Saturday's Giveaways!

Here are a few more giveaways I entered this week.  I know it's not many, but as I'm sure you can tell with my lack of posting this week, I have been busy!


Mom Daughter Style is giving away Pambra's Oringinal Bra Liners to (2) winners-Ends 8/14

Mom Daughter Style is giving away Prefense Hand Sanitizer-Ends 8/14

Kiddies Corner Deals is giving away a $100 Visa Gift Cad from www.fritolay.com -Ends 8/8

Kiddies Corner Deals is giving away a pair of Umi Shoes from www.umishoes.com -Ends 8/11

Kiddies Corner Deals is giving away a top form www.downeastbasics.com -Ends 8/14

Family Friendly Frugality is giving away Oreo Ultimate Icing and Hershey S'mores Dessert Icing Pack-Ends 8/7

Surviving A Teacher's Salary is giving away a Teacher's Helper Tote from The Unusual Basket-Ends 8/19

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday's Giveaways!

Here are some of the great giveaways I have been entering this week.  Keep in mind that each one has a mandatory entry, but none are that you have to be a follower or a blogger to win!  I try to never put up a giveaway that you have to follow or be a blogger to enter and win!!!  So hop on over and start entering and making my chance of winning go down;)


Leslie Loves Veggies is giving away a $24.99 Piggy Paint Gift Set of Winner's Choice-Ends 7/26


Leslie Loves Veggies is giving away a Remington Smooth & Silky Rechargeable Wet/Dry Shaver-Ends 7/29


Leslie Loves Veggies is giving away The Orighinal Bra Liner to (3) Winners-Ends 8/2


Shining 2 Save is giving away a $25 Walmart Gift Card-Ends 7/30


Shining 2 Save is giving away $50 worth of Smart & Sexy products-Ends 7/27


LambAround is giving away a 16x20 Photo Canvas from UPrinting-Ends 8/1

Our Kids Mom is giving away a Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kit-Ends 7/25



Our Kids Mom is giving away a bad weather prepardness kit from Radio Shack-Ends 7/26

Our Kids Mom is giving away a Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set-Ends 7/31

Will would LOVE to have this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget to let me know if you are winning so we can do the happy dance together!!!!

What??? A Breastfeeding Doll You Say!!!

Have you herd of this breastfeeding doll?  My local news put up a link to it on facebook and I just had to know if anyone else has seen this. 

I mean really...I have seen the barbie that is a mommy and the baby doll that you feed and she poops, but this is just crazy! 

I support breastfeeding moms all over the world.  I was one to at one time, but this just doesn't sit well with me.  I don't think a little girl should have a doll that breastfeeds off of her!!!!

This doll comes with a halter top that has two flower petals where the child's nipples would be.  When the doll is close to the flower petals it starts to simulate the act of breastfeeding.

This doll is expected to hit U.S. stores soon.  It has already become a hit in Europe.  This doll is made in Spain by Berjuan Toys and cost about $90.

I don't think this helps to support moms who breastfeed.  Instead I see a more negative response to breastfeeding.  For as long as people have been on the earth women have been breastfeeding their children.  What makes this toy manufacture think that this doll will help our young girls make the decision to breastfeed their children one day? 

I am so happy I don't have a little girl who will be exposed to this toy, but at the same time I wonder if the commercials for it will effect all children, boys or girls.  What's next?  That is what I'm most afraid of!

What do you think about this doll?  Will you get one for your little girl or will you band it form your home too?

Thankful Thursday

Do you ever stop and wonder at how we became so dependent on technology.  I don't mean computers and such.  I mean things like electric washing machines and dish washers. 


I love to read and some of my most favorite books take place in a different time period.  Mostly in the time when settlers where first coming to America and a little later.   In those days they had no electricity or motor vehicles.  They had hand made candles and mules pulling waggons. 


This is the time period I think I would have been able to live in the most.  Hard work was something everyone did to survive.  Children respected their parents and did what they where told.  You never herd them say they where bord.  Most of all, they ate around a table as a family.  They said grace and read from the Bible every night as a family!  Life was hard, but did we trade a hard life with lots of love, faith, and good values for an easy life with a lot of other problems?  Just think how much life is different for us now than it was for the settlers.


The thing I am most thankful for that has changed is bathrooms.  I love having an indoor bathroom with running water and electricity.  I couldn't imagine using an outhouse.  And to think that outhouses are not that old.  You can still find some in a few places.  Yes, even here in modern day America.  I'm not afraid of making my own soap and taking baths in rivers or tubs filled with water you heated on the stove, but please don't ask me to use an outhouse toilet!  I would if I had to, but it defiantly wouldn't be my first choice. 

 I would like to thank whoever invented the indoor bathroom!  God has blessed us with this one convenience that I would struggle with giving up.  How blessed we are in our everyday life.  Look around you and imagine the what modern day conveniences we have now that you can't see yourself living without.  Thank the Good Lord for them and then hop on over and join us at Spiritually Unequal Marriage with Lynn who is hosting this months Thankful Thursdays!

A New Season

Have you ever seen the seasons in your life change before your eyes and knew they where coming?

The season I'm in now is about to drastically change.  I have become comfortable with this season.  I have come to love it even.  It is hard and time seems to rush on by with no intent to slow down.  I'm talking about the season of my life with a toddler. 

So far, this has been one, if not the best season of my life.  I love having Will as a toddler.  He was discovering new things every day.  He was happy and healthy.  He loves the world and the world loves him.  He is still young enough to hug and kiss, hold in my arms, and sit on my lap.  He still thinks the world is great and every person in it is good.  I see the world through his eyes and look around with wonder.

The season is soon to change though.  This year he will be starting school.  Kindergarten is the best grade ever.  He will make lots of new friends and learn lots of new skills.  But he will also learn new bad words and habits.  He will come home with new germs and new sicknesses.  He will learn that the world is not exactly as nice as he thought it was and not every one will love him like his family does.  This is hard for me.  I don't want his little bubble popped, but I know I can't keep him in it forever. 

This is a hard time for me.  I have to let him go sometime, but I just don't know if I'm really ready yet.  He's ready, but I am still working on it.  I do plan to be there for him every step of the way though.  I want to be available to go on those school field trips and help the teacher with class parties.  I will be dropping him off and picking him up from school every day.  I will get to know his teacher and do everything I can to help myself through this new season.

The season of having a school age child will be one that has many changes, but I will greet each one as it comes.  For now I will do my best with Kindergarten.  I look at this to be another first in his scrap book of life.  His first time to go to school and his first time to enter life without Mommy holding his had all day long.

Now Mommy needs to watch from a distance and remember to leave him in God's hands!

Saturday's Giveaways

Here are some of the giveaways I entered this week.  Hop on over and enter them too.  If you win let me know and I will do the happy dance with you!!!


Sammi's Blog of Life is giving away two wrap kits form Land O'Frost to (2) winners-Ends 7/21


Sweeps 4 Bloggers is giving away Smart Kids Who Play set-Ends 7/16


Sweeps 4 Bloggers is giving away a Sports-Brella Beach Chair to (2) winners-Ends 7/25


Mommy Katie is giving away Energizer Advanced Lithium Batteries and Ultimate Lithium Batteries-Ends 7/18


Swell Swag is giving away a $40 Gift Certificate to her shop, Glass Pizzazz-Ends 7/19


Kiddies Corner Deals is giving away a VTech Peek At Me Bunny from http://www.vtechkids.com/ -Ends 7/25


Kiddies Corner Deals is giving away a $15 gift code to Shop at http://www.piggypaint.com/ -Ends 7/27


Mom To Bed By 8 is giving away a bottle of ENJOY Shine & Smooth-Ends 7/28


Mom To Bed By 8 is giving away a Chex Mix Muddy Buddies Gift Pack-Ends 7/30

Leslie Loves Veggies is giving away a Blender Bottle Prize Pack-Ends 7/23

Wordless Wednesday

Ok, so you all know I can't keep my trap shut. (Even on Wordless Wednesday)  When I saw this I just had to take the picture.  It didn't come out as good because I took it with my cell phone.  I saw angel wings!  Well, just one huge angle wing to be exact.  What do you see?

Who Needs A Stinkn' Water Park Anyway....

I have been longing for a big lazy river for a while now.  I found out a town about an hour and a half away opened a small family friendly water park a few years ago.  Since then my heart has been acking to go. 

I was crushed when I found out some family members of mine went and didn't invite me to go along last year.  (They can be very mean at times!)  I have been talking about that water park since the day I found out about it.

Well, I'm sure you can guess my heart was broken again this year.  A friend of mine decided to do her daughter's birthday party there this year.  We where invited and I was out of my head with excitement.....until I realized they picked a time I just couldn't make it.  :(  I tried to rationalize with myself and figure out a way to still go.  I even decided that I would drive that hour and a half and stay for 30 min and drive the hour and a half back to make it home in time for what was already scheduled that day.  Then Hubby reminded me that I would be spending more money in gas and tickets to get in than it was worth that day.  Not to mention that I would not want to stay on 30 minutes!

He was right after all!  I didn't get to go:(  I have tried to make peace with the fact that I may never see this glorious water park (at least this year) by sharing my son's pool with him in the front yard.

At least it's cool clean water and I can be in it with Will!

Saturday Giveaways

I have been slacking on my giveaway entering time, but I just haven't had the get up and go if you know what I mean.  At least I tried and entered a few.  Here they are.....


Chrisitan Clippers is giving away an Anthony's 100% Whole Grain Pasta and Cusinart Pasta/Steamer Set-Ends 7/15


Christian Clippers is also giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to Snapfish-Ends 8/1


At the Fence is giving away 3 boxes of Emeralds Breakfast on the Go-Ends 7/20


At the Fence is giving away a Cocoa Latte Machine-Ends 7/12


At the Fence is giving away coupons for Free Gorton's Seafood products-Ends 7/18


At the Fence is giving away a Multifunction Pet Carrier-Ends 7/19

Getting All My Ducks In A Row is giving away a package of Box Top Swag-Ends 7-14

Getting All My Ducks In A Row is giving away a $50 Credit to Signs by Andrea-Ends 7/10

Win Free Groceries For a Year!

Now through September 6, you can enter to win a year of free groceries. 

Johnsonville wants your "No Ordinary Burger" recipes!  They want to spread the word about the new line of pork burgers, Italian Sausage, and Bratwurst Patties they have available at Walmart. 

In there first-ever "No Ordinary Burger Recipe Contest" they want you to share your spin on the traditional burger using new Johnsonville Brat and Italian Sausage Patties.

You can go to www.johnsonville.com/burgercontest to submit your recipe and vote for your favorite pork burger.  Two grand prize winners will be awarded a year's worth of groceries from Walmart and have their recipes featured on Johnsonville Brat and Italian Sausage Patty boxes.

For more info make sure you "like" them at Facebook.com/PorkBeInspired and follow @AllAboutPork on Twitter.

Thankful Thursday

Another Thursday is upon us and that means its time to talk about what I am thankful for this week. 

For some reason, a lot of my prayers this week have centered on my family's health.  I have continuously thanked God for our health.  I am thankful for each of us and our health for different reasons. 

I am thankful for Hubby's health because he is the back bone of our family.  He is our provider and our protector in this world.  We would be in a really bad situation if Hubby had health problems.  I am so thankful that the job he has now has GREAT health coverage for him.  They have a company doctor that comes to the plant once a week and a nurse that is there every day.  They make sure that each worker is healthy.  They're the ones who found out Hubby had high blood pressure and have now helped him learn to control it with medication and his diet.

I am thankful for Will's health too.  He is growing like a weed and is rarely sick other than his seasonal allergies.  I was worried when he was a baby.  He had RSV and was the first in this area that ran fever with it, but because we caught it so early he didn't suffer very much and is a lot healthier now than they thought he would ever be.  I have also been worried about his Medicaid.  It looks like Hubby makes $7.50 more than the amount our family is allowed to make in a month.  Because of this, they can turn us down and He will have to go without health coverage.  It would cost over $200 a month to put us on Hubby's insurance.  That is just something we can't afford.  Please pray with us that they will not turn Will down for Medicaid over $7.50!  Your prayers are greatly appreciated!!!!  I am turning myself inside out worrying about this even though I know it is all in God's hands and to worry is a sin showing I don't trust in Him.  I am constantly working on this.  I want to leave it in His hands, but as you all know, that is hard to do.

I am thankful for my health.  I am the one who takes care of everything.  I make and go to appointments.  Keep everyone on track.  Pay all the bills and deal with all the money stuff.  I figure out how to stretch each and every dollar I can.  I am responsible for everything in the house and all the meals.  I take care of Will and am getting him ready for school.  I will also be as involved with his schooling as I can be.  I take care of the house and all that goes along with it.  I am the cheerleader and the nurse in this house.  I have a big job and need my  health to do it all. 

I have been very blessed!  My family is healthy and strong.  God has given me a lot to be thankful for and our health is only the beginning!

How about you?  What are you thankful for this week?  Do you need an extra prayer or two sent your way too?  Hop on over to Spiritually Unequal Marriage and link up with our host Lynn, for this month of Thankful Thursdays!

My New Curtain

  

How do you like them?

For a few years now I have been looking for the perfect curtains to go with my laundry room.  My laundry room is far from fancy and is cluttered as all get out, but the main colors in it are black and white.  I have a black and white floor with white walls. 

The only bit of color in there is the dryer.  It is harvest gold!  I know its old enough to be an antique, but it's still rocking and rolling.  It is a Whirlpool after all.

I got the idea to make my own curtain a long time ago, but I never know what I wanted them to look like.  One day I pulled out an old lacy curtain I had been saving for some unforeseen reason.  I had lost the match to it long ago.  When I pulled it out and looked at it for the first time in about a year or so is when inspiration struck. 

I had to get a trim and I would have the perfect curtain for my laundry room.  I found the ribbon and just knew it would be perfect.

The lace curtain I redesigned was free and the curtain rod and ribbon was about $4.00.  So, I have to say I love the way it turned out and am beyond proud of my curtain and my budget!

Shopping Trip!

I am a planner when it comes to my shopping trips.  I shop for groceries and household items to last me a two week period.    I look through all my adds, figure out what town I'm going to shop in, and make my meal list for two weeks.  I have my coupons organized and ready to go at each store. 

The only thing to get in my way is Kenny and Will.  They came along on my shopping trip yesterday.  Will had a dental appointment and we both wanted to be there.  Will can be a bit of a hand full at a doctors office.  He has been known to tell nurses they are mean people and they aren't suppose to hurt other people!  He has made nurses afraid and his name known in the nursing world. 

His appointment was good this time though.  This dentist was the first one to say they could help him with his teeth.  He has cavities on the outside of his teeth.  The only problem is that Will doesn't trust them, or anyone else for that matter.  We have to go back in a month.

After that was over my shopping began.  Kenny wanted to make an unscheduled stop at Target to get Will a toy for being so good at the dentist (he didn't hurt anyones feelings this time).  I hadn't done any homework for Target since they have made so many changes to their coupons policies and, well.....I just don't shop there very often.  We ended up getting Will a CARS 2 car, a dog bone, and some razors.  (The reason for the razors will be coming up in another post soon.) 

Then with coupons and list in hand, we went to Kroger.  That is when we saw the same car for less.  This made me a little upset, but this thing happens some time.  Who would have known that Kroger had a toy car cheeper?  We went on to find the same razors I wanted for cheeper!  Now I'm getting hot!  Target was a big waist of time and a rip off!!!!  That just burned me up.  I am on a limited budget and I do everything I can to get what I need at the best price. 

I tried to put that out my mind and finish my shopping.  Kroger had some really good deals this week.  I got what I needed and checked out.  I saved $15.24 after using my Kroger Card and coupons.  But my big savings came at Market Basket.  There I saved $54.87 after coupons, sales,and getting my $10 minimum of items.  I ended up saving $70.11.  To me that isn't money in my pocket though, it's money I didn't have to start with.  It just means I have more groceries in my house.

I may not be saving 90% of my bill, but I probably saved a good 35% to 40% and that is good with me.  Do you save big when you shop?  Do you coupon and go find sales at all?  How do you do it differently?