perfectly into my menu.  And because I make rice as a meal a majority of the week, I will make it earlier in the week and put it in a container to dish out during the week.  I love having it as an evening snack like this:

Rice Snack with General Tso Sauce from Chinese Restaurant

Did you know, if you order from a Chinese Restaurant, you can request extra sauce.  I recently started to ask for extra sauce so I can put with my rice. If you haven’t, try it!  Honestly, it’s a great, tasty meal.  I’ve eaten quite a bit of rice this last few weeks especially when focusing on my weightloss.

What would you say is your favorite way to fix rice?  Do you like it with/without sauce, mixed in with other ingredients, or just plain rice?

Minute® Rice is so quick and easy to prepare and is great pantry staple. When meal time seems like a hassle, Minute® Rice is a go-to ingredient your whole family will love and allows you to have more quality time doing what your want with your loved ones.

Leftover rotisserie chicken or veggies from a meal earlier in the week? Minute® Rice can easily be paired with some of your leftover ingredients to make a quick, easy and wholesome meal your whole family will love in just a matter of minutes.

Visit http://www.minuterice.com/ to create a great main meal or side dish for your next family get-together or potluck.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Rice.

]]> http://singleparentretreat.com/minute-rice-meals-to-the-rescue/feed/ 0 http://singleparentretreat.com/lose-it-mobile-app-and-website-review/ http://singleparentretreat.com/lose-it-mobile-app-and-website-review/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:23:46 +0000 Jacqui http://singleparentretreat.com/?p=1187

Recently I was asked to review the Lose It!  Mobile App on my iPhone and website.  As I am in the process of trying to lose my weight, I needed something that would keep me accountable.  The Lose It! app keeps track of your food and the exercise you do daily.  You tell it your goal weight and it will base your daily allowed calories to help you lose a healthy weight each week.

My log for January 30th

When entering your food, it allows you to select restaurant food as well as supermarket brands.  If the food you are eating is not listed, you can enter it manually.  One of the foods it didn’t have was the Dannon Greek Yogurt, but, it was an easy matter of entering it.

From the Lose It! Website:

Set your goals.

Lose It! helps you set goals for weight loss, exercise, macronutrient intake, blood pressure, sleep, and more! You set the goals, we’ll help you with the plan to achieve them.

Your goal weight.

It all starts with your goal. Lose It! takes your profile and goal weight and puts together your personal daily budget. Set that goal, follow the budget, and start losing it!

Total Wellness.

While weight loss is at the core of Lose It!, we know that weight loss is just one facet of your larger wellness goals. That’s why we offer goals around sleep, exercise, measurements, macronutrients, and more.

All together now.

Best of all, Lose It! keeps all of your goals and progress in one place. Get started and you’ll be on your way to reaching your health and fitness objectives.

The app has a scanner that will register the food for your daily log.  The foods will stay in “Your Foods” list and it is easily selected at meal time.  But, you don’t have a smartphone to put the app on?  You can visit their website at the link above and enter your information there as well.

I believe that this app and website are a great tool and will help you on your journey to a healthier lifestyle.  It keeps you accountable and there are no hiding the numbers whether you stay under or go over.  And it tells you how much you are under or over for that particular week.

How are you keeping track of your weight loss?  Do you have an app or any other method you are using to help you?

I am on a mission.  I am looking to save money, when and where I can.  Not only because as a single parent, I only have my income, but, since I was laid off last year, and found another job, I’ve taken a huge pay cut.  So, I am really being more conscientious about where my money goes!  Here are some tips:

- Cut the cord: You heard me.  Make the break from cable.  The cable companies get SO much of our money.  I’m with Comcast Cable and just found out today that my bill with them jumped up $50 a month.  It is cheaper to get their Triple Play, Cable/Internet/Phone.  First, I do NOT need a land line.  My cell has unlimited minutes and my daughter has her phone.  So, why do I want to pay for something I do not need?  And, as for cable?  Well, heck, you can watch pretty much everything online anymore.  So, I made the decision to cut the cord.  I told them to cancel my cable and lowered my bill by $70 per month.  Get Netflix.  Connect in with your gaming console, or watch on your computer.

Image courtesy of redeemingriches.com

- Family Plan it!: Cellphone companies offer family plans.  Get family members to join in on a plan with you.  You will then share the base amount.  For my portion of the cellphone, I only pay $55 a month with a smartphone.
- Joint Grocery Shopping – BJ’s and Costco are great places to go for good values on bulk items.  But, the downside is, the bulk items!  So, go shopping with a friend and split the cost.

These are simple tips that will help you save some money each month.

Today was a great day at Rite Aid!  With all the specials they had and the coupons I had?  Here we go!

Nivea Lip Care – 2/$5 – Coupon for $3 off of 2.  I bought 8 for $20 and had 4 coupons.  = $1 each
Nivea Lotion – $5.99 x 2 = $11.98 – 2 $2 coupons = $7.98
I spent $30, so I got $16 in UP rewards.
Total = FREE

Finish Dishwasher Tabs -$7.99 BOGO – $4 each. 4 coupons $2.15 = $1.85 each. Total $7.40. $6 in UP Rewards – $1.40 for all 4 boxes .

Stayfree Maxi Pads – 2/$5 – Coupon BOGO – $1.25 each – $2 UP Rewards wyb 2 = .25 each
Carefree Liners – 2/$5 = $1 Coupon – 2/$4. = UP Rewards $2 wyb 2. Total $1 per pkg.I bought extra of the Stayfree because $1.25 isn’t a bad deal!

GE Lightbulbs – $2.99 – $1 coupon off one – $1 UP Reward.  I bought 2 at .99 each.  Reg $5.49

Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent – 6.99 – BOGO – $3.50 each. – $1 coupon off 2 – $3 each.

When all was said and done, I purchased approx $126 BEFORE Sales/Coupons. Afterwards, out of pocket, approx $44. I received $25 UP rewards. Essentially paid $19 for $126 in product .

This past year has been very rough financially.  I was laid off from my job in March 2012 and after sending out hundreds and hundreds of resumes, I found a job, and was hired in October.  Woohoo!  During this time, I was VERY frugal with my money.  Only buying what was needed and anything not needed was left out.  I was afraid to touch my severance money because I had no clue when I would get a job and even then, would I need that money to supplement a lower income?

So, with that said, Girls Night Out (GNO) was a thing of the past.  I spent very little time with friends because I knew I couldn’t afford to go out and didn’t want them to feel obligated to pay my way.  So, my answer was always, no, sorry, I can’t do that this time.  Maybe next time!  I love my friends.  They truly are the blessings in my life.  They are always there for me and know when I am down.  They are a wonderful support system, even if just to listen to me rant and rave about how it sucks that I am 40 and I’m living like I did when I was younger.  Isn’t this the time in life that things are supposed to be easier?  I shouldn’t have to be careful about spending $7 – $8 on a drink for a GNO.  Right?  Wrong.  That’s exactly how I spent this past year.

Well, this coming year probably isn’t going to be much better, but, it may be a little easier.  I am selling some things on eBay and hope to have at least one GNO a month.  Or, even time in with friends with Pizza and Wine.  I’ve had A LOT of ME time to reflect.  I’m ready to have Friend time.  I’m bored out of my mind and need stimulating conversations.  I’m just glad I didn’t lose my friends during this time of self-induce seclusion.  They’ve been there in texts/emails/phone calls/facebook and instagram.  But, there is only so far you can go socially with social networking.  You need that good, old-fashioned Face to Face time.  I know!  Amazing how much better you feel with verbal conversations.  It can truly lift and renew your spirits.  This, in my opinion can also make you a better parent.  You don’t feel the stress of feeling down and alone, so, that makes you happier at home and with the time you spend with your kiddo’s. Even more so with Single Parents, such as in my situation, because, you don’t have someone there at night to talk with after the kid’s go to bed.

Have you done this before?  Felt you had to give up your time with friends because you were just too broke?  How did you handle things?

I hope so!  I am so ready for 2013.  Has to be much better than 2012!

The worst thing that happened was, I got laid off from my job in March.  I went 7 1/2 months without a job.  I will admit, the first three months, I really didn’t look for a job as I was hoping to start my own business, and I wouldn’t have to really start looking.  Then when reality came and slapped me in the face, I realized, ummm, yeah, you best get on the horn and get yourself a job!  I sent out upwards of 30 resumes a week.  I was sending them out for everything!  I had 3 interviews that entire time.  Yes, 3 interviews in 4 1/2 months.  But, the 3rd time was a charm!  I was offered a job and started mid-October.  Woohoo!  I actually love the job and the people I work with.  It’s in Customer Service, kinda, but, not the kind I was used to.  I actually enjoy this one!  It is making less money than I was making at my old job, but, more than I was making on unemployment!

So, why am I looking forward to 2013?  I am an optimist.  I believe there is something good coming around every corner.  I am looking for ways to supplement my current income and am really just hoping for the best.  I am looking forward to more quality time with my daughter.  I hope to lose the weight I really need to lose.  I also hope to find love.  I miss that companionship you have with that S.O. in your life.  I also want to spend more quality time enjoying life in general.  Due to financial restraints, I haven’t made the time to go out with friends, like I really want to.  Even if I have friends over for snacks/movie/game night.  I am realizing, I miss and need that interaction.  Being a social person like I am, it’s killing me.  One final thing?  Getting my house decluttered!  OMG, I still have so much stuff, it’s ridiculous.  I had a pile of things next to my desk that I had not touched in THREE years.  Yep, I didn’t even look.  Dumped them right into the trash.  That’s a good start, right???

What are you hoping to accomplish this year?