Monday, June 30, 2008

Redbox Code 06.30.08

Today's free code for a Redbox movie is W1H6J4. This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!

I also used the code SUMMER for a movie this weekend. I had to try four or five different codes before I hit the bingo on that one, but it might be worth a try for another movie! Enjoy!

Side Notes:

- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.

- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, "Rent with Promo." Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.

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A Struggle to Be Faithful

I adore my Emily. She is her very own little person with her own sweet little personality. I prayed very hard that we would someday have a little girl of our very own and here she is in all of her glory. She is the sweetest little girl with the best personality and she makes me laugh with her sweet quirkiness.

Emily has also challenged me in ways that I never dreamed as a parent. While Ethan slept through the night at three months, my Emily still cries for me at night (she is two and a half). Since she has been born, I have had rarely a full night of sleep. I can't figure out why this is because we have done everything for her exactly the same as Ethan, but Emily doesn't seem to really need sleep.

Ethan was (and still is) an extremely outgoing child. I could leave him anywhere and he would have a zillion best friends by the time I got back. I remember that my feelings were a little hurt the first day I dropped him off for school and he barely acknowledged my departure. He was just that kind of kid.

Emily is not that kind of kid. She is very shy and takes time to warm up to anyone. She really hates to be left anywhere and clings to my leg if she thinks I will leave her. She wails uncontrollably if she thinks we will leave her. It has been extremely hard.

Working out is difficult because I can hear her crying when I leave her in the babysitting area for my workout. I am constantly listening and my stomach feels like a little tight ball because I am on edge if she is making it difficult for the babysitter in charge. I feel selfish when I leave her there. Working out is optional and I feel like I am inflicting trauma on my child for no reason.

Worshiping is difficult because the children go to Sunday school while we attend the service and she really hates going. When we walk into church, she starts crying and when we leave her she is uncontrollable and inconsolable. This Sunday she screamed the entire time we were in service, and her screaming was worse if anyone looked or talked to her. When we got done with worship and the tears were rolling down her face, I felt like the worst parent in the world.

I honestly don't know what to do. She doesn't like to be alone at night, she wants me to be by her side all day, and I feel very badly for the people who are caring for her in my absence. At the same time, I know that there are times where we need that separation so that I can be a better mom to her. Things like working out and going to worship are important to me, but I feel very badly doing these things when I know how hard it is for the people who care for her.

It is bad enough that I don't know if my husband and I should go to worship together. Maybe we should alternate services so Emily doesn't have to go to Sunday School? Maybe I should quit the gym in favor of working out at home? I really am struggling with what is the best way to handle this. Do I keep doing this in hopes that she will figure out that we will always come back to her or do I wait until she outgrows it on her own?

I would love to hear from parents who are dealing with this or have watched their children outgrow it! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Friday, June 27, 2008

Freebie Friday: June 27, 2008

Thank you to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for helping us with our freebies today. Heather is sharing all of her latest coupons from her All You Magazine subscription (a subscription deal is even posted) and some coupons to help with your shopping this week!

Don't forget to enter our giveaway today while you are applying for those freebies! Happy Freebie Friday, everyone!

Health & Beauty

Huggies Pull-Ups (Walmart sample)

Food

Stride Gum (select "Settle")

Entertainment

Suze Orman's book Women & Money (free download today only!)
American Greetings card (Walmart sample)
Hulu - free TV and movies on your computer
Shutterfly - new members get 50 free prints and collage poster
National Geographic Big Screen Safari (valid this weekend only and in select areas)
Seed Magazine

Home & Garden

Mark Your Calendars

June 28 - Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic - Make a Baseball Game 10 to 11 am
June - Ocean Spray 100% Juice Cranberry and Blueberry sampling at select Walmart stores
June - MaxFactor Lash Lights Tour from 10am to 4pm get a free mini makeover
July 5 - The Home Depot Kids Workshop: Make a bird home 9 am to noon
July 12 - Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic: Make a dune buggy 10 to 11 am
Summer - SunnyD Road Trip is stopping at Walmart stores this summer

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Thursday, June 26, 2008

Amy's Notebook 06.26.08

Knock, knock... don't worry, it's just housekeeping! I have a couple quick things to share with you...

It has been awhile since I have done a giveaway for our site. I am happy to announce that I am giving away a lifetime membership to PearBudget, an amazing new website where you can track your family finances. Don't worry- you don't even have to give them access to your bank account. This is just a simple straightforward budget sheet that you can use to track your expenses. Head over there by Wednesday and leave me a comment (entries that are left here cannot be included).

While you are over there, you can see our latest review on the Sony HDR-SR10 Camcorder! You have not lived until you have zoomed into your cat's nose and watched it in high definition. Yes, this is the first project that my husband did with it...you know, just to see if the zoom was really that awesome. And it was. But...the cat's nose? Boys!

On to the entries!!

These coffee pops sound like the perfect mommy treat for summer (@ Yum Sugar)

I love this guide on what organic foods to splurge for (@ Cheap Healthy Good)

Here is another great tutorial for a fabric car organizer (@ Finny Knits)

These activities for things to do with dandelions sound like a blast (@ Let's Explore)

These make-ahead shakes sound delicious (@ Everyday Food Storage)

These felt needle holders are so sweet (@ One Crafty Mumma)

These mason jar lights are so beautiful (@ Design Sponge)

I love this birthday bunting tutorial (@ MilkMonkey)

This reminder to entertain at home was much needed- read the comments for meals on the fly (@ Like Merchant Ships)

These ideas for water balloon fun sounded like a blast (@ MommySecrets)

I want to try this lemonade recipe and I love her post on hospitality with littles this week (@ The Homespun Heart)

I love this idea to use craft foam in the bathtub (@ Plum Pudding)

I am going to have to try these potato packets on the grill (@ With All I've Been Given)

I want to try this beautiful baby blanket pattern (@ Frugal Upstate)

The kids and I are going to have to try to make this homemade butter (@ ohdeedoh)

This tutorial on joining fabric strips is amazing (@ laughing purple goldfish)

I am loving this idea for spray painting plates (@ A Soft Place to Land)

This camera strap is so cool (@ house on hill road)

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Notebook Experiments: Will Zoo Maps Keep My Child Busy?


Experiment: Can a few printed out zoo maps keep my child busy for an afternoon?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 06.19.08

Materials Needed: Please see Let's Explore for specific directions on how to complete this experiment. I printed out the zoo maps that Let's Explore had suggested along with maps from our own local zoos for my son to look at. I wished we had a color printer to print these out, but Ethan still was able to visualize where all the animals were in the zoo.

Results: I planned this activity the day after we went to the zoo so all of the exhibits were fresh in his mind. At first he copied the maps and used those as a template for his own map. I then asked him to make a map of his very own imaginary zoo and he filled this with the traditional zoo animals. I challenged him a little and asked where the dinosaur exhibit was and he looked at me like I had two heads, "Um, mom...dinosaurs are extincted." This is when I stressed that it was an imaginary zoo and he could fill it with whatever he wanted. That is when he really let loose on his map and created some interesting exhibits like a squid exhibit, a special T-Rex exhibit, and some animals that I can't even pronounce.

Just like our grocery store experiment, we also wrote the zoo words out and I had him practice on his writing. I am trying to encourage this as much as I can so he will have a great start to his first year at elementary school.

Once we completed this, I told Ethan that he could build a zoo out of the Little People sets that we had. He was very quiet for an hour while I worked and then told me that I could come downstairs. "Ticket please, ma'am." Every toy in the world was out and lined up for an exhibit. I applaud the effort, and silently cringed as I saw every toy bin dumped to build the masterpiece.

Conclusion: This was a wonderful activity to foster creativity, build our writing skills, and also kept my son relatively quiet for an afternoon. I did have some clean-up on my hands, but building a zoo can sometimes create a bit of a mess. Many thanks to Let's Explore for inspiring me as a parent!

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Happiness Is...An Office Without a Window

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A Peek at the Vegetable Garden

The tomatoes are starting to grow and I am seeing little green ones popping up everywhere. I can't wait to eat them!

The herbs are growing bigger and everything is doing really well except for the basil which did not survive the Indiana frost. I haven't replanted it yet, but am thankful for lots of flat leaf parsley and rosemary to add to my dishes this year!

The garden view from the patio. I did get some more mulch to freshen up the bed and keep the moisture in. I am loving having my garden so close to my house now so it makes it easier to water and maintain.

Here is what is happening in the gardening world:

The Ultimate Green Workout (@ WiseBread)
Keeping the Skills Alive (@ Simple Mom)
How to Service Your Reel Mower (@ Apartment Therapy)
Non-Toxic Mite Control That Works (@ Shelterrific)
Turn Your Patio or Balcony Into a Vegetable Garden (@ DIY Maven)
Find Grocery Savings in Your Own Backyard (@ Not Made of Money)
Making a Tomato Trellis (@ Stop the Ride)
Freedom Gardens- Grow Your Own Food (@ Nature Moms)

How are your gardens growing? Feel free to share a link in the comments- I love to see what everyone is up to in their backyards!

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Frugal Hacks & WSBT: Summer Fun & Steamy Confessions

Today on Frugal Hacks you can read my sordid confession on returning to the world of television. Here's hoping that you will still visit the site when you find out what I have done.

Today our summer activity list makes the cut for WSBT on our segment on, "Fun Summer Activities." Hat tip to Whatever again for this fabulous idea! You can get a closer look at what we have planned this summer and the frugal family ideas we came up with.

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Patio Renovation on a Budget

Longtime readers may remember that we were attempting to redo our backyard patio ourselves. Yeah, we have still been working on it up until this past weekend. Two solid days of back-breaking-cursing-ourselves-for-starting-something-so-stinking-hard-my-wife-won't-stop-
nagging-me-until-it's-done-work. Yeah, good times, good times. Don't you wish you were my spouse about now? Nope! Me either!

First, let's start with some before pictures and I will share some of our woes and dilemmas with redoing our space.


When we moved into our house, there was a giant tree that was right next to a bricked patio that had been there from the very first owner. That tiny beautiful tree turned into a giant enormous tree that began to uproot the patio, creating an unsafe spot to hang out and was horrible to entertain on.

We paid to have the tree removed and the stump ground. What we did not expect was the difficulty that we would have placing a new patio on this space because the stump was ground, but the roots were still there. And the roots? Yes, those roots were giant trees that were just as difficult to work around as the space. This giant pile of dirt was creating a damper on my outdoor entertaining and my kids loved playing in it...which created a ton of laundry for me.

We ripped out the entire patio except for the very beginning of it because it was all uneven, but many of the bricks were broken and crumbling so we were worried how big we could make our patio if we only had a few bricks to work with.

Lucky for us, Ryan's family renovated their patio and offered us their bricks so Ryan decided to make a design from their old brick and our old brick to equal a fabulous new patio. We loved the design, but the work was very tedious because the bricks were two different sizes. Basically, it made for difficult and unpleasant work BUT it was practically free except for the labor and the fresh sand.

Now I can tour my yard with a lot less embarrassment. Here was my solution for (with the help of my husband's hard labor) the giant dirt pile. The root system was axed as much as we could and we leveled the dirt and outlined it with some of our free brick. We covered the dirt with pebble and moved our fire pit to this area. Two chairs were purchased for $29.99 from the Martha Stewart line and two outdoor pillows for $12.99 each (also from the Martha Stewart line at K-Mart) to complete this look. These chairs are wicker, but can fold to be stored in our shed or can be easily moved to the dining area for extra seating. I picture a lot of time in the evenings with my husband in these chairs! Not pictured was a small glass table that I got for drink holding or as an extra spot to put a tray on when dining outside for twenty dollars.

Here is what the bricking looks like on the finished patio. The two bricks made a beautiful design with their different colors. I just love how it turned out and I know my husband is really proud too.
Please ignore the trash can in the corner- we are still cleaning up from all of the hard work. Here is our dining area which has been relocated to the side to create more room on the patio for playing and drawing with our chalk.

The patio set was already owned, but my cushions were showing their age. I did do a deep-cleaning on these and let them enjoy some time in the sun. I didn't want to spend all my money on cushions so I replaced the back cushions and will replace the bottom cushions next summer. These kept me on budget, but also freshened up the patio set.

Now the kids can play in this instead of the dirt pile. How refreshing! It will certainly save me some time on laundry, but not on floor sweeping.

And now I can nag my husband about moving these, which are leftover brick from our project. I am sure we can think of some things to do with these, but he asked me not to nag him for a few days until he can recover from this project.

That concludes our backyard tour- I can't wait to hear what you think!

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Monday, June 23, 2008

Redbox Code 06.23.08

Today's free code for a Redbox movie is 44KBV9. This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!

Side Notes:

- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.

- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, "Rent with Promo." Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.

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Cracking the McDonald's Coffee Code

Wow, my Boo to McDonald's post certainly received a lot of responses and I loved hearing how you all make your iced coffees. It gave me so many great ideas and so I decided to approach this in my traditional test kitchen fashion and try to crack the code. For all my hard work, I finally got a vanilla coffee I love and a lot of belly aches, constant shakes, and a little bit of time in the bathroom... BUT it was totally worth it!

Are you ready?

Here is my magical formula that gave me the best vanilla coffee without the chemical nastiness that McDonald's was giving me.

First up, I made my own coffee syrup. I used the coffee syrup recipe that I highlighted in my Get Your Java Fix from Slashfood. I used the recipe that they list for the Vanilla Bean, but substituted the bean with two tablespoons of vanilla extract. The two tablespoons number came from Ashley, a friendly McDonald's employee, who shared her secret for making the coffees at home. I stored the syrup in a mason jar and am keeping it in the fridge.

To make the coffee, I fill the cup with ice. Next fill your cup halfway with coffee (I used my Folger's Gourmet Vanilla Biscotti) and then almost halfway with milk. Top the coffee with two tablespoons of your homemade vanilla coffee syrup and then a splash of fat-free vanilla creamer (inexpensively purchased at Aldi or make your own).

With this combination, I did not need to add any extra sugar and it is just as sweet as McDonald's and just as tasty too! The splash of vanilla creamer gave it a richer taste, but the skim milk and fat-free creamer gave me a better calorie combination.

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Friday, June 20, 2008

Freebie Friday: June 20, 2008

A big thank you to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for helping us with our freebies today. Heather has been sharing how she scores items for free and has included links to the coupons and deals she took advantage of. Be sure to read her piece on Wal-Mart's coupon policy!


Health & Beauty
Tena Serenity (Walmart sample)
BornFree Bottles (for babies born on Father's Day)
Reach Access Flosser

Food

Multigrain Cheerios (Walmart sample)
Vocalpoint (P&G's free sampling program)

Entertainment

Disney's Monsters Inc. - this week's free movie (ends on Friday evening)

Pets

Pup-Peroni (Walmart sample)

Mark Your Calendars

Summer - SunnyD Road Trip is stopping at Walmart stores this summer
June - Ocean Spray 100% Juice Cranberry and Blueberry sampling at select Walmart stores
June - MaxFactor Lash Lights Tour from 10am to 4pm get a free mini makeover

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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Amy's Notebook 06.19.08

This pattern for a bath puffy is so cute (@ t does wool)

I want to try using some of these awesome play dough tips (@ Organizing Connection)

These BBQ Beef Sandwiches look delicious (@ Simply Recipes)

I loved this list of ways you can help the flood victims (@ The Simple Dollar

I love everything about this summer birthday party theme- the recipes are linked here (@ ToddleBits)

Creating a you are special day for your kids is such a cool idea (@ Chocolate on My Cranium)

These fun sponges would be a great activity to make and play with outside (@ betz white)

I want to try this cake mix with Sprite in it (@ Bakerella)

We are going to have to have a toasty fire pit night for the family (@ Make & Takes)

I think playing with and learning about maps might be a fun activity for my son to do (@ Let's Explore)

I adore this idea rolodex and have a zillion ideas to fill one up already (@ blah blah blog)

I want to try making this dishcloth pattern (@ homespun living)

I am loving the frugal food series and love the zillion things to do with eggs (@ Frugal Upstate)

I love this reminder to get rid of my clutter- a commitment for me this year (@ Small Notebook)

********************************

Where else am I this week?

WSBT: Finding a Frugal Hobby
Blissfully Domestic: Chore Charts for Tweens
Frugal Hacks: Beach & Fun in the Sun Reads
Kenmore: Throw An Asian Inspired BBQ

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Notebook Experiments: Can I Knit Something Other Than a Scarf?

Experiment: Can I actually knit something other than a scarf?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 05.15.08

Materials Needed: Please see The Purl Bee for specific directions on how to complete this experiment. I completed the pattern for the Stockinette Washcloths to give as gifts to friends and family. Instead of the yarn that was recommended, I purchased some Sugar 'N Cream cotton yarn, in various colors. One ball of yarn will make about two washcloths. I picked size 9 needles and did 35 stitches on each pattern, no matter what the directions said, so I wouldn't have to buy new needles.

Results: I am really trying to expand my knitting skills and didn't want to get stuck in a scarf rut. These washcloths were great for practicing patterns and stitches, without being committed to a large project. I did find the seed stitch border to be a bit tedious, but with each washcloth, I got a little better and a little faster.

I did look on the internet and tried other patterns for washcloths too. I made this simple beginner dishcloth pattern and this "learn to purl" dishcloth. Of all of the patterns, the one from The Purl Bee was the hardest, but had the prettiest results.

I also got bored and started alternating the patterns... and sometimes I alternated the patterns because I forget to turn it. I actually thought this added a little something special to them so I didn't try and take out the stitches.

Conclusion: I CAN make something other than scarves and it helped me become more familiar with how to read a pattern. These were a great beginner project and are going to make some lovely hostess and birthday gifts for family & friends. Thanks to The Purl Bee for sharing this amazing pattern!

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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Happiness Is... Playing In the Green Grass

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

When we moved into our house, one of the things that I really wanted to change about our house was the landscaping. There were, however, many more pressing concerns though that required our funds and attention- a leaking roof, a monstrosity of an air-conditioner, cosmetic updating that made the space more livable. All of these repairs have trumped the landscaping funds for now and we have been doing things little by little in our yard.

One of the things I have disliked the most though has been one of our side beds. It is filled to the brim with giant ferns. The ferns are enormous and I have to mow through them to cut the grass. I don't find them all that attractive and they keep popping up in my other beds. Each year I have vowed that I am going to rip them out, but my efforts usually end up on other things and I forget about it...until the ferns pop up the next year.

When we had the original owner out to our house last summer, she commented how pleased she was to see those ferns there. They came from her father's lake cottage and she brought some back each time she went. Her eyes were misty as she told me how happy she was to see each of those ferns there and she shared with me her happy memories of planting them and the summers with her dad. I began to see the ferns in a different light than I had before. To her, they were a thing of beauty and held wonderful memories of her family's summers.

Last night I brought bunches of them in and started putting them in recycled single-size coffee jugs. They looked so pretty all fanned out that I started putting them in each room, adding a touch of green here and there. I marveled at how beautiful they were and how they added that little bit of life I needed to my living space.

Frugality is a lot like that though, isn't it? Sometimes it takes seeing all that you have through another pair of eyes to appreciate all of the bounty you already possess. My yard was filled to the brim with vases of green and all I had to do was pick it from my own backyard. Yet, each year I grumbled about mowing around them, shaking my fist as more ferns popped up.

Sometimes it just takes someone else pointing out the beauty for you to appreciate the ordinary.

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Monday, June 16, 2008

Redbox Code 06.16.08

Today's free code for a Redbox movie is S8U5N2. This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!

Side Notes:

- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.

- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, "Rent with Promo." Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.

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Fruity Play Dough


Each day we have been enjoying something off of Ethan's summertime list. One of the things that he wanted to do was to make play dough so I found a really great recipe that I thought would work perfectly and keep our kitchen nice and cool. This recipe requires no cooking, which is a bonus on a hot summer day, and uses Kool-Aid mixes to make your colors.


I made a batch in each of the kid's favorite colors and was suprised how quickly and easily this dough came together. In about five minutes, the dough was ready to go for little hands to enjoy.

Boy, did they enjoy this! I put out my biscuit cutter, plastic forks and knives, cookie cutters, and a giant rolling pin- all items courtesy of my kitchen! The kids played in this for over an hour and then I stored the batches in plastic containers.

This dough stays nice and soft and the smell is delicious... which is very confusing for a two year-old. Emily found out the hard way that it didn't taste as good as it smelled, but it only took one taste to find that out.

Fruity Play Dough (courtesy of Recipezaar.com)

1 cup flour
1 package Kool-AidKool-Aid (any flavor)
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup boiling water (the original recipe called for one cup of boiling water, but I found it made the dough too loose- aim for 3/4 cup and add more if needed)

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl then oil, then pour boiling water in and mix thoroughly. Wrap in cellophane or air tight container and store in fridge. The play dough should last a few months.

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Saturday, June 14, 2008

Another Fast Father's Day Gift


Both of the dads in my life have birthdays around the same time as Father's Day so I ended up doing a combination gift this year to show how much we appreciate them.

Tucked in with a stack of my special music (made just for dad), I included a card for each of them. I used some of our tickets from our giant ticket roll and decorated the outside of the card with them. Inside is a gift certificate for Netflix for two months.

I used the same gift as a graduation gift for a family member so this would make an excellent gift for a college graduate too!

This gift can be as affordable or as expensive as you would want to make it. They offer so many different types of plans and you can pick the plan that fits your budget best. I would love a summer of free movies so I hope they will enjoy this as much as I would!

Happy Father's Day, Dads!

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Friday, June 13, 2008

Where Else You Might Find Me?

This week, you can find me on Frugal Hacks discussing ways that you can begin connecting with others.

I also contributed a new article to Michiana Family Magazine with tips for surviving the grocery hike. The June issue is on newsstands everywhere so be sure to grab your copy! Betsy does an amazing job with this magazine and there are lots of great articles this month.

Blissfully Domestic has my, "We Need to Work on Our Letters" posted on their site. There are tons of great comments, sharing tips and websites that have helped parents build their children's reading skills. Don't miss it!

Kenmore has put all of their experts together for a piece on how to throw an Asian-inspired BBQ for the Olympics this year. I shared some fun ideas for crafts and activities to get the kids involved as well as thrifty tips for maximizing those leftovers for your get together. This one was a ton of work and research so I hope that you will check it out and that it will add a little inspiration to your outdoor entertaining! Next month, we will be sharing tips for family vacations so I will be sure to share when that article is posted! You can view all my articles here and I will continue updating you when new things get added to the site or you can subscribe to their newsletter to get the tips delivered directly to your email.

I took a little break from my WSBT segments because my kids were sick, but the crew came out this week and we filmed seven more segments for the summer months ahead. I am looking forward to sharing more frugal mom tips with all of you!

In case you missed it, be sure to check out my interview over at Blog Coach. I just want to thank you for all of the sweet comments and another thank you to Angie for asking me to do her first interview. What an honor!

PHEW! That's it this week, folks!

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Freebie Friday: June 13, 2008

A big thank you to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for helping us with our freebies today. Heather has a great piece on how to save on your prescription drug medications and tells you where you can get those free prescription drugs. If you have any other places you have found for affordable medications, please be sure to leave her a comment!!

Health & Beauty
Food

Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - look for "Try Me Free", try page 2 to request free sample
Entertainment

Disney's Finding Nemo - this week's free movie
Mark Your Calendars

Summer - SunnyD Road Trip is stopping at Walmarts this summer
June - MaxFactor Lash Lights Tour from 10am to 4pm get a free mini makeover
June 13 - Free Hot Dog on a Stick 5pm to 8pm
June 16 - Free Small Root Beer Float at A&W from 2pm to 8pm

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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Fast Father's Day Gift!

Did you wait until the last minute on getting your dad/husband a gift? Don't worry! I have a fast solution that is fun and cheap!

First, pick out some pictures that you truly love of your children and plop them somewhere on your computer where you will be able to find them (Flickr users can link directly through their account to their pictures)

Now that you have your pictures, it is time to get creative with them. Go to Big Huge Labs and choose the CD Cover link (or you can just click directly through here).



This is where I got a little confused so I will try and make it easier by explaining what I did. After you have uploaded your photo and typed in your message, it will take a few seconds and then produce the image. That image is not the size you need, but don't worry! Right click the image and COPY the image. Now open a blank Word document and right click to PASTE the image.

Next, you will need to resize your image. Right click your image again and click SIZE. Change the width on the image to 8.2" and hit enter.

When you see your image, it might look like it doesn't fit- don't worry! It is the perfect size for your compact disc. Print it out (either in black and white or in color) and then cut it out, being careful to cut off those dotted lines so it makes it nice and clean looking. Fold the side flaps, bottom flap, and then the top flap.

You will, of course, need to slip some rocking music in for your dad, but that will be the fun part! I am trying to introduce my dads to some new music, while still staying within their genres and tastes. I find it a challenge to introduce people to music that they haven't heard of before, and it makes me so happy when I can discover a new favorite for someone.


I am giving the dad's in our life a fun mix of my music and some homemade cookies! Not only is it frugal, but I hope it is a thoughtful gift too!
Happy Father's Day, Dads!

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Notebook Experiments: Are Homemade Bubbles Better?

Experiment: Can homemade bubbles trump our dollar store variety?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 05.29.08

Materials Needed: Please see Sparkle Power for specific directions on how to complete this experiment. I was able to find the glycerin behind the pharmacist counter at Super Target. The container of glycerin was $2.69 for four ounces. I also mixed my bubble solution up in an old milk jug (inspired by Frugal Dad's uses for milk jugs) which made it easier to pour and store our homemade bubble solution. The bubble wands were found at the Dollar Spot at Target.

Results: Is it just me or are the dollar store bubbles horrible? My son is able to blow bubbles with these, but my daughter really got frustrated because she couldn't seem to blow any bubbles before her wand would need to be dipped again.

I was really excited to try this recipe for bubbles and couldn't wait to mix up a batch of these for the kids.

I followed Candace's suggestions and actually mixed these up the night before so the ingredients had plenty of time to incorporate. I had some pink dish soap in my pantry so I used that- your bubbles will be whatever color of dish soap you choose.

The next night, we spent an entire evening blowing bubbles and everyone had to take a turn waving the wands through the air to make the giant bubbles. These bubbles were so amazing that our neighbors came over to ask where we had gotten the bubbles from. I couldn't wait to share the recipe with them and pass it on! After seeing our bubble pictures, my mother-in-law is even going to make some of these for her own house so the kids can blow these bubbles over there too.

Conclusion: Homemade bubbles rocked the socks off of the dollar store bubbles. Thanks to Sparkle Power for such a fun recipe. I will never buy those bubbles again and I hope it is a recipe that we can pass down through generations!

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Amy's Notebook 06.12.08


These are some great ideas for teacher gifts for next year (hat tip to Parent Hacks, @ Midwest Mom)

I want to make this chalk paint with the kids (@ The Library Collective)

I want to try these pies in a jar (@ not martha)

This homemade no-bake cheesecake sounds delicious (@ Everyday Food Storage & Preparedness)

I love these ideas for things to do with your kids before they grow up (@ mommysecrets)

This cheese bread looks so yummy (@ Scribbit)

I really like these dishtowel crafts (@ Tip Nut)

Now this is the way to celebrate National Donut Day (@ Skip to My Lou)

The first adult sweater I have ever wanted to knit is finally here (@ Flint Knits)

These homemade dishtowels are so cute (@ Motherhood for Dummies)

I love this Father's Day project (@ Havin' Fun Yet?)

These boo boo bags would be another great teacher appreciation gift (@ Crafty Daisies)

The cutest embroidery pattern ever (@ Pimp Stitch)

These little travel suitcases would be great for the kids (@ Blue Yonder)

I need to make some strawberry shortcake this summer (@ Posie Gets Cozy)

A busy day activity with cornstarch and water (@ Pepper Paints)

This round-up of marinades looks great for all our summer grilling (@ Cheap Healthy Good)

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Interview At Blog Coach

Angie, the brilliant inventor of Baby Cheapskate and Freepeats, is now venturing into another blog territory... helping bloggers blog just a little bit better! Blog Coach shares tips for blogging and is featuring some interviews with some really great bloggers.

I am so honored because Angie interviewed me for her site! My interview can be found here and I share some ideas and tips that I learned while working on our blogs. You know, the stuff that I wished someone would have explained to me when I ventured out into the blog trenches. I hope that it will be beneficial to someone out there.

Here are a few other entries that might be helpful to beginning bloggers:

Five Commandments for Blogging

The Player Scores... And Silence

How Do I Track My Traffic?

Gaining a Readership (The Frugal Way)

How Do I Work From Home?

Thanks you to Angie for featuring me and I look forward to learning more on blogging through her new site!

In the beginning, my biggest blogging challenge was what to even write about. What has been your biggest blogging hurdle?

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Happiness Is... Blowing Bubbles

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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Summertime Planning

I was really inspired by Whatever's summer list and vowed that we were going to do that this summer for our family. We headed over to the Dollar Tree and picked up a piece of poster board for $.50 and a fresh new Sharpie marker for $1. On the way home, we talked about all of the things that we wanted to do this summer and we both got really excited about all of our fun plans.

Ethan made the list with us and this is what we came up with:

Go to the beach (St Joe and/or New Buffalo)
Go to the dinosaur museum (the Field Museum)
Play Mario Kart with mommy
Make homemade slushies
Run through the sprinklers
Go to the zoo (Ft Wayne and/or Potowatomi Zoo)
Go to playgroup(s)
Go to VBS
Go to the dollar movie
Sleepover with our cousin
Have an Earth Hour family night
Make homemade pizza
Eat at the food court at the mall
Make homemade play dough
Go to St Louis
Go to Granny's house to play
Make Magic Milkshakes
Go to Grandma's house to play
Go to the park
Get our first library card
Go to the water park
Make banana pops
Wash the cars with daddy
Get out the rainy day suitcase
Watch the Car's movie and eat Jimmy John's
Have an ice cream sundae night
Buy presents for the homeless shelter and deliver them
Go to Krispy Kreme and watch them make donuts
Have a picnic in the backyard
Go to the AirZoo Museum

Ethan drew a picture of his family in the summertime to go along with our list and we hung it in our kitchen for the summer.

I love that the majority of the activities he picked didn't cost money and that the ones that he did pick that cost something could be special things that we could look forward to together. Since we have no big vacation plans, this looks like a really great round-up of activities to keep us busy this summer.

It is kind of funny though... I think my husband & I are just as excited as he is!

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More Coffee Talk

It has been awhile since I had been to Sam's Club, but after all the adventures in bread making that I had been doing, I had run out of a key ingredient for cooking... all-purpose flour.

I don't know what it is about going to Sam's Club, but it is like I have to give myself a pep talk for an entire week that I am going there. I think it is because it is so big and the lines are so long and walking the place takes so much time, but maybe that is just me? Usually I choose the Click 'N Pull option, but our Sam's is under construction so I thought it would be easier if I just ran in and got the stuff myself.

I usually run in and run right back out and rarely do I browse because, frankly, I end up spending money we don't have. As I was making my beeline towards the flour, this shiny bag caught my eye and I was doing a little happy dance in the aisle.

Sam's Club is carrying my FAVORITE coffee in the whole wide world- Folger's Gourmet Vanilla Biscotti. I have been highly addicted to this coffee since the company sent me some samples to review and that, my friends, is why Freebie Friday might not really be free. I can't tell you how many "free" things I have gotten suckered into buying and this coffee is no exception.

This is a killer deal though, $10.88 for two pounds of coffee! Don't forget, Sam's also carries Dunkin' Donuts for cheap too!

What have you received for "free" that you are now hooked on? Tell me I am not the only one getting sucked in by free samples!

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Monday, June 09, 2008

Redbox Code 06.09.08

Today's free code for a Redbox movie is 6TK2A3. This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!

Side Notes:

- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.

- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, "Rent with Promo." Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.

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Just a few other quick things that I have added to our site this weekend!

Product Reviews:

Braincandy Products
SmartShield Products
Nalgene BPA-Free Sippy Cups
LeapFrog's TAG Reading System
Mario Kart Wii Game

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Boo To McDonald's

I feel like there should be some scary 48 Hours Mystery music playing in the background or that this picture should do some eerie fade effect or that I just grow wider and wider. I just found out that my McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffees are made with WHOLE MILK. I only have one word to say to this...WHY?

This picture was taken after I went for a run. Yes, these were my little treats to myself after working out at the gym or doing something amazing like going for a run around the neighborhood in ninety degree weather (which I did this weekend and almost died). Little did I know that I was gulping all of the calories back into my body.

I discovered this after I had went to the gym one morning. Sweaty from a really good workout, I pulled up to the drive-thru and asked for the usual, but this time I asked the one question that I did not want to ask.

"Um, ma'am, can you tell me...is that coffee made with nonfat milk?"

"No."

"Um, well, could you make it with some nonfat milk?"

"No."

"Well, is it made with two percent milk?"

"No. It's made with whole milk."

"(teeny tiny voice) Can you change that to a medium please?"

What the hay? I love these coffees and they are so inexpensive, but I do not need to be gulping whole milk throughout the day. I am not on a diet, but I prefer not to ingest 11 grams of fat (according to McDonald's website) in one sitting.

Oh, and here are the ingredients that they have listed:

Premium Roast Coffee. Light Cream: Milk, cream, sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, DATEM, sodium stearoyl lactylate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, carrageenan. CONTAINS: MILK. Vanilla Syrup: Sugar, water, fructose, natural (plant source) and artificial flavor, caramel color (with sulfites), potassium sorbate (preservative), citric acid, malic acid. Ice.

Hmm? Sounds like a chem lab in my stomach!

Now I am going to figure out how to replicate this. After all, if I can crack the code on Starbuck's Peppermint Mochas, these McDonald's iced coffees should be a walk in the park.

Do you guys have some suggestions for making the perfect iced coffees? Any tips to share before I try to replicate my coffee experience with some good old-fashioned nonfat milk?

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My Little Treat

I can't help it! I have wanted these shoes ever since I read Emily's entry to her husband and now they are mine, all mine! I grumbled an excuse to my husband that Ethan & I had to run to Payless Shoes, after our church service, to get Ethan some sandals. As we marched into the store, I tapped my shoe on the floor waiting impatiently for Ethan to make a decision. After trying on a zillion pairs of shoes, he finally settled on the perfect pair and ran up and down the aisles as I searched the boxes for the pair of shoes that I had been dreaming of.


One pair left in my size, I clutched the box to my heart and practically kissed the $16.99 tag that was hanging off the side of the box. Yeah, it was a love like that.

The girl gushed over the shoes and said she had women coming in with pictures of these shoes asking for them, but they only had a couple of pairs left. And one of them walked out with me.

I had a hard time walking out with just one pair and my son (the perfect little boy he is) kept telling me, "Oh, mommy! You have to get those shoes! Those are perfect!" And then I would blink my long lashes and say, "Can you tell Daddy that when we get home?" After clutching four boxes, I returned three of them back to their spots. Aren't you proud? You know me and shoes- it was tough!

Alas, we left with one lone pair, but all of the rest of those sweet summer prints will just have to be in my heart for now...or until the next BOGO sale!

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Friday, June 06, 2008

Freebie Friday: June 6, 2008

A big thank you to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for helping us with our freebies today. Swing by and check out her new site design- it looks amazing! While you are there, be sure to get some coupons for your next grocery day- she has some really wonderful ones posted!

Don't forget that today is Free Donut Day at Krispy Kreme! Enjoy a free donut of your choice today with the kids! Happy Freebie Friday, everyone!


Health & Beauty

Food

Attune Probiotic Bars (100 free coupons given out daily)
Fruitabu Smooshed Fruit

Entertainment

Rcrd Lbl - they only list free music downloads

Home & Garden

Mark Your Calendars

June - MaxFactor Lash Lights Tour from 10am to 4pm get a free mini makeover
June 7 - Free Ice Cream at Friendly's 12pm to 5pm
June 7 - The Home Depot Kids Workshop - make a Catamaran from 9 to noon
June 16 - Free Small Root Beer Float at A&W from 2pm to 8pm

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Thursday, June 05, 2008

Notebook Experiments: Blueberry Muffins & Loving Your Neighbors



Experiment: Can blueberry muffins help score us some new friends?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 03.27.08

Materials Needed: Please see little momma & company for specific directions on how to complete this experiment. I did add a little special ingredient of my own this time to the mix and that was some freshly grated lemon zest and one squeeze of a lemon into the batter. It just added a little hint of something in the background, but didn't overpower that yummy blueberry taste! This ingredient is completely optional, but added a very fresh flavor to our muffins.

Results: I have been very inspired by Monica, at The Homespun Heart, and her wonderful intentions of being thoughtful and kind to their neighbors. When our new neighbors moved in next door, we wanted to welcome them in the kind of way that we would hope that we would have been welcomed into the neighborhood. What says welcome better than a big batch of blueberry muffins?

While I baked muffins, Ethan worked very carefully on a card for the new family. It had a picture of their house on the front and then a picture of our house inside. He invited them to "come over to our house sometime," which was so sweet and sincere that sometimes I can't help but kiss him.

He helped me make the surprise delivery and he was as proud as he could be! It was a great moment for both of us and a wonderful way to teach him how to share in some good old-fashioned hospitality.

Conclusion: The neighbors were so touched by our gesture, which made me very happy! It also was a fun thing for Ethan and I to do this project together.

I would have to say that this concluded another fabulous notebook experiment! I am hoping that I have started a movement of neighborly love- check out Keeping the Kingdom First and how they shared their love with their neighbors after reading my little tweets about my baking day. Her daughter is older and she was able to keep her occupied with this task and hopefully she has sealed herself a brand new friendship.

In this high-tech day and age, I was wondering if you know your neighbors? What kind of a relationship do you have with the people on your street? This is something I am trying to work on, but I find it can be very difficult to connect with others because everyone is so busy. How do you make those connections?

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Amy's Notebook 06.05.08

This list of kid-friendly sites is incredible (@ Rocks in My Dryer)

These little traveling felt boards are too cute (@ Plum Pudding)

I love this acorn travel yarn holder (@ Craftzine)

I am loving this summer list (@ whatever)

These reversible headbands would really dress up my summer wardrobe (@ the long thread)

When I try my hand at embroidery, I want to try this Little Dutch Girl pattern (@ Badbirds)

These cupcake bath fizzies are the cutest things ever (@ Diary of a Crafty Chica)

This photo type case is stunning (@ A)

I want to try this recipe for grilled summer vegetables (@ Serious Eats)

These strawberry lemonade bars would be great for all the cookouts I go to or these vanilla cupcakes would make a sweet treat for myself (@ Baking Bites)

I love this knitted bunting pattern (hat tip to Craftzine @ Green Mountain Mama)

I am going to have to try these ice cream cupcakes (@ Joy the Baker)

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Still Ridding My Life Of Clutter

I am continuing my commitment towards reducing the clutter in our house and we made another trip this week to take a trunk full of randomness out of our life. The stuff that we got rid of was mostly Emily's clothing that was too small, some household decorations that were gathering dust, my old set of pots, and books that were overflowing in my bookshelf.

Did you see anything of Ethan's on this list? Nope! As we pulled up to the drop-off box, he watched me silently as I loaded everything into the Goodwill box and said good riddance to the stuff we did not need.

When I climbed back in the car, he continued in this silence until we pulled up to the grocery store...and then he burst into tears.

"Mommy, why did you get rid of Emily's hat?"

"Ethan, that hat didn't fit your sister. She is getting too big and so we needed to get rid of these things that were too small."

"But, mommy, why did you get rid of those special lids?"

"Ethan, those lids went to the old pots that mommy had. Remember, mommy got new ones for Mother's Day and now we don't need those anymore."

Each item, he had noted as I put them in there. Honestly, I never thought that it would be an issue because none of the items were his, but he seemed to take my war on clutter very personally.

Over dinner, I shared with my husband about Ethan's unexpected tears and how I never thought he would cry over the stuff like that. Ryan went into a deep explanation with Ethan about how we wouldn't be able to walk in our house if we didn't get rid of things and how he couldn't play in a house that had stuff piled up. And then he said the funniest thing ever...

"Mommy, what you need is Space Bags. They will smash your stuff into little piles and then you won't have to give my stuff away. You just need a vacuum hose, to suck out the air, and then you can fit up to four sweaters in one bag and slide them under the bed."

That is when I knew that we made the right decision. I also vowed to switch to as much commercial-free television as I could.

In all seriousness though, do you find that your children help contribute to the clutter because they are attached to things? Do you declutter in secret or do you let your kids know when you are getting rid of stuff?

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Happiness Is... Time & Space to Bake

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008

The Player Scores...& Silence

It is the last thirty seconds of the basketball game and the teams are tied. The star player moves down the court gracefully, dodging player after player, his eye on the prize. He dances around them as he dribbles, and, as the seconds slip by him, he makes a beeline towards the basket. The crowd begins to count down loudly, "Ten, nine, eight..." And just before the last second, he slams the ball into the basket. And the crowd sits silent.

Wait? What? Why would the crowd not cheer? This is the moment, the moment that he has worked towards and yet, you could hear a pin drop. How do you think that player feels?

Well, I have been that blogger a lot and it really stinks. To be honest, you have to really love the process and therapy that comes with your writing to endure the dead silence that you receive when you first start blogging.

Let's take that player that we talked about, for instance, and how he would have felt if the crowd went wild instead of went silent. As someone who has done theater for years, I can tell you that there is absolutely nothing like the adrenaline rush that you feel from the crowd cheering. Your heart starts to pump, your face flushes, you get that natural high from the praise, and then something really great happens...you want to do it again. That praise, that rush, that love that you feel from the people around you motivates you and you feed off of it. Suddenly, you picture yourself doing it over and over again, but each time you vow that it is going to be better next time.

For me, the process of writing these entries can be very labor-intensive. Sixty shots of whatever I am eating before I get to eat it, reading books and magazines to stay on top of new subjects that might strike our fancy, researching and sharing about other blogs, and just plain working my butt off. Some of my entries take very little thought and others are put out there after hours of careful thought and research. What stinks is when you put it out there and receive no comments on all of that effort.

What can bring a blogger comfort when they receive no comments and what can you do to get more comments to come your way? Let's chat about it!

Take Comfort In Your Stats- Remember how we talked about tracking your site/blog's traffic? Well, sometimes you can take comfort in those numbers even if your comments are in the single digits. What brought me a lot of comfort in the beginning was knowing that fifty people visited my blog even if only four people commented on an entry. Just knowing that someone is out there reading your stuff can provide a lot of comfort.

Ask Advice- If you are blogging about a particular subject all of the time, it can become less interactive with your readers. Sometimes throwing a post out there and asking your reader's take on a particular subject can bring in a lot of comments. It can be something as simple as, where do you find the best grocery prices, but if the readers can help it can become a great role-reversal and will give you more discussion than a post on here is where *I* think you should grocery shop.

Make Yourself Vulnerable- Oh, I know this is a tough one, but this can be a great way to show readers the real side of yourself. This one has been a tough one for me because I am striving to be a positive person and sometimes things in my life don't feel so positive. Expressing some vulnerability and showing the real sides of our family makes that connection with your readers a little deeper. Be careful when being vulnerable though and protect your family and your privacy as best you can when sharing in this format.

Be the Commenter- If you are not getting comments, then be the commenter. When I say this, I mean it in two different ways. If you receive a comment in your own entry, comment back to that person. "Thanks so much, Jane, for your comment! Using powdered milk IS a great way to save on groceries- I will try that!" This not only boosts your comments by one (and yes, in the beginning stages you can count that!) and it also builds a conversation with your readers. They see that you are reading their comments and that makes them want to continue the discussion with you. Better yet, another person might want to throw their two cents in now that they see that you are learning something and sharing in this way. Not everyone comes back to read the comment thread, but sometimes I read comment threads just because it seems busy. If you answer your comments, that boosts people's interest in wanting to see what all the fuss is about. See, you just roped your readers in!

The other way is to, of course, spend time commenting on other people's blogs. This can be a very time-consuming process in the beginning, but it is so fun to read what other people are writing and it will help you with your own content. Be sincere in your comments and the other blogger will want to see who this amazingly thoughtful person is! They will visit your blog and then who knows where that one comment will lead?

Highlight Your Old Stuff- Maybe you put out a killer entry the first time around and not a single soul commented on it, but you knew it was sheer brilliance. What to do? Bring that old entry back! I have seen bloggers do great round-ups of their old entries daily, weekly, or monthly... it just depends on how much content you have to work with. We do a weekly recap on Fridays, but in the beginning I did a, "Play It Again, Momma" where I would just bring back a single entry that I wished someone read. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

Here is what I will say, no matter how big of a blogger you are, those comments really mean something. I read every single comment that comes through my blog and I am so proud if someone tells me they appreciated something I did or said. I gloat so much that sometimes I save them and read them to my husband when he gets home. "Look, this person said that my line drying article saved them $20 this month on their bill. Isn't that awesome?"

I try not to take the silence personally, but sometimes it is hard. Remember that a thoughtful comment can make a blogger stronger and give them that crazy rush they need to press on.

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Monday, June 02, 2008

Redbox Code 06.02.08

Today's free code for a Redbox movie is D77FY8. This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!

Side Notes:

- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.

- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, "Rent with Promo." Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.

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Beer Poached Italian Brats

Last week we decided to dine on Italian Brats cooked on our grill. To be honest, the only kind I have ever had were prepared by someone else or were the pre-cooked variety that you find next to the hot dogs.

I had a lot of beer leftover from my Retro Housewife Bunco night though and thought why not poach the brats in some beer before we threw them on the grill?

They turned out delicious! I used this recipe (scaled down for 1 pound of brats and minus the onion because of personal preference) and served these with some tortilla chips and carrot sticks.

I took advantage of the Memorial Day cookout sales that were going on at the store and stocked the freezer with some yummy goodies to throw on the grill this summer. These brats were on sale for $2.50 per pound, which made them both economical and a delicious choice for summer.

Sound Off: What is your favorite grilling recipe for the summer? I am looking for some suggestions to add to our mix this summer!

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Sunday, June 01, 2008

Gorgeously Green: Green Your Personal Care

We are ready to tackle the second chapter in the Gorgeously Green book for discussion. In the first chapter, we discussed setting an intention towards doing the right thing and today we will discuss greening our personal care items.

I honestly wish that this was not the second chapter in the book and I hope that I won't scare anyone off from this discussion. I think it would have been great to work our way up to personal care, but I know that this is an important topic that needs addressing.

Are all of my personal care items green? No. I am very interested in heading more towards this direction though so I want to share with you some of the tips from the book and from other bloggers on how to begin greening your personal care routine.

There are seven deadly sins and seven ingredients that consumers should be on high alert for, according to the Environmental Working Group. Here are the ingredients that you do not want in your personal care products.

1. Coal tar- used in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams
2. Fragrance- This word is used to mask hundreds of ingredients, including phthalates
3. Hydroquinone- Fund in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers
4. Aluminum- Often used in eye shadow as a color additive and used in deodorants
5. Triclosan- Used in antibacterial products including soap, toothpaste, and cosmetics
6. P-Phenylenediamine- Found in hair dye
7. Lead & Mercury- Lead can appear in toothpaste. Mercury is found in a cosmetic perservative called thimerosol.

To check the products that you already have, you can check the Cosmetic Safety Database and perform a search by product, ingredient, or even company.

The author suggests chucking out any products with those seven ingredients listed and just using up the rest of the stuff you have and making wiser choices the next time you buy products. You can download a handy cheat sheet to help you on your next trip to the drugstore. Print this out and keep it in your purse!

What are some alternatives and green choices you can make towards your beauty regime? The author lists some online resources for buying green cosmetics, but I prefer to take a more frugal approach towards this category.

1. DIY Beauty- I love to make my own beauty products because it saves me money and also happens to be more environmentally friendly. I have listed the recipes that I use here and would highly recommend trying some of these. Want to give an environmentally-friendly and fun gift? DIY Beauty can be shared with others too. I am planning to put together some sugar scrubs to give as gifts for birthdays this year.
2. Replace Facial Cleansers With Oil-I have been thinking of replacing my facial cleaners with the oil cleansing method. I have been reading other bloggers who are trying the same thing and it makes sense to me. I have extremely dry skin, fragrances and chemicals easily irritate me, and I would love to take a more natural approach towards caring for my skin.
3. Go Shampoo Free- This is something else I find quite fascinating and have read a lot about. I actually have wavy hair and read "Curly Girl," (which I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone with curly hair) and it had suggested only shampooing once a week. This blog entry will explain how to transition towards going shampoo-free, a very interesting idea indeed! That would certainly help save you some money and I have heard that it really helps with the greasy hair syndrome.
4. Epsom Salts- These are AMAZING and can be found at all of the dollar stores. I use Epsom Salts for everything and I also mix up my bath salts to give as gifts. You can mix these with a few drops of lavender essential oil and it makes the most soothing bath ever. I also use these to soak my feet in. What you might not know about these is that they stimulate serotonin which helps to elevate your moods. and that a soak in these can also lower your blood pressure, alleviate headaches, and flush toxins from your body. All that for a dollar a box- you can't beat it!
5. Feminine Products- I switched to the Diva Cup (bought new in the box off of eBay) and it is fabulous and has replaced this category altogether. I would highly recommend this product or their Luna Pads to replace your feminine products.
6. Deodorant- I can't picture getting rid of this. Sorry! The author recommends Dr. Hauschka's Roll On as a great substitution ($19.95). She mentioned that she had tried the crystal and it did not work for her.
7. Shorter Showers- Well, if you aren't shampooing your hair or washing your face, you might as well take a shorter shower. Crunchy Domestic Goddess is posing a five minute shower challenge to help conserve water. Check it out!
8. Green Your Baby- Make sure to check this Parent's Buying Guide for information caring for your little ones and how to chose safe products for them. You can also check out our article on cloth diapering your little one to help green your routine a little more!

Sound Off: What are some green choice you have made towards your personal care items? Any products or recipes you could recommend?

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