With attached mail-in rebate if you buy (1) Elmer's CraftBond Adhesive & (2) Elmer's Foam Board Sheets! Download rebate here! This should be great for those school or craft projects.
Rediscovering myself in the new roles I now have, making the most of each day, by saving money and savoring life!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Boon Groovy and Bath Goods Review
Last night I told the little one I had a surprise for her in the bathroom, and she definitely was surprised and thrilled with her new Boon Bath Goods! Normally she would run past the bathroom door, but tonight the bright teal, vermilion, and olive foam appliqué caught her eyes, which changed her direction, straight to the tub! (If I accidentally leave the bathroom door open, she'll dart into the bathroom and try to climb into the tub to get the bath toys!)
This was actually my first introduction to Boon products, and the quality is amazing, for simple things like bath toys! The bath toys were well-constructed; the foam withstood some gnawing, and I was surprised even with the sturdiness of the plastic balls. My little one enjoyed taking the appliqué on and off the tub wall! Obviously the fun, bright colors and fun shapes appeal to both kids and parents! The contemporary designs bring a unique twist to children's products too!We also received the Groovy plate; I've been quite interested in seeing how well my little one can handle her utensils, after the pediatrician informed me that she should be -- you can read the whole story here! Again, the Groovy plate exceeded my expectations. The dividers were really nice in separating various foods, and the little dippers were just plain fun! I also really appreciated the non-skid base because it did(along with the slightly heavier weight of the plate) deter my little one from picking up the plate.
Boon is definitely a company for moms wanting quality and fun products for their little ones. Did you know that Boon also donates 10% to charities specifically benefiting children in need; you can read more about it here. And to keep up with the latest, you can follow the Boon New Blog, be a fan on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.A bloggy friend of mine is hosting a giveaway for a Boon Flair High Chair! Hop over and take a look!
****This is not a paid post. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Boon Inc. who supplied the products for the review!****
Thursday, October 14, 2010
What should she be doing now?!?
Every time I take my little one for her well-checks, the doctor usually blows me away with various questions about developmental milestones. According to my answers, she’d appear average or slightly below average (even though her mommy things she's the smartest baby in the world -- slightly biased)!
At her one year check up, the pediatrician asked if she could use a fork and spoon. At that point, she didn’t own a fork and wasn’t allowed the opportunities to handle her spoon in conjunction with food -- her mother is a bit of neat freak, emphasis on "freak."
But that very same day, I did go out to buy her a plate, fork, and spoon, and at dinner, we tested to see if she could handle eating with utensils.
Success! (Well, kind of!) I've been faithfully laying out her fork and spoon, filling her plate, and lending a helping hand to load both fork and spoon, but I think she has her own ideas! Often the wrong end of the fork would be in her mouth -- guess that rubber tip is good as a teething toy too! Other times, she'll take her food off her fork and proceed to eat with her hands instead! So can she use her utensils? Yes, for the most part; she's not the most skilled user right now. Will she use her utensils? No. Sure hope that's normal.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Free Sears Gift Card -- Military Only
If you are on active duty between October 13, 2010 and December 31, 2010 in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Reserves, you can sign up for a free gift card from Sears to help with Christmas purchases.
Thanks Money Saving Mom!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Christmas Cards!
I look forward to sending out Christmas cards, getting in line at the post office a few days after Thanksgiving to get my Christmas stamps and get those cards out to friends -- I get a kick out of people who think I'm crazy to have those completed early! The past few years have been really exciting with our little one, and I've enjoyed personalizing those cards and letters!
A few ideas:
1. Include photos taken all year long.
I usually tend to pick out those that show our best sides and ones that definitely are worth sharing, and it doesn't matter if they aren't professionally done but simply capture who we are! =)
2. Incorporate a short letter or update.
Unfortunately I only keep in contact with some people through Christmas cards -- perhaps this should be a New Year's Resolution, to be a better friend! But I do like to get everyone up-to-date with our family.
3. Print my own.
Often I can find excellent deals online (and I hope this year will be the same, and know that I'll be sharing it here too!). But I've also printed my own on both photo paper and also plain paper. I've used Microsoft templates before, but I've also cut and pasted to make my own!
4. Use digital services.
In years past, I've used Snapfish, Shutterfly, and others; I believe you can also utilize services at Walgreens, Sams, and other retails stores too. But those are always fun, and you're sure to get a good product. Another (new -- to me!) company to consider is Purple Trail for your personalized holiday cards.
5. Write a short note to the recipient and sign the card.
Even with pre-printed cards, notes, or newsletters, I like to add that last bit of personalization by hand writing the recipient's name, adding a short postscript, and then signing my name. Just a small way to let them know that I took some time to reconnect and do send BEST wishes.
6. Create your own stamps!
I found a great deal last year and put a picture of our little one on the stamp! Needless to say, that was a HUGE hit with the family -- some even cut the stamp off to display too!
Ah, I'm so excited now! The weather's starting to turn cool, and I'm already thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas! (It got really cool and rather dreary last week, and I joked about putting the Christmas tree up -- at least I only have to wait until the day after Thanksgiving!) I'd like to get a few more pictures taken before I start working on my cards; I need a good picture with all of us!
A few ideas:
1. Include photos taken all year long.
I usually tend to pick out those that show our best sides and ones that definitely are worth sharing, and it doesn't matter if they aren't professionally done but simply capture who we are! =)
2. Incorporate a short letter or update.
Unfortunately I only keep in contact with some people through Christmas cards -- perhaps this should be a New Year's Resolution, to be a better friend! But I do like to get everyone up-to-date with our family.
3. Print my own.
Often I can find excellent deals online (and I hope this year will be the same, and know that I'll be sharing it here too!). But I've also printed my own on both photo paper and also plain paper. I've used Microsoft templates before, but I've also cut and pasted to make my own!
4. Use digital services.
In years past, I've used Snapfish, Shutterfly, and others; I believe you can also utilize services at Walgreens, Sams, and other retails stores too. But those are always fun, and you're sure to get a good product. Another (new -- to me!) company to consider is Purple Trail for your personalized holiday cards.
5. Write a short note to the recipient and sign the card.
Even with pre-printed cards, notes, or newsletters, I like to add that last bit of personalization by hand writing the recipient's name, adding a short postscript, and then signing my name. Just a small way to let them know that I took some time to reconnect and do send BEST wishes.
6. Create your own stamps!
I found a great deal last year and put a picture of our little one on the stamp! Needless to say, that was a HUGE hit with the family -- some even cut the stamp off to display too!
Ah, I'm so excited now! The weather's starting to turn cool, and I'm already thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas! (It got really cool and rather dreary last week, and I joked about putting the Christmas tree up -- at least I only have to wait until the day after Thanksgiving!) I'd like to get a few more pictures taken before I start working on my cards; I need a good picture with all of us!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Building in time margins
Margins: I think of it as the gap between the edge of the paper and the text -- to others, it's a financial term! I suppose a broad application would be an all-around buffer, void of clutter.My very first, full-year of teaching, a co-worker often spoke about building more time margins into our day, and I thought he was absolutely crazy! I was a busy person! From first-time-around lesson planning to their execution, creation of assignments and projects and the grading of those, other commitments to various extra-curricular activities, cooking, cleaning, and rest, could I actually build in margins?!?
It took me several years to really wrap my head around it! But once I realized that building in margins was about looking outside of myself, it was a much easier process. I didn't feel like I had to rush from place to place or event to event because I had more time in between, just in case a friend or a student needed more time to talk. I found that I actually engaged in serving others more, because I had built that "spare" time into my daily schedule!
This week, I've started to think about this more because my schedule now is more complicated. But I'd like to get back to building in more margins. This will involve:
1. Setting priorities -- what absolutely needs to be completed?
2. Understanding time commitments -- how long will it (really) take me?
3. Re-evaluating my attitude -- how is this helpful in the long run?
Should be interesting to see what happens! I'm anticipating less stress and more enjoyment of each day! =) One day at a time...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)