Slim your closet, Fatten your wallet!

  Have you ever overheard a conversation about Poshmark? So what is it exactly?

  Basically, Poshmark is a social media, selling website that is designed specifically for women's fashion items, such as shoes, handbags, clothes, accessories, new makeup, and jewelry. It's a great way to get rid of those clothes that are like new but you can't fit into them anymore, maybe a cute designer bag you used to rave over, or maybe those heels that you have been meaning to wear but they just don't match anything! The reason I say it's like a social media website as well, is because like Instagram, your goal is to gain followers and friends. (More followers = more sales!) You can openly converse Facebook-style, share listings and like items that you want to come back to later! It's a great way to meet some really nice people as well!

  Poshmark however prohibits the selling of designer replicas (no fakes!), anything liquid or containing alcohol, real furs or endangered animals, used lingerie, used swimming suits, used undergarments, children's clothing, men's clothing, electrical items, used makeup, lotions, well-ness products, and household items. They also prohibit the use of other payment methods such as Paypal, because it does not protect the buyer or seller. Other selling platforms such as eBay, Etsy, etc is also prohibited. Trading is allowed but is not protected under Poshmark. 

  Poshmark takes a commission of $2.95 for any item you sell under $15 and a 20% commission on any item sold over $15. Poshmark provides shipping labels for the seller to print out and attach to a package once an item is sold.

  My personal experiences with Poshmark have been great! So far I have sold 20 items since I joined Poshmark in September and it's helped me a lot! I have made almost $700 since joining.

  The Poshmark app is available for dowload for both Android and Apple devices. I hope this brief blog has been informative and I hope to see you on there! (My username is @247mommieto2! Use the referral code BCISP when you sign up to receive a free $5 credit!)

Medals for Mothers

  Times are very different. The 21st is cruel and unforgiving for women. Economic times are at their toughest. I've been in both shoes, ladies. I've worked a full-time job whilst juggling being a full-time mom. I've also stayed at home with my children and by no means is it a piece of cake.
   I get frustrated sometimes when I hear people bash stay-at-home moms or working moms. The point of bashing is just to make oneself look better, when in reality, they wish that they could trade places with the one they are bashing. Either types of moms have a tremendous load to carry, and no amount of money can compensate us for what we do. BUT, we relentlessly do it every day because we love our families!
   Some families (I fit into this category) need the extra money but cannot afford to return to the work force because babysitters are expensive, or jobs are just not in abundance. They enjoy being a stay-at-home mom but they also feel helpless when it comes to helping with finances. However, I'm a happy stay-at-home-mom. I've just learned to adjust our budget to fit our financial shrinkage!
   Some moms have no choice because of financial issues and have to reluctantly return to the workforce. Sure, they'd rather be spending time nurturing their precious babies, but food has to get on that table somehow.
   Some moms love their career and they effortlessly juggle being a full-time mom and work a full-time job. They are not MIA moms, they are just trying to support their children and do the best they can the same as anyone else.
   Lastly, there are those so-called "lucky moms" . There are some wonderful moms out there that are determined to be 130% involved in their children's lives plus juggle all the demands of being a 24/7 mother, housewife, etc. They are no different than all the other moms; they have just as tough of a job.
   It's no contest; all moms need medals!! None of these jobs are any less important. Each requires skill, temperance, love, commitment, endurance, etc. Instead of bashing other moms, lets just realize that we all have something in common! WE ARE ALL MOMS!!! Be that supportive friend and encourage other moms to vent and talk. Be the shoulder to cry on when life gets tough. When you're in a rough patch, they will be there for you. We are all in this together and we need each other.

~Acts 2:38, Obey it!~

Chicken and Gnocchi, Olive Garden style!

Recently, I was asked how I made my Chicken and Gnocchi Olive Garden style, and so I thought I would write a blog on how to! Since fall is in full swing, in my opinion, soups are the best way to warm you up! Soups also provides the necessary nutrition in order to keep you from getting sick during the cool months! This particular soup is very wholesome and healthy! I hope y'all enjoy this yummy soup as much as my family and I did!

1/2 stick butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup  diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 Tbsp of minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half-and-half cream
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
Salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 cup finely shredded carrots
1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
1 (16-ounce/500g) package ready-to-use gnocchi (I found mine at Wal-Mart in the pasta section.)

Melt the butter into the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened. Whisk in the chicken broth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, the thyme, parsley, carrots (best if ran over a cheese grater to shred), spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Simmer on medium heat until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.

~Enjoy!~

Get In It for the Long Haul!

   My blog today is not an easy subject, but that doesn't make it any less important. 

   A startling statistic for marriage and divorce rates: 8.8 years was  the average length for heterosexual (man and woman) marriage in the US! That's not only among worldly unbelievers either! That is also among people that claim to be Christians. This is  a stench in God's nostrils. 

   Divorce has become too easy for people, instead of just working things out and keeping the love kindled in the marriage. People are no longer ashamed of divorce as they once were 50 years ago.  There are still long beautiful marriages out there but they are growing far and few between.  No one cares to look at the real facts of what divorce does to their children either. It scars their life forever, and in turn they will most likely have the same turmoil. 

   Living together is popular trend among our young and even middle aged folks today. It makes me sick when somebody will go on about "being together' with their  "soul-mate", and then you find out that they are just shacking up. When did "shacking up" become an acceptable alternative to marriage?  Why? BECAUSE PEOPLE HAS PUT SUCH A NEGATIVE MINDSET IN THEIR CHILDREN TO THINK THAT EVERY  MARRIAGE IS  A CURSE AND A FAILURE. The Bible created marriage to be beautiful, holy, honorable, and enjoyable. Marriage is now being referred to as the "ball and chain". People discourage young folks from even getting married because they wasn't able to make their marriage work. I understand that some situations happen and past is past, but we should not even let divorce be in our vocabulary, especially in the church. 

   We say that we want our marriages to be forever and we say the vows "til' death do us part" but are those just pretty words? NO. Those vows are a solemn promise before God, and should not be taken lightly. Two very imperfect people are joining forces as one to work together and serve God for the rest of their lives. If you are marrying for any other purpose, then you have the wrong intentions. 

    I'll go as far to say that marriage is a Godly institution, and if neither of you are serving God to start with, your marriage vows are nothing but pretty words. You are recognized by the state as "married" but unless God is the glue, your marriage is headed for the rocks, my friend. Unbelievers can't understand the value of the vows they made, therefore they deem it easy to go through marriage partners like candy. Divorce sickens God, and so does an unholy union.

   I encourage our youth to get grounded in the Word , make sure they have repented, been baptized in the wonderful  name of Jesus, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38) before they even think about finding a mate! Then, God will send you a wonderful mate that will not hinder you from serving God, but help serve along with you! 

   For you that are married, put some tar on your heels, and get in it for the long haul. You need each other.

Acts 2:38, Obey it!

Why I am Modest

   For all those who don't know, I'm Apostolic Pentecostal. You may also be wondering what Apostolic Pentecostal is. I'm Apostolic because I believe in the apostles' doctrine set forth by Jesus' apostles who walked with him and carried his gospel. I'm Pentecostal by experience; I'm referring to the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Peter preached to the people gathered there and told them to "repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the REMISSION of sins and ye SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF the HOLy GHOST." (See Acts 2:38). They were all in the upper room when a sound like rushing wind filled the house, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke with tongues (heavenly language that only God can understand) as the spirit of God gave the utterance.
   I don't cut my hair. I don't trim my hair. I believe according to 1 Corinthians  that a women's hair is a sacred covenant between her and God and that her "glory" should never be cut. The hair is a sign of submission to God and to her husband (if she is married). Not only that, but it is HER glory, not something to boast about, but something that sets her apart. There is nothing lovelier than a sweet modest dressed lady with long flowing hair, and a meek, quit spirit.
   I believe that as a woman, we should dress like one. Modesty is not old-fashioned. A lady can still be fashionable, classy, and beautiful in today's clothing and still be modest. A woman's clothes say a lot for her. A woman that dresses immodestly is desiring to draw attention to herself. Its normal human nature. But a godly lady will draw attention, not because she is trying to, but because she radiates godliness and purity. A lovely spirit paired with a modestly clothed body shows that a woman has self control, respect for herself, respect for God, and a desire to be a light to a dark perverse world.
   That's why I dress modest and live the way I do. Its a privilege to live for God. I owe my being to him, so it's the least I can do as a Christian to dress in a way that would glorify him, and not glorify myself!

Acts 2:38, Obey it!

  

More Savings: My Review of the Walmart Savings-Catcher

   Most of us would love to say that we are avid thrifters, frugal-minded, and  coupon divas, but let's face it, sometimes there is not enough time in our schedule to be superwoman! Well, there are different things that you can do without exhausting yourself in order to save your family some hard-earned greenbacks.
  
   I am not too keen on Wal-Mart (I don't have to explain why either) but on most things, it's pretty hard to match their prices. Well, a week ago, I was just finishing up buying my groceries, and then I noticed at the register, they were advertising a new app for smartphones called the savings catcher. I just thought that the app was just another hoax, with a gimmick to it. But I am always out for a bargain when it's available, so I went home and downloaded the Wal-Mart Savings Catcher app for androids off of the Google Play Store. I scanned the tiny barcode of the receipt and it scanned my items to see if there were any better deals elsewhere.       
   Here's how it works: You scan your Wal-Mart  receipt after downloading the app, and the app scans the area for other competitors' prices. It only compares prices that are advertised in the store papers. It takes 72 hours for the results to show. If any prices are found to be cheaper elsewhere, you get the difference of what you paid. Sounds great right?!
  
   Needless to say, I was overjoyed that after 72 hours I received my results. Wal-Mart savings catcher estimated that I was owed $2.34 back from my recent shopping trip. Now, you may think that it is not much, but it adds up! To get the money back, simply click in the "Get it Back" tab and it creates your very own egift card. It sends the egift card to your email, and then you print it off, and use it as if it was a coupon.
   The cons to the savings catcher is that it does not let you earn more than $599 per a calendar year. You also can't scan receipts that are older than 7 days. The other con to the app is that, like any other app, it sometimes can crash or erase your receipts and rewards. I recommend printing off the egift card every time I get some earnings.  The app also doesn't work for weighted items like meats, fruits, vegetables, cereal- anything that's weighted. So, if you can get a better deal on certain meat products, and produce, I would consider getting those items there.
   Other than, a few cons, it's a great way to save some money, and it works just like coupons! It never hurts to try either! I don't know about you, but I'm going to save my egift card money to save on buying Christmas presents this year! Happy saving!

My Funnel Cake Recipe

I was asked to write a blog concerning how to make my funnel cakes after I posted a tantalizing picture of my accomplishments on Instagram on Sunday afternoon. (I meant to publish it yesterday ladies! Sorry!) So, here is my step by step recipe:

3 2/3 cups of self rising flour
1/2 cup of sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1/4 cup of water
2 cups of milk
1 quart of vegetable oil for frying

1 large funnel
1 deep fryer
1 wide large spatula
Confection sugar (powdered sugar)
(Makes about 5-6 funnel cakes. Dough does not keep past 2-3 hours, so you will want to make them quickly.)

Set the flour aside in another bowl and in a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar, milk, water, vanilla, butter and eggs together and then slowly add it to the flour. You will want to get the mixture as smooth as possible. It should be the consistency of pancake batter (thin enough to run through a funnel.

Set the dough aside while you get the oil ready. I use a fryer called the Fry Daddy that my husband got me for Christmas. It is amazing and pretty cheap to purchase. Then I just plugged it in the wall and poured the oil up to the max line (1-1 1/2 quarts of vegetable oil). The setting is on about 325°. Let that heat up for about 10 minutes. You can tell when the oil is ready for frying by doing a simple trick: dip your finger in water and let one tiny drop hit the oil. If it bubbles and boils vigorously, it is ready. Put your finger over the hole of the funnel, and spoon the batter into the funnel until the funnel is halfway full. Carefully let the the dough run through the funnel and move your funnel to create the desired design. When you're done, simply cover the hole of the funnel and transfer the funnel back to your bowl so it won't drip everywhere! Watch your funnel cake (it only takes a minute!) and make sure that it is golden brown and a little crunchy before you carefully turn the funnel cake over with a spatula to fry the other side. When it is completely done, transfer the funnel cake with your spatula to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Then sprinkle your confection sugar on the funnel cake. Now enjoy and share what you have created! I hope this blog helped! (Enjoy, Ivy!)