Fun Toddler Activites

As a SAHM I sometimes find myself scrambling for new and fun games to play with my toddler. He seems to grow bored of the same ol same ol and I don't blame him! Here is a fun and cheap activity to do with your little one at home that will be a big hit for sure!


Laundry Basket Shopping

Save some boxes and containers from your pantry after they are empty. Here's a great way to recycle them and let your toddler have some fun too! Take the empty boxes of crackers, cereal, or raisins and put them all over the room. Put them on the couches, tables and bookcases. Then let your toddler push an empty laundry basket around the room and do some shopping! For the younger toddlers, the laundry basket will help him balance. Talk about the different kinds of food and the pictures on the boxes. Then as he wants to check out, count the number of boxes! Be sure to print out the Toddler grocery list before you go on your next shopping trip.

Supplies Needed-
- Saved up boxes for food, or plastic play food
- Laundry basket ( or box)

For more tips on all things related to motherhood visit www.momtiniky.com !

LOVE
Desiree

Souce: www.toddlertoddler.com

Preggo Products!

The momtinis are at it again!!! Listen up as our panel of Central, Ky moms share their recommendations for preggo products!!!



What worked for you???

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Two Pink Lines...

We all know what that means!!! Listen as the panel of Central, Ky moms explain about how they spilled the beans that they had a bun in the oven!



So...how did you tell???


LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Coupons!!!

I've shared with you before about my friend Bonnie who is a coupon queen! Well...she just had her first coupon class and I got to go and learn even more about this addictive and fun form of shopping!!!

Here is a video from our class!!! We had so much fun AND I won a door prize!!!



LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Surprise!

When my husband I were dating...my favorite thing in THE world was when he would say..."I've got a surprise planned!"!!! I instantly turned into a kid before Christmas and would constantly bug him with... "what is it?"

Even if it was as simple as a drive out into the country to show me a cool place he had found...or as elaborate as a marriage proposal...just to know he had actually planned something to do just for us...ahh just made me feel all happy and excited!!!

Thankfully! Even after marriage, work, and a baby...my husband still has the surprises in him!

He had been hinting that he had a special place he wanted to take me and Clay for a few weeks and last weekend we got to go!

I knew we were going swimming and he wanted to pack a picnic...but that was all! So we got everything ready jumped in the car and went...and went...!

About 45 minutes later we ended up at Blue Licks State Park in Robertson Co. It was a charming little park...with some history behind it. We drove past some camp sites with tents popped and family enjoying some time together...making memories I'm sure! Up next was a picnic area where under one of the shelters there was a birthday party or family reunion going on! We picked out table and much to my disbelief even though I had to give up some of my control to make the situation perfect...it was perfect. Clay sat at the picnic table without throwing a fit, falling off, or climbing on the table and ate his cheese sandwich and apple sauce. The shade and breeze was just right and what do you know...we are having our first family picnic!!!

It was lovely...we were making memories!

Next followed a swim at the pool, where my husband revisited the diving board for the first time in several years! He was very excited to say the least when he saw that springing board!!!

After wearing down in the pool we dried off then took a little drive through the park to see the beautiful scenery and you could almost feel the peacefulness in the air. My phone was tucked away and on silent...no internet...just us.

I like "just us" time...

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Help Pass FAAMA

Please email Mitch McConnell by clicking HERE and let him know that school should be a safe place for children living with food allergies.

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Why?

Why?

That's the question running through my mind today as my little guys allergy doc explained to my hubby and I that we were now officially dealing with a toddler who is allergic to peanuts.

Why?

Ugh...the guilt, the worry, the constant fear. Why?

Why did this happen. Why?

I did something to cause...I must have...thoughts running through my mind. I should have breast fed him longer...should have worked harder at it and not given up. Maybe if I would have done that...then THIS wouldn't have happened...

WHY?

After being handed tons of info on how to use the epi pen, all the medications, ointments, bathing instructions, and list of things to avoid we walked back to the car...

Sad...why?

Images of scenarios run through my head. I flash ahead to pre-school, the nursery at church, kindergarten, school trips....How could I EVER be ok leaving him alone now? How???

Why?

It's moments like this when life isn't what you planned...that you realize things about life...

And as I'm playing thinking games in my mind...trying to find peace and order a song comes on the radio and I catch just one line of a lyric from a Green Day Song...

"So make the best of this question known as why"

And then I knew...We HAD to make the best of this...and we will.

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@yahoo.com

www.momtiniky.com

Vacation...

So while I was planning our little beach vacay a few weeks ago I had one "dream" goal in mind. All I wanted...out of the WHOLE entire trip was to be able to go down to the beach and lay-out for just a little bit one day. I'd had it ALL planned out...I would strategically get my little man to lay down for a nap in the hotel room as my hubby watched over him...and I would, all stealth like, sneak out of the room and head down to the beach and set in a chair and soak up the sun. Just imagine...peace and quite...waves crashin...

It's a beautiful dream...really. And it ALMOST happened. Almost.

Except a few details changed...Little Man fell asleep in the car after a morning out sight seeing...so the hubs dropped me off at the hotel while he drove around for the remainder of the nap. I was excited...ran up to the room...changed into my bathing suit...I was READY!!!

I rode the elevator down and started heading towards the beach...ahhhh OUCH...dang that sand was HOT HOT HOT!!! I finally made it to the lovely chairs that I had been eyeing from our 19th floor balcony only to find a sign that said "FOR RENT-see lifeguard" ??? Crap...I didn't have any cash...ugh...

So...hmm...plan B!!! I'll just go lounge by the pool right? Sure that will be great!!! .... No Chairs...not ONE SINGLE EMPTY CHAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well then I just felt dumb...could people hear the play by play that was going through my mind??? Here I was...all bathing suited up and ready for my idea of "relaxation" but it just wasn't happening for me...not today.

Plus...I admit...it was kind of weird being without my hubby and little man grabbing, pinching, and smacking me in weird places.

As the Yo Dazzlers would put it...You Can't Always Get What You Want!!!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

Central, Ky mom Spotlight!

I shared with you last week about an event called Rock -n- Romp here in Lexington and promised a spotlight on the lady behind the magic! And trust me...she makes a lot of magic happen...music magic!!!


Who you might be asking am I speaking of? Well I'd like you to meet Amberly Warnke!

photo courtesy ©mickjeffries.com

I had the opportunity to get to know this lady a little more ... check out our Q & A below!!!

Q. How long have you been called mommy?

A. I have been called a few different variations of "Mommy," for about eight and a half years. "Mama" was big for a long time, and "Mom" stuck for a while. Here lately I am "Mommers," Mom-bo," and "Mamma Mia" depending on the situation.

Q. What is your favorite thing about being a mom?

A. I love introducing my son to new things, ideas and experiences and seeing him develop an appreciation for them. Some things go over really well, others don't. I'm pretty proud of the fact that my kid loves grits, The Ramones, and sculpture; He's a huge fan of the work of Alberto Giacometti, especially his "Cat" sculpture. And rocks- we both love rocks.

Q. So how did you get started in radio?

A. Well... I have been listening to UK's student run radio station, WRFL, since shortly after it went on the air in 1988. When I was an eighth grader, living in Nicholas County, one of my teachers told me that something really important had happened in Lexington- that a group of college students had gone together and started a radio station, and that I needed to pay attention to that and listen because it was going to introduce me to all kinds of music I had never heard before. So I did, and it did.

When I was fifteen, we moved to Woodford County, where we had this fantastic "media" program. There we learned audio and video editing, and a friend of a friend from my school had a brother who was a DJ at WRFL. I listened to his show often and would call in to request songs. One day in April 1992, (I think) I mentioned that I knew his brother, and he invited me down to check things out. So I went, and just kind of stuck around.

Allie Garza photo credit

Q. When did Ages 3 and Up! come about & what inpspired you to do it?

A. I left WRFL shortly after I married, late in 1995. My husband and I worked, enjoyed being married for a while, and eventually had a baby. Our son was born in the end of 2001. Things were extremely difficult for our family when my son was young, as is the case in many families when a new baby comes along. We all had a lot of problems connecting back then. When my son, Oliver, was three years old we watched the Noggin channel (now Nick Jr.) quite a lot. I liked it because it was non-commercial. They played these great music videos for kids, and the music for one of them got stuck in my head. It was for Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers' song, "I'm a Little Airplane." My son liked the song too, so we would sing it in the car and around the house. We finally found a way to connect- over music. I got to looking around for more music for kids, and found that no one was playing that on the radio in Lexington. So I figured, maybe I should. I got in touch with friends who were still at WRFL, found out how to get back on the air, and did it.

Q. Tell me more about Pied Piper Radio!

A. After doing Ages 3 and Up! for a couple of years, some members of WRFL's staff who have worked in commercial media began encouraging me to look into syndication. I looked into it, but there were many obstacles in the way at that time, so I decided to just keep Ages 3 and Up! local. I did need to branch out a little, though, so I went online with a blog, started a MySpace and a Facebook, did some networking and met some other REALLY great people in the kids music industry. Other DJ's, musicians, bloggers, PR reps, etc.

I forgot to mention that shortly after Ages 3 and Up! began, things changed significantly in our family and I became a single mom. We've been living on a tight budget since then and, like other parents who have been in my situation, I considered taking a second job. I'm really lucky to have a day job I love. But, finding and paying for nighttime childcare, so I could work a second job was a serious issue. Also, I hardly saw enough of my son. After making dinner and doing homework, we only had about an hour of quality time together at night. So, I decided that I needed to find work I could do from home, after my son went to bed.

In February of this year, I decided to look into syndication again, and found that many of the problems I had previously encountered, had been resolved. The two largest obstacles were a production site and distribution. I felt uncomfortable using WRFL's facilities to work on a for-profit project, because it is a non-profit organization funded by Student Activities fees from UK students. So I got to thinking about it and it hit me that many, many of the programs you hear on radio are produced on computers. I had a computer at home. I invested in a couple of key pieces of equipment, and suddenly I had a studio. I happened across the website for Public Radio Exhchange (http://prx.org), and suddenly I also had a distributor.

And on April 20th of this year, Pied Piper Radio was born.

Pied Piper Radio is a one hour weekly series featuring music for, and sometimes by, children. We play music from a wide variety of genres and eras. You can read more about it at http://piedpiperradio.com . There are links to our distributor's website on the page for each episode (you can hear the program from there). There are also fun things for the kids to do and see!

Q. If all your dreams came true where would your radio shows be in 2 years?


A. That is difficult to say.

I would like to think that if EVERYTHING I wanted to happen HAPPENED in exactly the way I wanted it to happen, my life would not be that different from the way it is now. We'd still be living in the Lexington area, possibly in a home of our own, possibly with additional family members, and I'd get up every Saturday at 6 to get ready to go do Ages 3 and Up! at WRFL (from 8-9). I'm pretty happy with my life right now, and I love doing my show every week. It's a lot of fun for me! Not only that, but I consider it a service to my community, and I feel really strongly that we all need to do what we can to make our communities great places to live. This is my home. I was born in Lexington, and my family is here. That said, things don't always happen the way we want them to happen. Sometimes they happen in an even better way! So, I'm anxious to see what the future might bring.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the possibility of Pied Piper Radio taking off and turning into something. It would be FANTASTIC if something like that happened. Or, at least I think it would... I was talking to a reporter from the Herald Leader recently and she asked if I had a goal for the number of stations I'd like to see PPR on. I jokingly said 200. When the article came out, I linked to it on Facebook, and mentioned that the 200 stations thing was kind of a joke. Michael Jonathan, of Woodsongs fame, chimed in and said that sometimes things like that really DO happen. (Of course, he would know.) My actual goal is FAR more modest- 5 stations by the end of this year. So in two years, maybe 20 stations?

Q. What's on your playlist at home?

A. A lot of different things. My musical tastes have been accurately described as "kind of all over the place." There's always a lot of jazz and classical music around. Both the traditional and avant-garde varieties. Here lately I've been listening to a couple of local acts, Idiot Glee and Matt Duncan- they're both great. The newest from The Apples in Stereo is good, and I've been enjoying perennial faves from The Skatalites, Os Mutantes, The Poppy Family and The Kinks. Oh, and His Name is Alive- they're my favorite band. They're "kind of all over the place" too. And, of course, there's the kids' music.

Awesome lady right??? I know!!! Hope you enjoyed and make sure to tune in next Saturday to Ages 3 and Up! on WRFL!!!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@yahoo.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

Rock n Romp

Just wanted to share this AWESOME and COOL thing going on this weekend in downtown LEX!!!

It's called the "Rock n Romp" and it sounds SOOOO fun!!! What a great way to get out and have some fun with your kids while meeting new cool parents and listening to some fun music!!! Check it out if you get the chance!!! Mr. Momtini and I are going to try to be in attendance!!!

Here are the details!!!

Date: Saturday, June 19, 2010
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Al's Bar

I'm going to be talking more about the super cool lady behind the Rock n Romp next week in my mommy spotlight post!!! So keep your eyes open!!!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

Who am I?

I ask that question a lot when I interview someone. I say "So tell me a little bit about yourself!" or "So who exactly is...(fill in the blank)?" like thats some super easy question to answer! Piff...

So I thought hey...It's time for me to answer that question!

Who am I?

Im a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and lots of other roles YES...but lets go a little deeper shall we?

I am a woman, a dreamer, and someone who wants to be part of something BIG. I don't want that to ever go away...the desire to DREAM!

As a young girl I used to dream of big things for my life. I used to imagine a career as a marine biologist...out on a boat observing whales or dolphins. And then I wanted to be a marine mammal trainer...swimming with the whales and dolphins. Those ideas changed over time and turned into new dreams...but somewhere along the way I forgot to keep dreaming.

I think it happened when college set in...find something practical...choose a major that will be a dependable job . Play it safe...nice and safe!!!

So I did that... I hold a nice little B.A. in Elementary Education (p.s. thank you mom & dad for college...it truly was an amazing gift!) ! A teacher yes of course...thats stable

It wasn't until after my son was born and I left my "safe" job to stay at home with him that my dreaming was sparked again..thankfully!!!

It was a new day, a new season, a new moment of undefined. Who was I? I played it safe...I went to college, got my degree, found a wonderful man to marry, got a job, built a home, and now had my little family...check, check, check!!!

OK now what? Hmmm I was at a new place...I had checked off ALL my list of things to do in life...uh oh...what's next???

I'm not gonna lie...the life of a stay at home mom is not necessarily the BIG life I had dreamed of...dishes, laundry, cleaning, all that...not really my idea of an adventure. But none the less this is where I was...and it was lonely!!!

So the dreaming began...there HAS to be more to it than this. Yes being home with my son is a blessing but I've GOT to have more!!!

So I started up momtiniky.com (after the idea hit me one night right before going to bed!) to help other moms out there find each other...connect and share their stories! I can't tell you how often I hear..."momtini has helped me so much" and "thank you" from other Central, Ky moms...makes me SO PROUD.

I love DREAMING BIG...no doubt...and I hope to always have a dream in my heart...and something new and big right around the corner...

I hope that gives you a little insight on who I am...are you dreaming big??? What's holding you back...you were made for BIG THINGS!!!

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

Inspire Me!

Thanks to the fabulous world of facebook I have formed friendships and connections with TONS of moms right here in the bluegrass! When I stumbled across this mommy blogger I was hooked!

Morgan Day Cecil is a fabulous writer and a daily inspiration to people all over with her blog http://www.morgandaycecil.com/ (go ahead...click it...you won't be let down! PROMISE)

So, I just HAD to interview this lady and find out what she is really all about!!! Ready? Here we go!!!

Q. Give us a quick rundown of who Morgan Day Cecil is!



A. Let's see....who am I? ;) I'm a wife, a mom, a woman who turned 30 this year. I have a M.A. in Philosophy but most of what I know in life has come from the trial and error method of learning from experience. I love Italy (dream of living there someday). I know how to pole dance a little (taught classes just for fun this past Spring). I grew up in the Northwest (Portland, OR). I love photography and earn a bit of my living as a photographer. I was a single mother for two years before finding my "Mr. Perfect for Me." I love, love, love, reading, spontaneous family dance parties, taking naps, and cheerleading for my friends. My Life Manifesto shares some more things about me....like my penchant for sunrises, espresso and micro brew beer.

Q. So what is morgandaycecil.com all about?

A. The Morgan Day Cecil blog is tips for falling more in love with life. It's part personal development blog, part life experience story-telling, part how-to guide, part "learn from my mistakes" confessional, part simple inspiration. I tackle "the whole pie of life". I guess the closest niche my blog falls into is the "Make-the-Most-of-Your-Life" niche, minus the motivational speaker cheese-factor and the Oprah-esqe give-aways (dang it!). You get a little bit of everything with me ;)-- From First Steps to Merging Passion and Career to dealing with depression and how to allow yourself to be loved to 5 Ways to Spark Creativity.

Q. Who or what is your biggest inspiration when writing for your blog?

A. When I write, I write what I need to read. They say that you learn by teaching. So these things that I "teach" on my blog-- about self worth, about making a living via your passion, about living each day with romance and adventure--these are also things that I want to learn. I want to know how to do them so well, it's second nature. I want joy to be my automatic response to life. I want passion and purpose to be the way I walk.


While I do share "how-to's" (like how to make a nice looking blog ) I also share a lot from the emotional/spiritual side of things. Posts like this one are more about reminding myself and others what we already know but may have forgotten in the stress of our situations. I also try to bring new perspectives and offer can-do actions steps to every topic I cover. The biggest inspiration when I'm writing a new post is imagining I am writing to that woman I was 4 years ago-- a woman who was pregnant, alone, and at once scared to death and full of hope for her future . I try to write to serve that woman. Sometimes I give her advice, sometimes I give her encouragement, sometimes I just say, "I know how you are feeling right now and I'm telling you it's going to get better. You can borrow some faith from me." The reason why I write this blog is to help and connect with woman like myself who want to grow in the direction of their dreams.

Q. How long have you been blogging?

A. I've been blogging since 2007...And my blogs have been through several incarnations. As I have grown and changed, they have grown and changed. I started out just "writing to the void". My first blog was a free wordpress blog and I wrote it just like a diary. The blog was about my day-to-day life as a single mom. I think my tagline was "hot on pursuit of happily ever now." :) When I got married I started a blog about that transition from single to married life, but it didn't feel right. While I was comfortable sharing the ins and outs of my life with the public, it wasn't fair to expect my husband to feel the same. I took a blogging hiatus for 6 months. When I started blogging again it was in the form of a year long personal project, a la Julie/Julia. The project is called The Bluegrass Romance project and I'm already halfway through it! The challenge of the project is to find ways to live with more romance and adventure via weekly "mini-missions" in and around the Bluegrass. Starting this project is what lead to the MorganDayCecil blog. I began to notice that most of my Bluegrass Romance readers didn't live in Kentucky. They visited the blog because they appreciated the spirit behind what I was doing, not necessarily because they wanted to find things to do in Kentucky. I decided to create a blog that offered tips on falling more in love with life and living each day with romance and adventure that people anywhere could enjoy-- no trip to the Bluegrass required.

Q. Favorite song/quote?

A. I have a very long list of favorite quotes ;) I am what you call a quote junkie. I have always been a journaler and each journal of mine is filled with passages, scripture, lines of poetry and quotations that have spoken to me in both subtle and powerful ways. Here are a few that come to mind:

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do — Rumi, Persian Poet


You will seek me and you will find me, when you seek me with your whole heart. Jeremiah 29:13


Everything we do is essentially a product of what we have chosen to believe. — Neil T. Anderson





The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do. — Sarah Ban Brethnach





I am not afraid…I was born to do this. — Joan of Arc





Well behaved women rarely make history. — Marilyn Monroe





The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself. — Anna Quindlen



Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. — Rumi, Persian Poet





Even when there was no reason for Hope, Abraham kept hoping. — Romans 4:18




And the "quotable magnet" on my fridge right now:




This is your world. Shape it or someone else will. -Gary Lew




Q. What is your favorite thing about being a mommy?

A. Favorite thing about being a mommy: Being reminded that joy doesn't require a lot of work, when we just give into it. And, that I don't need to take myself so seriously because the world doesn't revolve around my emotions (it revolves around my sons ;).

Q. Favorite thing to do in Central, Ky?

A. Favorite thing to do in Central Ky: For free-- Hopping fences out in the country or just hanging out in our backyard. For a splurge-- A night a 21c Hotel in Lousiville with my husband.

Thanks Morgan Day Cecil!!!

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
http://www.momtiniky.com/

Scary...

day!!! One of my biggest fears happened. After a tiny itty bitty bite of a butterfinger my little guy had an insanely scary allergic reaction :O(

I knelt down to get him out of his stroller and put him in his carseat and saw what I thought was several bug bites under his chin. I thought maybe a bug had got stuck in between his chin and chest and bit him a few times (I WISH) as I looked more I noticed a HUGE mass of whelps all over his left side of his face down his neck and on his chest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His face was turning red and I was SO scared! My coupon clipping friend Bonnie was with me with her two little ones since we were doing our first real life shopping trip to Walgreens so she saw it all. I jumped in the car and took off...not really knowing where I was going but in a panic. OF COURSE I ran into traffic on Man-O-War around Hamburg and I'm sure onlookers thought I was having a road rage fit as I was saying "MOVE" to all the cars. That trick didn't work!

Anyway after thinking fast I pulled into the Lexington Clinic at Andover and ran in screaming "HE'S HAVING AN ALLERGIC REACTION!!!!"

Bless all of them. The Dr. and nurses were PHENOMENAL to say the very least. I owe them BIG TIME!!! BIG TIME!!! They rushed him in and started helping him instantly.

It was SO scary...and at one point we thought we were going to need to be transported my an ambulance to the hospital. Thankfully they got it all under control fast and he was fine. OBVIOUSLY he is allergic to something...probably peanuts. I am now the carrier of an epi pen...and we have scheduled an appointment with the allergenist. Wish us luck.

Today was scary. Very scary. I'm so thankful I was close enough to a good dr. and was able to get him the help he needed FAST.

I haven't broke down and cried yet...I know it's coming though. It's amazing how STRONG mommies can be when they are needed.

I know there are lots of mommies who have little ones with allergies. Please share with me your stories.

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Beer Cheese Festival!

So for several months I have been on the planning committee for the Beer Cheese Festival in my hometown of Winchester, Ky!!! It's been a lot of fun!!! So after ALL the planning it's finally here!!!

Tomorrow from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Main St. in Winchester, Ky will be shut down and taken OVER by Beer Cheese Vendors and Tasters GALORE!!!

Along with TONS of beer cheese to sample there will also be craft booths, LIVE music, a skateboard competition, kids play area, and TONS more!!!

So come check out our festival tomorrow if you can!!! Beer Cheese never let's anyone down!!!

Oh and stop by and say HI to our fellow momtinis who will be having booths!!!

Pink Checkers

GraciLuv

FunkiFlops

Sew Sweet Bowtique

Sarabee's Little Yarn Shop

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Baby Signs

My little boy LOVES to take a bath...LOVES it! So the other night as we were getting everything ready for bed what does he do??? Runs back to the bathroom, smacks the door, then starts doing the sign for bath!!! I was a very proud mama!!!

How did we get to the point where he could sign that he wanted to take a bath? Watch and find out!!!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Clip, Clip, Clip

That's the sound you probably would hear if you were to hang out with Bonnie on any given day!

I met this fabulous momma through momtiniky.com and have been AMAZED with her money saving skills ever since!

Yesterday she posted up this pic...

and guess what??? She actually MADE $2 off of all this! Yes...she got ALL this FOR FREE!!!

How did she do it??? I wanted to know too! So I asked her a few questions!

Q. Why did you start this awesome quest to save money?

A. I started this quest because my husband and I decided that I would go from working full-time to part-time on the weekends so I could stay home with my two kids during the week. We are also on our way to getting out of debt. I made it my mission to find ways for us to save some money and cut some corners. A friend showed me a video about a lady who paid $.01...yes that's ONE PENNY...for over $200 worth of groceries. I was hooked from that point on. I started looking up blogs, clipping coupons, and finding the best sales...and the rest is history.

Unfortunately in our area of the country we won't be able to pay a penny for our groceries...BUT I've managed to cut our grocery bill in half! We used to spend around $600/month and now we spend $300/month. This INCLUDES toiletries, diapers, wipes, and other misc. items! There is no turning back for me!

Q.What is your favorite "Best Deal" story ever?

A. I actually have two best deal stories. My first one was at CVS. I went to CVS getting the Crest White Strips Advanced (they retail for over $40!!) for me and some Pull-Ups(they are $11.99 regularly at CVS) for my son. With coupons I ended up paying ONLY $15 for BOTH. But it gets better...the super nice cashier told me that she was pretty sure they had some white strips in their clearance section. She had another associate run and get them for me. They were the Crest White Strips Premium ( I think they retail for around $30). They were on clearance for $8.97...and I looked in my coupon binder and had a $7 coupon! I only paid $1.97. I think I told EVERYBODY about that deal!

My BEST deal ever actually happened at Rite Aid this past Sunday. I got 9 tubs of Pampers wipes, 6 Physicians formula bronzers, 9 bottles of Dawn liquid detergent, 4 Old Spice deodorants, 1 Secret Sheer Mineral, 2 Old Spice body washes, 1 bottle of Lubriderm, 2 Clean and Clear products, and 1 bottle of Blink Tears Eye Drops.

I paid $12.97 on Sunday...and I will be getting $15.00 BACK in Rite Aid rebates...so I actually MADE $2.00 on all these products! How cool is that? The best part is that I was able to add to my collection of products to send to my husband's best friend (deodorant and body wash). He is a Marine and just left to fight overseas!

Q. How would you describe your life as a mommy?

A. I would describe my life as complete. Being a mommy completes me and makes me happy. I love my two little ones more than anything!

Q. What is one thing you love about yourself?

A. One thing I love about myself is my ability to save money....and being able to share that joy with others! :)

You can find Bonnie and her fabulous money saving tips online at...

Just a Clip Away

www.justaclipaway.blogspot.com

& on Facebook at her fanpage!!!

Mom's rock!!! Just sayin!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

LOVE YOURSELF

Sometimes it hard to. Sometimes we focus SO much on what we WISH we could change or don't like...BUT I'm exhausted from doing that.

I think it's time to start focusing at what I am good at and reminding myself daily about those strengths! Sisters, if you feel me then...

Take my challenge...

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

MUNO!

As I've said oh about a buzillion times...here at the house of momtini...WE LOVE YO GABBA GABBA!!!

LOVE IT!!!

So the other night I got the urge to just do something fun. Make something! So what did I do? Ran off to Michael's and scored some modeling clay!

Yeah...I like to just do random things! ANYWAY...guess what I made?!!!

MUNO!!! I love him! How cool is this??? I'm going to try to make the whole crew!!!

As soon as I pulled him out of the oven he said "Razzle Dazzle" and I knew we would be good friends!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Thrifting Therapy!

Sometimes when my mind is full and I'm a tad stressed...I enjoy going into thrift shops and just checking out all the stuff. You never know what you will find...and something is SURELY to make you smile!

Beauty can be found anywhere! Like here...check out these pics from today's thrift store therapy!

(p.s. these were all taken at the Winchester's Peddler Mall)

Two sweet birds!

This hand reminded me of the movie My Girl when Vada found the skull with all the Phrenology markings on it telling you what different bumps on your head mean.
I remember the strangest things ;O)

This one said "Pop's Mug" on the back! It had a matching saucer with a bowtie on it! There was a Mom one too...but this stache surely made this AWESOME!

Hope you enjoyed!

Where are the BEST places in Central, Ky to go thrifting???

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Shrek...SHRIEK!

As I'm sure you have already read...the Shrek collector cups sold at Mc Donalds have been recalled. Why? Oh just the little missed fact that the design on them contain cadmium...? What is cadmium???

According to Wikipedia cadmium in a chemical element that is similiar to zinc and MERCURY! Nice.. and if that wasn't cool enough it also is considered HIGHLY TOXIC and a CARCINOGIN!

Now here is my question...as with ALL recalls.

WHY DIDN"T THEY CATCH THIS BEFORE THEY MADE IT TO MCDONALDS???

I'd love to know the answer to this question...LOVE!

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

Father's Day...

Here are some fun gift idea's for the daddy in your life!

Cute Daddy & Kiddo Matching T's

By Charlie & Sarah

iPhone Docking Station

by Woodtec

Custom Hand Stamped Guitar Pick

by Pink Checkers Design

Happy Shopping!!!

Love

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Bubbles!!!

Something about those small little things just make people happy...especially kids! My little boy LOVES them so much that he squeals with excitement when the come falling from the sky!!!

One of the things we look forward to weekly is going to Gymboree Play & Music together! Our class is SO much fun and I just LOVE watching him learn and play with other kids his age! The teacher is amazing and I feel so great about what he is learning!

We've been going to Gymboree since my little guy was 1 year old and the amount he has grown and learned since then is amazing!

I can't seem to get the cool songs we sing out of my head and he perks right up when I start singing them to him at home!

It's been such an awesome experience not only for my little guy but for me too! Because once a week I get to chat with other parents with kids the same age as mine and that is SO great!!!

Last week I took along my camera and took a few video clips and shots of how much fun he is having so I could always remember this time in his life! Enjoy!

Bye bye readers...I'll see you here next time!

LOVE LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Bathing Suits?!

Ugh...not many more things can be dreaded as much as bathing suit shopping! SHRILL!!! :O

I had no plans to try them on today...but on a trip to the mall with my sister it happened. Yes...I lost my mind for a short while and entered my own torture chamber...AKA the dressing room...with a...wait for it...SPANX bathing suit in hand.

I know I know...why would I do such a thing? Oh and the lighting...the lighting in those dressing rooms...I was just asking for trouble...or the onset of depression!

Yet, I have to admit, in a section filled with suits named MIRACLE I thought I needed to give it a shot. I mean...we can all use a miracle right?

Now I'm not the owner of a pair of SPANX...I would like to be but I haven't ever bought any. I do however on occasion sport the Dr. Rey's version of a corset under certain outfits when I'm feeling frisky! haha

So what was my verdict. Eh...a bathing suit is a bathing suit. They were flattering I will have to admit...my breathing was only slightly restricted BUT the kicker...was the PRICE TAG! Apparently SPANX has yet to find the technology to make their price shrink!

(not me!!! But if you want to see the info on this suit CLICK HERE!!!)

So no suit was purchased for me today...I used my money to buy a cookie! Shopping FAIL!

LOVE LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Hello Sun!

It's been a fun few days!

This weekend we took a little day trip down to Cave Run Lake and visited with my aunt and uncle on their boat, we picked strawberries at Boyd's Orchard in Versailles, and yesterday Clay and I went swimming for the first time this year at my sister's pool!!! Lots of fun!!!

I'm so glad the warm weather seems to be here for good and for all the neat activities this season brings here in Ky!

With Memorial Day coming up this weekend I'm sure a lot of families have some sort of plans! What are we doing? Probably attending a few cookouts with our families and enjoying time together!

What are your plans for the holiday weekend? It is the "unofficial kick-off to summer" and all!!!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Boogy Man?

So it's been a crazy couple of nights. You know... when your kid starts waking up randomly for no reason at oh 3:00 a.m. and then your smoke detectors remind you that one of them has a dead battery at 4:30 a.m. Yeah thats how the past few nights have been here...not sure why. And really it's not a big deal...

If I hadn't of filled my brain with all those scary movies that always refer to 3:00 a.m. as

SCARY TIME!

haha

So...I have a question. We are grown ups right? The big kids in the house. The ones who are brave and will fight off the monsters. BUT do you ever get kinda freaked out when you have to go calm your kid down in the middle of the night? Haha sounds totally stupid as Im writing it BUT I'm not gonna lie. I'm scared of the boogy man too...

If you are a CHICKEN like me...how do you suck it up to calm your kids?

Can't wait to hear the stories!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
http://www.momtiniky.com/

Top 5

things a brand spanking new mom needs to have at home when she leaves the hospital!

#5 PADS...and lots of them. I'm talking the jumbo OVERNIGHT monsters!!!

#4 Granny Panties...yup thats right I said it. I am on the record for telling my husband to go to Wal-Mart and find the biggest pair of Granny Panties he can find and buy two

packs of them! haha

#3 Comfy Presentable Pajamas...because you are going to spending a lot of time in them. Trust me!

#2 Journal...to write down everything thats going on. You will quickly forget the sweet memories you are experiences due to the amount of sleep deprivation you will endure!

#1 HELP and lots of it! Don't be ashamed or afraid to ask for help. If you have family close by ask them to come watch the wee one while you take a shower, eat, or even catch a few zzzz's! There is NOTHING wrong with getting help!!!

Good luck!!! And get ready for the wildest ride ever!!!

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Hello TV Land!

Yesterday was HUGE for me and {mom}tini! Like...really big!

I, me, Desiree Rowe, was on the noon show on WKYT. Um yes...it's true! Little ol' me sat down on the red couch and chatted it up with Bill and Barbara!!! Ha...talk about surreal. I think I have replayed it on my dvr atleast 10 times now.

I, somehow held it all together and didn't draw a blank, pass out, or get sick. Amazing right! Don't ask me how I did it because I have NO CLUE. I had been trying to down play it since we scheduled the date several weeks ago. Kept telling myself...it's no big deal, just going to go talk to some people. But boy o boy when I went into the studio and actually saw all those crazy big cameras and the actual set...*GASP* it hit me. This is real, this is TV, and people are going to SEE ME!!!

But it went smoothly, if you leave out the fact that I ran out of hairspray that morning and forgot to put SHOES on my kid before we left.

Bill and Barbara were so sweet and made me feel super comfortable and I even met the nicest lady from Kiddie Kutters out in Brannon Crossing who went on right after me!

Incase you missed it...here you go!

VIEW VIDEO

LOVE

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

Fish, Fish, Fish

Pretty sure I repeated that word followed with pointing at least 100 times yesterday! But boy was it fun! My husband and I have both been really busy lately and it was really nice taking a quiet (yes QUIET, because little man took a nap the whole way there) drive up 75 to Newport to visit the Aquarium.

I love the Levee up there. It's like a mini vacay for WAY les $$$. Plus little man is under 2 so he was FREE (cha-ching)

We had a blast! We fed the birds, watched the otters play, walked through the shark tunnel ( side note...when my hubby and I were still dating...I totally thought he was going to propose to me here...I was wrong! But the actual proposal was WAY better so no fear!), and just enjoyed watching our sweet 16 month old experience new things!

Life is crazy, and sometimes it's very stressfull. But something about watching your baby see something for the first time...just brings you back home. Back to the place in your heart where you know what this life is all about. LOVE

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
www.momtiniky.com

P.S. Watch for me on the noon show tomorrow on WKYT 27!!! I'll be on there chatting about this blog and momtiniky.com !!! SO EXCITED!!! Oh and I'll be wearing the prettiest dress ever from Cradle Will Rock!!!

Me time!

One of my FAV things to do is get a massage! LOVE IT SO MUCH! Yet, it's hard to carve out time to do things like that. But today...it's going to happen! I'm FINALLY using one of my gift certificates to Winchester Therapeutic Massage from CHRISTMAS!

Which doesn't seem THAT long ago but wait...it's MAY so...5 months. Yeah I think it's time to use them! Haha...ho ho ho!

I think thats what I'll say when I show up! HO HO HO Merry Christmas! Bahahah

So mommas...when and how do you carve out special time just for you? What do you do to treat yourself?

FYI...

Baby Moon in Lexington is offering a Restorative Yoga Session just for moms Sunday May 16th! Check out more info here!


Hope everyone has a great weekend and you get to enjoy just a little "ME" time!

LOVE LOVE
Desiree

http://www.momtiniky.com/

Closet Swap...

Confession: I still wear a pair of my old maternity pants!

I do...it's horrible I know! But they are the comfiest pair of stretchy quachos that you will ever find...and I just can't give them up!

So since coming to terms with this...I decided I should probably look for a new "look"! It being spring almost summer and all...and 16 months after maternity clothes are needed!

So here is a peak into my DREAM CLOSET!!

(source)

(source)

Tom's Wedges!

So there you have it! Welcome to my dream world!

Love

Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

www.momtiniky.com

Today Rocked!

Literally!

My little man took me on a date to Victorian Square in Downtown Lex. today. It was sweet!!! We did a little shopping and I fell IN LOVE with the coolest kids clothing store in Lexington, no wait...KY! It's a little shop called Cradle Will Rock and it totally rocks! After chatting with the owner, Rhonda, I found out that she designs, sews, and makes each piece of clothing there. Can we say WOW! Seriously. She even said you can bring in your own ideas and she will make them come to life! How cool is that! So of course I had to leave there with a little something for myself...oh like this dress...



Right now she has mostly little girl clothing...but oh boy...in just 2 more weeks she is introducing her little boy line!!! I can't wait!!! Seriously though...if Lexington was Hollywood...all the stars would be shopping here! How did Lexington get SO lucky!!!


She is also holding a Casting Call for little models for her upcoming Fashion Show!!! How cool!

After shopping my little man and I strolled on over to the Explorium for his first visit!!! I was so excited to see what he would do! Of course he LOVED the water table...what baby doesn't...

Great day for this mommy blogger in the bluegrass! How was your day?

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

gdiapers...1st week recap

Chemical Burns isn't the most pleasent of thoughts to think about when you are diapering your baby...right? So ever since I read this article about what some parent's were experiencing with the new Pampers Dry Max technology in their new and improved ;O) Cruisers and Swaddlers it promted me to go a little greener with my son's diapers.


I turned to a diaper I had looked at before..gdiapers. A hybrid diaper with a disposable 100% biodegradable liner and reusable cover. Being a one time full out cloth diapering momma turned disposable user...I knew whatever I switched to needed to be easy, fast, and leak proof!

So far so good. We did experience two random leaks...I'm gonna blame that on me and not getting the propper fit. Traveling with them is easy and it trully doesn't take any more time than disposables. I've been getting by with only 2 covers and honestly I only think I will need 1-2 more to be completely stocked!


So here is the breakdown...

Price comparison...

• gdiapers Pack of 32 refills = $14.99
• pampers Dry Max Cruisers Pack of 34 = $17.49
• Of course with the gdiapers you will also need at least 4 reusable covers which will cost upfront an additional $54.00 approximatly.

Not too shabby!

I will keep you posted as the trial continues!!! As of now...I am a gdiaper loving momma!!!

LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com
http://www.momtiniky.com/

Shhhhh....

it's naptime and I'm enjoying some piece and quiet. I really need to hop in the shower since this is my first chance to do so since little man's 6:25 a.m. wake up call! I can't believe he is such an early bird...my mother blames it on me having to wake up so early while I was pregnant! Not sure why he does it really...but I wish he would snooze just a little longer!

Just wanted to share this clip with you...I've found myself re-watching it tons lately. Just makes me feel good!!! It's playing at the Kentucky Theatre right now in Downtown Lex. I wanna go...:O)

Mother's Day remembered...

This was my 3rd Mother's Day (if you count the one when I was pregnant! which I totally do) and I have to say...it was a pretty good one!

My little boy is now 16 months old and is FINALLY starting to want to snuggle and cuddle instead of busting my nose everytime I try to hold him! (although I still get a few sneak head butts every now and then) It TRULY makes my heart melt every time he lays his little head on my shoulder. I LOVE HIM!

So what was my Mother's Day like? Well...as promised I stayed in bed till 10:00 a.m.! SCORE! Then I was greeted with waffles and extra crispy bacon (my ABSOLUTE fav breakfast) pink roses, chocolates, and some sweet cards! Oh and I treated myself with a candle warmer from a Scentsy party I went to last week too! (PS my house smells AH-mazing)

Later that day we went to Mayfest in Downtown, LEX and I got this ring...




from That Winsome Girl (my secret fb crush shop! I was really geeked to meet her in person!) My husband actually really LOVES this ring! So YAY! Maybe I'll be getting some future gifts from her!!! We do have an anniversary coming up WINK WINK!

The Mayfest was really awesome. Not too big, not too crowded, and really NICE booths! We will TOTALLY be going back next year!

After that we went to visit my my mother and the rest of my family and had dinner! The kids played with each other, took a wagon ride with Papaw, fished out of the pond, and watched the ducks as we swung on the back porch swing and chatted!

It was a very relaxing and wonderful Mother's Day...nothing extravagant, nothing out of this world, just a comfortable kind of day. Just how I like it!

I hope you had a GREAT Mother's Day! Share with me your day...PLEASE I wanna know!!!

LOVE LOVE
Desiree

momtini@wkyt.com

http://www.momtiniky.com/

St. Joseph East Maternity Fair

Wow! Today was...umm...AWESOME! Yeah basically awesome!






I'm gonna let you in on a little secret that I don't think anyone knows. Almost a year ago to the day I entered into the blogging world...so new and unaware of what blogging was all about. I was a newb for real! Here is a quote from my first post from my first blog titled...wait for it...kysahm! Yes original I know!


"Througout my years I have always had some sort of group of girl friends. In high school I had a close group that I did everything with. In college I joined a sorority and gained my sisters. When I started my career as a teacher I had my super supportive co-workers to rely on. But now as I am entering this new phase in my life I find myself missing that "group" of friends...

...this is my mission...to create a sisterhood for moms!"

Wow...all I can say is wow.

Now as I sit here, the creater of momtiniky.com and the mommy blogger for wkyt I can't help but feel like I am making a little progress here!

So that's why I was so incredibly excited to show momtini off to hundreds and I do mean HUNDREDS of Central, Ky moms at the St. Joseph East Maternity Fair!

Here are some pics from the fair...we had a blast!!!





Love
Desiree