Rediscovering myself in the new roles I now have, making the most of each day, by saving money and savoring life!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky
Cash for Clunkers... Our Way!
I thought the evening wash was rinsing, and when I opened the laundry room door, a burnt smell emanated! So I dumped the wet laundry into the basket and lugged it down two flights to spin out in the washer in the basement.
Our washer on the second floor laundry room has been with us for several years, and I think we're the 2nd owners as it was given to my husband before we met. It's worked well, but he knew it'd give out sooner or later. So when acquaintances were upgrading appliances, we purchased their washer and dryer and just stuck it in the basement!
When items finally return to dust, many people tend to purchase new. Some part out of thriftiness, we like to buy second-hand. Obviously it's cheaper to buy an older model off Craigslist or at garage sales, but we've found that some older models hold up better than the newer ones. The dryer, my first purchase off Craigslist, which my husband and his brother traveled an hour to get, is still drying just fine; and we saved a couple hundred by replacing our tv with a similar build, instead of upgrading to a flat screen -- we're not the highest-tech family! Small sacrifices in the short run!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky
Happy Friday! Browse and add to our low entry linky below -- you might win big!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wholesale Halloween Costumes Review
Whether it's for dress-up, a themed party, or Halloween, Wholesale Halloween Costumes has you and your family covered! They offer a wide variety of adult, infant, and toddler costumes year-round, at low wholesale prices, with flat rate shipping less than $6.
We love the Sleeping Beauty Toddler Costume, with silky gown and tiara -- it's dainty yet durable. And my toddler loves dressing up like a princess!
****This is not a paid post. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Charles and Wholesale Halloween Costumes who supplied the product for the review.***
Monday, June 20, 2011
Household Traditions All-Purpose Non-Toxic Cleaner Review and Giveaway!
Want an all-purpose cleaner you can use in the kitchen or bathroom and on dirty laundry or cars or even fruit?!? Household Traditions has an All-Purpose Non- Toxic Cleaner to do all that! It does cut through grease on my kitchen surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use around food. It does not have any perfumes, dyes, harmful detergents or solvents, but is made up of an enzyme-based botanical formula (purified water, amino acids, minerals and other ingredients derived from leafy green, edible and seed-bearing plants).
Amazing. I'm totally impressed with this product, and really, the entire line from Tropical and Household Traditions.
BUY IT!!
You can purchase a 32 oz. container of All-Purpose Cleaner for $8, but it's on sale for $5.50 until Sunday, June 26! Right now, you'll also be able to receive a FREE copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil, from the Referral program! Choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter User ID: 6608836 on their first online order, and the book will be automatically added to your order. If you need assistance, contact Customer Service.
You can purchase a 32 oz. container of All-Purpose Cleaner for $8, but it's on sale for $5.50 until Sunday, June 26! Right now, you'll also be able to receive a FREE copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil, from the Referral program! Choose “Referred by a Friend” and enter User ID: 6608836 on their first online order, and the book will be automatically added to your order. If you need assistance, contact Customer Service.
WIN IT!!
Tropical Traditions is giving away a 32 oz. container of All-Purpose Cleaner! This is open to U.S. To enter, you must be a Google Follower and Like Discovering the Me in Mommy on Facebook. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count! PLEASE leave your name and email address with your entry.
Tropical Traditions is giving away a 32 oz. container of All-Purpose Cleaner! This is open to U.S. To enter, you must be a Google Follower and Like Discovering the Me in Mommy on Facebook. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count! PLEASE leave your name and email address with your entry.
EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do along with you email address.
1- For ONE extra entry, Sign up for Tropical Traditions' Newsletter
2- For ONE extra entry, Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway.
3 - For ONE extra entry, Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter.
4 - For ONE extra entry, Like Tropical Traditions on Facebook.
5 -For TWO extra entries, Subscribe to my blog via email.
Contest ends at 10pm EST on Sunday, July 10, 2011 when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address in your entry. I will notify the winner, and s/he will have 36 hours to respond!
****This is not a paid post. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Tropical Traditions who supplied the products for the review and giveaway!****
****This is not a paid post. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Tropical Traditions who supplied the products for the review and giveaway!****
A New Leaf... Vegetable Gardening
When late spring hits, my husband is transformed into a farming machine. Even though we are in a suburban area, over a third of our backyard, which isn't large by most people, get prepped for gardening of the vegetable varieties. This year, his summer obsession also has been transformed as we're almost exclusively planting non-GMO (non-genetically modified food) plants, which he started from seed -- I threw some random seeds from store-bought cantaloupe, squash, and peppers into a pot to see if any of them would grow, and a few of them decided to sprout up!
But since we'd grow vegetables, we decided to grow ones which hadn't been genetically modified for the good of our family. I don't want my daughter to become a science experiment on reactions to alterations of natural foods. For more ideas of avoiding non-GMO foods, visit Healthy Child, Healthy World.
It was our first year starting plants from seed, so that in itself was an experience. Most seeds sprouted, but since the seeds had not be altered in any shape or form, some became sick and never made it to be planted outside. But most are now thriving outside, and we're anticipating full-flavored, organic tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, okra, and even corn -- I think we're the only ones in the city growing corn in our backyard!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Good Mommy Day!
Some days, it's horribly difficult to be the mother of a 2-year-old, and other days, like today, it's incredibly wonderful to be the mommy of a 2-year-old!
We had a bit of a rough morning, and I was frazzled. The baby I was watching was over-tired and stubbornly fighting sleep, meaning he was Mr. GRUMPY! We were invited to a play group at a park, and I had serious doubts -- could I manage two without a double stroller? Urged to flee the confines of home, we packed up. My little one was excited to go to the park and go on the slide, and Mr. Grumpy was still GRUMPY -- my little one even exasperatedly called out his name to stop his fussiness! Attempting to work on making patience my virtue, as I drove, I'd ask my little one how Mr. Grumpy was doing and whether his eyes were open or closed. She replied, "Open, close. Open, close." I figured it out. He ended up taking little cat naps for the next 2 hours.
But my little one ended up being Miss Angelic. She waited patiently as I loaded up Mr. Grumpy into the stroller, and she walked beside the stroller from the car to the park. She played contentedly, and when I decided it was time to leave, she didn't fuss or fight. She even gave me the goings on of Mr. Grumpy's eyes on the way home -- "Close."
Looking forward to another good day tomorrow....at least, I'll have this one to remember, if something goes awry!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky
Happy Friday! Browse and add to our low entry linky below -- you might win big!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Cloth Diapering -- Making Cheap "Daddy Flats!" -- Guest Post
When I began cloth diapering, I relied mostly on pockets because they were easy; stuff and wear! As my cloth diaper journey progressed, I slow began to understand covers, fitted, and prefolds/flats, and if we do have another baby, I'll consider using prefolds and covers because those are more affordable than purchasing pockets. And Sarah Goodrich has provided an even more innovately cost-saving method for flats -- "Daddy" Flats!
Disclaimer: I can barely sew, so please excuse all the mistakes.
I wanted to try some "daddy flats" but couldn't find much info on them, or a pattern, so this is how I made them. I used DH's (dear husband's) old t-shirts, and love how they work as diapers. Soft, a little stretchy, absorbent, and free! Can't beat that! The wash-and-driability of flats with the convenience of a prefold. And did I mention free?
Trace a diaper on posterboard. This is a MEOS (Mother-Ease One Size). I traced it generously and stretched out the tabs. Cut down diagonally to make wings. The tabs are cut a little lower so they fit into the diaper when it's all folded up.
Now you have a template.
Turn t-shirt upside down (for easier cutting) and spread flat. This is a men's x-large, which is a great fit on my 24 lber. I've also used men's large and youth large; these are very forgiving so you can use just about anything and tweak it.
Borrow your kid's washable marker and trace template onto shirt.
Take off the template and this is how your shirt looks.
Cut along the lines. Now you'll only be working with the bottom half of the t-shirt.
Pin now while it's all flat. If you want to turn and topstitch and make it all pretty, you'll want to turn it inside out before pinning. Put the pinheads on the cut side of fabric so you don't stick yourself while sewing.
I can barely sew, and didn't care how these looked, so I just zigzagged around the edge, and used up random colors of poorly-wound bobbin thread. This material won't fray anyway. Use a ballpoint needle and poly thread if you can! That made such a difference for me.
All sewn together.
Trim to neaten up.
Ready for a baby! Fold in sides (this makes the soaker-6 layers when folded).
Fold up the front. If the rise is too long, just fold it down. This is pretty much a one-size diaper.
The wings are nice and long...I really like it pinned with one pin in the middle. It also Snappis well. Now you have a basic white diaper.
Or you can dye them and make beautiful diapers
So if you have a sewing machine, internet access, and old t-shirts, you can have fairly convenient diapers for the cost of your time. The hardest part is threading the machine and winding the bobbin. Like I said, I really can't sew, but these only took a half hour each to cut out and sew. If you have any skill, you could knock out a whole stash in half a day! And you can theoretically use any material, and sew in soakers, add snaps, whatever (I haven't actually tried that yet
)
Have fun!
Disclaimer: I can barely sew, so please excuse all the mistakes.
I wanted to try some "daddy flats" but couldn't find much info on them, or a pattern, so this is how I made them. I used DH's (dear husband's) old t-shirts, and love how they work as diapers. Soft, a little stretchy, absorbent, and free! Can't beat that! The wash-and-driability of flats with the convenience of a prefold. And did I mention free?
Trace a diaper on posterboard. This is a MEOS (Mother-Ease One Size). I traced it generously and stretched out the tabs. Cut down diagonally to make wings. The tabs are cut a little lower so they fit into the diaper when it's all folded up.
Now you have a template.
Turn t-shirt upside down (for easier cutting) and spread flat. This is a men's x-large, which is a great fit on my 24 lber. I've also used men's large and youth large; these are very forgiving so you can use just about anything and tweak it.
Borrow your kid's washable marker and trace template onto shirt.
Take off the template and this is how your shirt looks.
Cut along the lines. Now you'll only be working with the bottom half of the t-shirt.
Pin now while it's all flat. If you want to turn and topstitch and make it all pretty, you'll want to turn it inside out before pinning. Put the pinheads on the cut side of fabric so you don't stick yourself while sewing.
I can barely sew, and didn't care how these looked, so I just zigzagged around the edge, and used up random colors of poorly-wound bobbin thread. This material won't fray anyway. Use a ballpoint needle and poly thread if you can! That made such a difference for me.
All sewn together.
Trim to neaten up.
Ready for a baby! Fold in sides (this makes the soaker-6 layers when folded).
Fold up the front. If the rise is too long, just fold it down. This is pretty much a one-size diaper.
The wings are nice and long...I really like it pinned with one pin in the middle. It also Snappis well. Now you have a basic white diaper.
Or you can dye them and make beautiful diapers
So if you have a sewing machine, internet access, and old t-shirts, you can have fairly convenient diapers for the cost of your time. The hardest part is threading the machine and winding the bobbin. Like I said, I really can't sew, but these only took a half hour each to cut out and sew. If you have any skill, you could knock out a whole stash in half a day! And you can theoretically use any material, and sew in soakers, add snaps, whatever (I haven't actually tried that yet
)Have fun!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday Follow and Low Entry Linky
Happy Friday! Browse and add to our low entry linky below!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Kolcraft’s 65th Anniversary Sweepstakes
I'm so excited to be a Kolcraft Mom and tell you about their 65th Anniversary celebration. In the past 65 years, Kolcraft has been family owned, providing families with crib mattresses and baby gear. To celebrate, they're hosting sweepstakes, every 6 weeks, with prizes worth thousands of dollars, and they obviously want us to celebrate with them! Visit Kolcraft's 65th Anniversary website to currently enter the Jeep Family on the Go package -- totally amazing! (You'll also have to check their Facebook page in the next few days for something fun too!)
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