Good - In the last few days I've received a few samples in the mail. I love getting fun mail! The latest batch of samples included Old Wisconsin sausage snack stick, Orville Redenbacher cheddar cheese microwave popcorn (I've never bought microwave popcorn and the offspring think it's a big treat when they get it), eos shaving cream, and Power Bar gel blasts (I think you can still get a sample on their website).
Bad - Remember the thief? They were arrested in late November. They were sentenced to 21.9 months in late January. They were released nine days later. I had been monitoring all their charges, court appearances, etc. online and had seen the note about a release. However, the way it was written made me think the thief had been released to a doctor. I assumed they'd just needed some medical attention and were brought back to their cell. Tonight I was looking at a couple of the other sites with case info (same info, different presentation), which I hadn't done in a while, and realized they were set free. Multiple counts of burglary to businesses, churches, and unoccupied buildings, an armed burglary charge, using aliases that are names of people they know ... and they served a little over two months. That kills me.
Showing posts with label freebies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freebies. Show all posts
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
SO MUCH FOR PLANNING
Yesterday was our anniversary. The plan was to do a part of Silas' birthday week, a part that involved leaving the house, in the morning, then Tim and I were going on a date in the evening. I had freebie birthday coupons that expired today, so the timing was perfect for an inexpensive anniversary date.
The reality was that Silas got a fever and cough. So we did a different part of birthday week, stayed in jammies all day, tackled our pig sty of a bedroom (it's still not done), and had Papa Murphy's for dinner.
The plan for today was to go to church as a family, take naps, go a on family date to Cold Stone tonight, then do another part of birthday week at home. Three of us have freebie birthday coupons at Cold Stone and we have a gift card to use for the other two, so it would have been a fun Father's Day outing.
The reality is that Silas is still sick, so I had to skip church with him. Tim is on parking duty this month and wasn't able to take the other two kids, so they stayed home too. Naomi ended up with a bit of a cough, so it's good she ended up at home. We can't do a family ice cream trip and the coupons for Devon and I expire today, so he and I will go alone and run a couple errands while we're out. My other birthday freebie, a burger at Red Robin, also expired today. So, everyone else went down for naps and I took off. I did my drugstore bargains, picked up a couple movies at the library, then went to Red Robin alone. Other than a little visiting with a family from church who showed up, I spent my time eating a delicious burger and fries, drinking a fantastic limeade (I always drink water, so this was an indulgent splurge), and reading magazines that I'd brought. We'll still do the birthday week thing as a family tonight.
Birthdays, an anniversary, Father's Day. None of them have gone as planned this week. Pretty frustrating, but life goes on.
The reality was that Silas got a fever and cough. So we did a different part of birthday week, stayed in jammies all day, tackled our pig sty of a bedroom (it's still not done), and had Papa Murphy's for dinner.
The plan for today was to go to church as a family, take naps, go a on family date to Cold Stone tonight, then do another part of birthday week at home. Three of us have freebie birthday coupons at Cold Stone and we have a gift card to use for the other two, so it would have been a fun Father's Day outing.
The reality is that Silas is still sick, so I had to skip church with him. Tim is on parking duty this month and wasn't able to take the other two kids, so they stayed home too. Naomi ended up with a bit of a cough, so it's good she ended up at home. We can't do a family ice cream trip and the coupons for Devon and I expire today, so he and I will go alone and run a couple errands while we're out. My other birthday freebie, a burger at Red Robin, also expired today. So, everyone else went down for naps and I took off. I did my drugstore bargains, picked up a couple movies at the library, then went to Red Robin alone. Other than a little visiting with a family from church who showed up, I spent my time eating a delicious burger and fries, drinking a fantastic limeade (I always drink water, so this was an indulgent splurge), and reading magazines that I'd brought. We'll still do the birthday week thing as a family tonight.
Birthdays, an anniversary, Father's Day. None of them have gone as planned this week. Pretty frustrating, but life goes on.
Monday, December 28, 2009
FREE ADVERTISING #8
Here are a few sites I think you should know about. Ready? Here goes.
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ReBag by Sachi - I know I've mentioned Sachi a few times and have shown you the bag she made me. Well, she finally has a site for selling her bags!! It's on Facebook, so if you aren't registered there, then you'll need to open an account in order to see the bags. She primarily makes bags (small, large, backpacks, clutches, etc) out of used, plastic shopping bags. However, she also has a few made from t-shirts. Due to the fact she makes new bags out of whatever used bags are available, she can't guarantee a particular look. However, she'll do her best to accommodate custom orders, which is perfect for those who like the look of one bag, but the shape of another. I love the bag she made for me and gave one of her bags as a Christmas gift this year!
.Here are a few of the bags that are currently available. The first three are made from recycled bags. The fourth and fifth pics are the both sides of a reversible bag made from t-shirts.
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.Nibord - Robin is a friend of mine who is a talented seamstress. When I was pregnant with Naomi she surprised me with a beautiful baby quilt she had made. This year I was able to give one of her handmade aprons as a Christmas gift. Shipping was super fast and the apron was perfect. Robin makes full and half aprons in different styles, fabric, and sizes, so you're bound to find one that you love! You can check out her site on etsy to see what she currently has available, both in aprons and other items. The stock is always changing, so be sure to check back often.
.Here are a few aprons that are available right now, which show the variety of styles offered. The third apron is a child's size.
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Swagbucks - Ok, this isn't a newsflash, but I love Swagbucks! One of the Christmas gifts I bought this year was purchased from Amazon using gift cards I earned from Swagbucks. Free gift giving. Cool, huh? They've set a new rule that you can't "buy" more than five of the same prize per month, which means I'm no longer racking up Amazon credit like I used to. However, I've started "buying" PayPal money, which will help me purchase handmade items from friends on etsy. I've also been able to give some Amazon gift card codes as gifts. Swagbucks is just an awesome program!!.
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.Swagbucks - Ok, this isn't a newsflash, but I love Swagbucks! One of the Christmas gifts I bought this year was purchased from Amazon using gift cards I earned from Swagbucks. Free gift giving. Cool, huh? They've set a new rule that you can't "buy" more than five of the same prize per month, which means I'm no longer racking up Amazon credit like I used to. However, I've started "buying" PayPal money, which will help me purchase handmade items from friends on etsy. I've also been able to give some Amazon gift card codes as gifts. Swagbucks is just an awesome program!!
Cade and Anya Accessories - Mindy is one of those people who received an excessive amount of creative and artistic genes. It's people like her that compensate for people like me. She's recently been making super cute headbands for infant and toddler girls. They are the perfect accessory for little girls who were born with heads that are noticeably lacking in hair, though I'm sure they'd look cute on girls that aren't bald too. How do you all think they'd look as a base for a certain two year old's blonde fro? I may have to do some research on that. Mindy first makes her headbands available on a blog devoted to the accessories, then posts them on her etsy site.
Here are a few that haven't sold yet.
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Monday, September 14, 2009
A MISCELLANEOUS MONDAY
Swagbucks - I have $106.98 in my Amazon account, thanks to gift cards I've earned from Swagbucks. I have another $20.00 in Amazon gift cards that are waiting to be processed. I love, love, love, Swagbucks! In fact, I'm buying some Christmas gifts today with my free gift card money. If you want to earn bucks to purchase gift cards to all sorts of places simply by doing your regular online searches, then click right here. You have nothing to lose, so go check it out.
Debra - A few days ago I saw a Facebook update from Ashley that said my dad had taken her mom, Debra, to the ER for a hurt toe. Several hours later my dad blogged about it, which gave me the opportunity to teach the boys about pins in the body, local vs. general (they understand general from their own surgeries) anesthesia, dislocations, fractures, etc. It was like a little health lesson, courtesy of my dad and at the expense of Debra's toe.
Insurance - Last year I spent four months working on getting our health insurance to cover my mammogram. I'm technically too young to have them covered, but having a mom who died of breast cancer in her thirties is supposed to earn you some special insurance treatment when it comes to mammograms. They eventually paid, but it took lots of sorting out communication breakdowns between various people. This year the charges were denied again, so I immediately called the woman who helped me last year and we tackled it head-on. Just two weeks later I was told that my insurance had paid up. Woo hoo!!
The Moffit Box - We send quarterly boxes to my sister's family in the Philippines. They're filled with birthday & Christmas gifts, various holiday stuff, totally random gifts, things they've requested, hand-me-downs to distribute, things they ordered online and had shipped to us, and other miscellaneous things. It's a ton of fun for our family (including my grandma, who joined the fun a while back, and my dad ,who now has a convenient way to ship gifts) to fill the boxes and we know they look forward to receiving them. I'd encourage you to do something similar for a missionary family. I know the cost of shipping can be prohibitive, but there are a few options. One is to join with other people and split the cost. Another is to use a shipping company native to the country the missionaries are in. We use LBC to ship to the Philippines. It costs $65.00 to send a honkin' box, regardless of weight, and takes five weeks on a ship to arrive in the Philippines. It's a bargain, for sure! Anyway, just think about it. It could be a really great way for you to bless a family, teach your kids to be thoughtful and cheerful givers, and have fun in the process.
And now I'm off to finalize the list of things going out in the next box. It's stuff for Christmas, Neo's birthday, and Valentine's day ... plus all the random stuff.
Debra - A few days ago I saw a Facebook update from Ashley that said my dad had taken her mom, Debra, to the ER for a hurt toe. Several hours later my dad blogged about it, which gave me the opportunity to teach the boys about pins in the body, local vs. general (they understand general from their own surgeries) anesthesia, dislocations, fractures, etc. It was like a little health lesson, courtesy of my dad and at the expense of Debra's toe.
Insurance - Last year I spent four months working on getting our health insurance to cover my mammogram. I'm technically too young to have them covered, but having a mom who died of breast cancer in her thirties is supposed to earn you some special insurance treatment when it comes to mammograms. They eventually paid, but it took lots of sorting out communication breakdowns between various people. This year the charges were denied again, so I immediately called the woman who helped me last year and we tackled it head-on. Just two weeks later I was told that my insurance had paid up. Woo hoo!!
The Moffit Box - We send quarterly boxes to my sister's family in the Philippines. They're filled with birthday & Christmas gifts, various holiday stuff, totally random gifts, things they've requested, hand-me-downs to distribute, things they ordered online and had shipped to us, and other miscellaneous things. It's a ton of fun for our family (including my grandma, who joined the fun a while back, and my dad ,who now has a convenient way to ship gifts) to fill the boxes and we know they look forward to receiving them. I'd encourage you to do something similar for a missionary family. I know the cost of shipping can be prohibitive, but there are a few options. One is to join with other people and split the cost. Another is to use a shipping company native to the country the missionaries are in. We use LBC to ship to the Philippines. It costs $65.00 to send a honkin' box, regardless of weight, and takes five weeks on a ship to arrive in the Philippines. It's a bargain, for sure! Anyway, just think about it. It could be a really great way for you to bless a family, teach your kids to be thoughtful and cheerful givers, and have fun in the process.
And now I'm off to finalize the list of things going out in the next box. It's stuff for Christmas, Neo's birthday, and Valentine's day ... plus all the random stuff.
Monday, July 6, 2009
THE "DRESSING BLESSING" WINNER IS ....
Mary Lou!!
She's got eight bottles of salad dressing coming her way!!
She's got eight bottles of salad dressing coming her way!!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
I SHOULD BE SLEEPING
It's late and I should be asleep, but I took a nap this afternoon and I'm not tired. I knew that would happen, but I also knew that not taking a nap would result in a very emotional and grumpy version of me all afternoon and evening. So, what's a girl to do? I opted for the nap.
Since I'm up, I figured I may as well chat with you about some random stuff.
Camp - Signups started last Sunday at church for Kid's Camp and we found out that someone had already paid for Silas to attend. The list of people who knew that his camp money had been stolen was very short. Very, very short. Some of them had offered to pay for camp, but I'd assured them that we'd just pull the money from somewhere else and he'd be good to go. So, I'm guessing one of those people just went straight to the church because they knew we couldn't turn the offer down if it was done that way. Anyway, that short list of people all read this blog, so I just wanted to say thanks, while letting you remain anonymous.
Stupidity - That's what you call it when an adult, someone who has worked in a kitchen for decades, somehow manages to scorch their thumb on a scalding hot crockpot. That's what I did on Thursday. It hurt so bad that I was crying. Crying. Me. The one who has her babies at home without any sort of drugs. Yep, I'm the one who was standing over the sink crying because of the pain of a small burn. Lots of cold water and aspirin later I finally felt better. It blistered and popped on Saturday and now it's almost completely healed. But it really, really hurt!!
A Dressing Blessing - I've got free salad dressing coming out of my ears!! If you're local and want several bottles, then leave a comment. I'll pick a name out of a hat at 9:00 tomorrow night and that person will get a stash of free salad dressing. ETA: Rogue Valley readers who I'll be seeing later this month can enter to win the dressing blessing too!
Bargain Shopping - I was recently asked by a couple people to sit down and explain how I do my bargain shopping. That morphed into a little "class" I taught to four people on Thursday night. I had fun passing along some tips and they've already started doing some of the things I shared with them. Excellent students, wouldn't you say? I've got a list of about 7 or 8 more people who want a class too, so I'm going to try and crank another one or two out in the next few weeks. Looking forward to it!!
Swagbucks - I know some of you have already signed up for this awesome program, but here's a little incentive for those who are dragging their feet. Actually, let me explain what it is for those who have somehow missed my previous posts about it. Swagbucks is a search engine that's powered by Google and Ask. As you do your normal searches, you'll periodically be rewarded with virtual dollars. Those dollars add up and get cashed in for prizes. Plus, if your refer people and they sign up under you, then you earn a buck for every one they earn, up to 100 bucks per person. Awesome, huh? What? You're still not convinced? Well, check out what I got on Friday. A brand new Cuisinart ice cream maker!! I cashed in my bucks for Amazon gift cards, then spent them on this lovely machine, and got free shipping because I spent enough money on my purchase. Got that? I got a free ice cream maker for doing the searches I would have done anyway. Woo hoo!! Ready to sign up now? Don't forget to refer your friends!! And just for the record, I am wearing shorts in this picture.
School - We school year-round, basically following a three weeks on/one week off schedule. Plus, we take a couple extra weeks off in for Christmas in December and again from mid-June til after the 4th of July. That extra time off has come to an end, so we'll be starting school with one kindergartner and one second grader when we get up in the morning. Which means I should probably try to hit the sack, as it's midnight now.
Since I'm up, I figured I may as well chat with you about some random stuff.
Camp - Signups started last Sunday at church for Kid's Camp and we found out that someone had already paid for Silas to attend. The list of people who knew that his camp money had been stolen was very short. Very, very short. Some of them had offered to pay for camp, but I'd assured them that we'd just pull the money from somewhere else and he'd be good to go. So, I'm guessing one of those people just went straight to the church because they knew we couldn't turn the offer down if it was done that way. Anyway, that short list of people all read this blog, so I just wanted to say thanks, while letting you remain anonymous.
Stupidity - That's what you call it when an adult, someone who has worked in a kitchen for decades, somehow manages to scorch their thumb on a scalding hot crockpot. That's what I did on Thursday. It hurt so bad that I was crying. Crying. Me. The one who has her babies at home without any sort of drugs. Yep, I'm the one who was standing over the sink crying because of the pain of a small burn. Lots of cold water and aspirin later I finally felt better. It blistered and popped on Saturday and now it's almost completely healed. But it really, really hurt!!
A Dressing Blessing - I've got free salad dressing coming out of my ears!! If you're local and want several bottles, then leave a comment. I'll pick a name out of a hat at 9:00 tomorrow night and that person will get a stash of free salad dressing. ETA: Rogue Valley readers who I'll be seeing later this month can enter to win the dressing blessing too!
Bargain Shopping - I was recently asked by a couple people to sit down and explain how I do my bargain shopping. That morphed into a little "class" I taught to four people on Thursday night. I had fun passing along some tips and they've already started doing some of the things I shared with them. Excellent students, wouldn't you say? I've got a list of about 7 or 8 more people who want a class too, so I'm going to try and crank another one or two out in the next few weeks. Looking forward to it!!
Swagbucks - I know some of you have already signed up for this awesome program, but here's a little incentive for those who are dragging their feet. Actually, let me explain what it is for those who have somehow missed my previous posts about it. Swagbucks is a search engine that's powered by Google and Ask. As you do your normal searches, you'll periodically be rewarded with virtual dollars. Those dollars add up and get cashed in for prizes. Plus, if your refer people and they sign up under you, then you earn a buck for every one they earn, up to 100 bucks per person. Awesome, huh? What? You're still not convinced? Well, check out what I got on Friday. A brand new Cuisinart ice cream maker!! I cashed in my bucks for Amazon gift cards, then spent them on this lovely machine, and got free shipping because I spent enough money on my purchase. Got that? I got a free ice cream maker for doing the searches I would have done anyway. Woo hoo!! Ready to sign up now? Don't forget to refer your friends!! And just for the record, I am wearing shorts in this picture.
School - We school year-round, basically following a three weeks on/one week off schedule. Plus, we take a couple extra weeks off in for Christmas in December and again from mid-June til after the 4th of July. That extra time off has come to an end, so we'll be starting school with one kindergartner and one second grader when we get up in the morning. Which means I should probably try to hit the sack, as it's midnight now.
Monday, June 22, 2009
COLDSTONE - JUNE GANG
Every year we get coupons for free Coldstone around our birthdays. So, last week the June gang headed down the road to scarf some delicious and free ice cream.
Devon had mint with gummy bears.
Bethany had banana pudding with Oreos.
Silas had pink lemonade with marshmallows.
Devon had mint with gummy bears.
Friday, May 15, 2009
WHICH PRIZE WOULD YOU GET?
UPDATE - I chose Amazon. I was torn between that and Starbucks. A lack of splurge money at our house made free strawberries and cream frappucinos sound really good. The deciding factor was that I remembered I still have two boxes of Samoas secretly stashed away, so those will be my splurge for now and I'll spend some money on Amazon.
I'm seriously loving Swagbucks more and more each day! I really can't find a single thing wrong with the program. No one else gave me money to do my regular internet searches. No one else gave me money when my friends did internet searches. Swagbucks rocks!!
Anyway, I want to cash some of my bucks in for gift cards, but I can't decide what to get. Want to help me decide? Here are my choices, based on the number of bucks I have.
$20 Target (online only)
$20 Starbucks
$25 Amazon
$20 Barnes & Noble (online only)
$15 i-Tunes
For those who haven't checked out the gift cards they offer, let me just give you a list of places you can get them for. These are all e-gift cards, except for the Starbucks one. Ready? Here they are, from most to least expensive.
Saks Fifth Avenue
QVC
Musician's Friend
Apple
Zappos
JC Penney
Golfsmith
Victoria's Secret
Sephora
Microsoft Xbox Live Points (twice for different amounts)
ESPN
Lowe's
REI
Petco
Ticketmaster
Bass Pro Shops
Fandango
Wii Points
Southwest Airlines
Macy's
Disney (the store, not the amusement park)
Target
iTunes
Starbucks
Barnes & Noble
Amazon.ca and Amazon.com
DiNG
Used Video Game Store
Zendoo
Spaceland Recordings
At the rate I'm going, I don't think I'll ever get to the top of the list, but time will tell! I'll either have to earn bucks faster or be willing to wait longer. Meanwhile, I'm happy with the prizes I'm getting from the bottom third of the list. A prize is a prize, after all! I just can't pick which one I want most.
I'm seriously loving Swagbucks more and more each day! I really can't find a single thing wrong with the program. No one else gave me money to do my regular internet searches. No one else gave me money when my friends did internet searches. Swagbucks rocks!!
Anyway, I want to cash some of my bucks in for gift cards, but I can't decide what to get. Want to help me decide? Here are my choices, based on the number of bucks I have.
$20 Target (online only)
$20 Starbucks
$25 Amazon
$20 Barnes & Noble (online only)
$15 i-Tunes
For those who haven't checked out the gift cards they offer, let me just give you a list of places you can get them for. These are all e-gift cards, except for the Starbucks one. Ready? Here they are, from most to least expensive.
Saks Fifth Avenue
QVC
Musician's Friend
Apple
Zappos
JC Penney
Golfsmith
Victoria's Secret
Sephora
Microsoft Xbox Live Points (twice for different amounts)
ESPN
Lowe's
REI
Petco
Ticketmaster
Bass Pro Shops
Fandango
Wii Points
Southwest Airlines
Macy's
Disney (the store, not the amusement park)
Target
iTunes
Starbucks
Barnes & Noble
Amazon.ca and Amazon.com
DiNG
Used Video Game Store
Zendoo
Spaceland Recordings
At the rate I'm going, I don't think I'll ever get to the top of the list, but time will tell! I'll either have to earn bucks faster or be willing to wait longer. Meanwhile, I'm happy with the prizes I'm getting from the bottom third of the list. A prize is a prize, after all! I just can't pick which one I want most.
Friday, March 20, 2009
IF YOU'RE GRUMPY AND YOU KNOW IT
ETA: I just realized I have another post with this same title. Hmmmm ...
Sit on the couch. Ignore everyone. Catch up on e-mail. Update your blogs. Check the weather forecast. That's what I'm doing right now.
Just wanted to let you know a couple things while I isolate myself from reality.
Numero uno is that Swagbucks is even cooler than I knew before. You see, I'd been using it for a while, but didn't want to pass the word until I actually cashed in on a prize. Well, what I discovered as I shared it with you a couple days ago is that each time someone signs up through my site, then I earn the same number of bucks that they do (up to 100 bucks). Woo hoo!! I could also send out e-mails through Swagbucks that would work the same way, but I don't send unsolicited e-mails to friends. Lucky for you! Anyway, if you want to register to win prizes simply for doing the online searches you normally do, then go right here or use the link in my sidebar and I'll benefit. Then pass the word to your friends and when they sign up you'll benefit!!
Numero dos is that more pics got posted from Forts & Floats, including one of Silas with Austin and JT (who, by the way, always has great hair because his mom actually has a clue about what to do with it). I'm so thankful that we go to a church that gives our kids such awesome opportunities to have fun, in addition to spending lots of time in the Word with them.
All right, I'm off to find something else to do online while I avoid the rest of my life. I'm sure I'll wake up chipper and cheerful tomorrow. Until then, I'm wallowing in my grumpy state.
Sit on the couch. Ignore everyone. Catch up on e-mail. Update your blogs. Check the weather forecast. That's what I'm doing right now.
Just wanted to let you know a couple things while I isolate myself from reality.
Numero uno is that Swagbucks is even cooler than I knew before. You see, I'd been using it for a while, but didn't want to pass the word until I actually cashed in on a prize. Well, what I discovered as I shared it with you a couple days ago is that each time someone signs up through my site, then I earn the same number of bucks that they do (up to 100 bucks). Woo hoo!! I could also send out e-mails through Swagbucks that would work the same way, but I don't send unsolicited e-mails to friends. Lucky for you! Anyway, if you want to register to win prizes simply for doing the online searches you normally do, then go right here or use the link in my sidebar and I'll benefit. Then pass the word to your friends and when they sign up you'll benefit!!
Numero dos is that more pics got posted from Forts & Floats, including one of Silas with Austin and JT (who, by the way, always has great hair because his mom actually has a clue about what to do with it). I'm so thankful that we go to a church that gives our kids such awesome opportunities to have fun, in addition to spending lots of time in the Word with them.
All right, I'm off to find something else to do online while I avoid the rest of my life. I'm sure I'll wake up chipper and cheerful tomorrow. Until then, I'm wallowing in my grumpy state.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
LINKS I LIKE #4
Just want to share some great sites with you.
Frugal Living - My friend Sarah pointed me in the direction of this site. It's similar to Money Saving Mom and My Penny Pile (both linked in my sidebar), but it's specific to the Portland area. The way this woman shops at Safeway blows my mind. I still love WinCo, but I think I'm going to have to try and do some of the things she does at Safeway. Amazing!
Susan G. Komen For The Cure Scholarship - I don't even know if this scholarship existed when I was in college, but I sure could have used it!! It's designed to help people who struggle to pay for college because of the death of a parent from breast cancer. They give seven scholarships each year, up to $10,000 each to students up to age 25. Check out the link for more details. The deadline for applying for the 2009-2010 school year is only a few days away, so if you know someone who could use this scholarship next school year then pass this link to them. Otherwise, tuck it away for future reference. It could be a silver lining in someone's huge rain cloud.
Love Lasts A Lifetime - Remember Kelly? She's the one who made dishcloths for me and has lots of great recipes. Well, she started a marriage blog at the beginning of the year and it's great. She and Doug have been married almost twenty years and though their marriage is strong now, they've gone through some major struggles. I love getting encouraged by people who have made it through hard times themselves! She writes most of the posts, but Doug pops in occasionally too. I think all his posts are labeled "the happy husband" on her sidebar. Check out her site for book discussions (she's currently going through Sheet Music by Kevin Leman, which is an excellent book by one of my favorite authors), weekly challenges, bedroom ideas, ideas for romancing your husband and more.
Swagbucks - Do all your internet searches through this site and earn prizes. Seriously, it's that simple. I just cashed in some points for an Amazon gift card.
Frugal Living - My friend Sarah pointed me in the direction of this site. It's similar to Money Saving Mom and My Penny Pile (both linked in my sidebar), but it's specific to the Portland area. The way this woman shops at Safeway blows my mind. I still love WinCo, but I think I'm going to have to try and do some of the things she does at Safeway. Amazing!
Susan G. Komen For The Cure Scholarship - I don't even know if this scholarship existed when I was in college, but I sure could have used it!! It's designed to help people who struggle to pay for college because of the death of a parent from breast cancer. They give seven scholarships each year, up to $10,000 each to students up to age 25. Check out the link for more details. The deadline for applying for the 2009-2010 school year is only a few days away, so if you know someone who could use this scholarship next school year then pass this link to them. Otherwise, tuck it away for future reference. It could be a silver lining in someone's huge rain cloud.
Love Lasts A Lifetime - Remember Kelly? She's the one who made dishcloths for me and has lots of great recipes. Well, she started a marriage blog at the beginning of the year and it's great. She and Doug have been married almost twenty years and though their marriage is strong now, they've gone through some major struggles. I love getting encouraged by people who have made it through hard times themselves! She writes most of the posts, but Doug pops in occasionally too. I think all his posts are labeled "the happy husband" on her sidebar. Check out her site for book discussions (she's currently going through Sheet Music by Kevin Leman, which is an excellent book by one of my favorite authors), weekly challenges, bedroom ideas, ideas for romancing your husband and more.
Swagbucks - Do all your internet searches through this site and earn prizes. Seriously, it's that simple. I just cashed in some points for an Amazon gift card.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
Naomi - Love a cute toddler in cute shades!
Getting Spoiled - A friend e-mailed me yesterday to see if she could swing by for a minute in the afternoon. When she arrived at my door there were three boxes of Samoas in her arms. She handed them to me with an order to not share any with anyone. I promised to obey. What a good friend she is!!
Movies - We get all of our movies from the library. However, we started getting one free Redbox movie each week. Want to get a freebie too? Go to this site and sign up to get a free movie code every Monday. Our nearest Redbox is over three miles away, but Tim has one right by work. So, he picks up a movie on his way home each Monday.
Now, the deal gets even better in March. Yesterday I got an e-mail saying they'll do one free movie code each Wednesday this month. You'll have to go to the Redbox blog to get the code each Wednesday. I realize that makes for a late night if you have Bible study, but the option is out there. And if you actually live close to a Redbox, then you could watch it on Thursday morning. We just don't have that option because Tim has to take the movie back with him bright and early.
Devon & Silas - Love two boys cracking up as they give each other tattoos!
Getting Spoiled - A friend e-mailed me yesterday to see if she could swing by for a minute in the afternoon. When she arrived at my door there were three boxes of Samoas in her arms. She handed them to me with an order to not share any with anyone. I promised to obey. What a good friend she is!!
Movies - We get all of our movies from the library. However, we started getting one free Redbox movie each week. Want to get a freebie too? Go to this site and sign up to get a free movie code every Monday. Our nearest Redbox is over three miles away, but Tim has one right by work. So, he picks up a movie on his way home each Monday.
Now, the deal gets even better in March. Yesterday I got an e-mail saying they'll do one free movie code each Wednesday this month. You'll have to go to the Redbox blog to get the code each Wednesday. I realize that makes for a late night if you have Bible study, but the option is out there. And if you actually live close to a Redbox, then you could watch it on Thursday morning. We just don't have that option because Tim has to take the movie back with him bright and early.
Devon & Silas - Love two boys cracking up as they give each other tattoos!
Seasons - I love that we live in a place with four seasons. Granted, we have more rain than a lot of other places, but we still have distinct seasons and I love them all. Right now I'm enjoying the bulbs that are blooming around the neighborhood. So pretty!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
FREE CHRISTMAS CONCERT
We went to a fantastic Christmas concert last year and I wanted to give all my local readers a heads up about it. It's held at and put on by members of Portland Christian Center. It's big, it's professional, and it's free!! Performances are being held 12/5-12/7 and 12/12-12/14. Last year there was a childcare available. We didn't use it, so I'm not sure of details. If you are counting on using their childcare, then it would be wise to call and confirm that it's available this year and the ages they'll take. Hurry and click here to snag some tickets!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
LINKS I LIKE #3
Here's another post I haven't done in ages. So, here are a few sites I think are worthy of passing on to you.
Oregon's Unclaimed Property - Free money! Who would turn that down? You can search this site to see if Oregon has any money for you. I've never found anything that belonged to me personally, but I've found lots of friends and family here. Some of them have received some large checks too! Check it out if you live here currently or have in the past. If you aren't from Oregon, then google the name of your state along with "unclaimed property" to find the site for your state. Some states will tell you specifically what is waiting for you, while Oregon just tells you if it's over or under $50.
Around the Sun - This site gives you a heads up on all sorts of cheap or free things going on in the Portland area. There is a regular weekly post for the upcoming weekend, plus a variety of other posts spotlighting a particular event.
Hiking Up Hill - Sandy is a woman I know through the Sonlight forums who was diagnosed with breast cancer on 7/3/08. This site chronicles her battle against the disease, gives tips to mastectomy patients and their caregivers, shows the financial cost of treatment, and has some fun pics of head shavings and the hats made to keep bald heads warm in the winter. She's real - voicing the struggles one day and being upbeat the next.
Oregon's Unclaimed Property - Free money! Who would turn that down? You can search this site to see if Oregon has any money for you. I've never found anything that belonged to me personally, but I've found lots of friends and family here. Some of them have received some large checks too! Check it out if you live here currently or have in the past. If you aren't from Oregon, then google the name of your state along with "unclaimed property" to find the site for your state. Some states will tell you specifically what is waiting for you, while Oregon just tells you if it's over or under $50.
Around the Sun - This site gives you a heads up on all sorts of cheap or free things going on in the Portland area. There is a regular weekly post for the upcoming weekend, plus a variety of other posts spotlighting a particular event.
Hiking Up Hill - Sandy is a woman I know through the Sonlight forums who was diagnosed with breast cancer on 7/3/08. This site chronicles her battle against the disease, gives tips to mastectomy patients and their caregivers, shows the financial cost of treatment, and has some fun pics of head shavings and the hats made to keep bald heads warm in the winter. She's real - voicing the struggles one day and being upbeat the next.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
FREE ADVERTISING #6
Haven't done one of these posts in a while, so here goes.
Time is of the essence for this one. Linda, whose jewelry I've blogged about before, is giving away a $25 gift certificate to her etsy store. She's posting the winner on Thursday, so be sure to enter right away! I'm going to do my entry this evening and hope to win. Of course, then I'd have to decide whether to spend it on myself or on Christmas gifts.
Thinking about buying a house in Sherwood? Well, Laura just happens to have one for sale. Go check it out! It has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a bonus room, living room, family room and is located within walking distance to Snyder Park.
Looking for a baby shower gift? Feel the need to get something for your own little person? Then check out Rachelle's etsy store for some super cute handmade items for a baby's room.
Over the summer I met Erica, a woman from church whose business was just kicking off. I hadn't seen her since that meeting and forgot about her business. Then I saw her at church on Sunday and it all came back to me. So, I looked up her company's site to see how things were going. She makes a really neat product called "Hooray For You" note tags that are now being sold all over the country. Go check them out. Could be a perfect Christmas gift for someone!
Time is of the essence for this one. Linda, whose jewelry I've blogged about before, is giving away a $25 gift certificate to her etsy store. She's posting the winner on Thursday, so be sure to enter right away! I'm going to do my entry this evening and hope to win. Of course, then I'd have to decide whether to spend it on myself or on Christmas gifts.
Thinking about buying a house in Sherwood? Well, Laura just happens to have one for sale. Go check it out! It has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a bonus room, living room, family room and is located within walking distance to Snyder Park.
Looking for a baby shower gift? Feel the need to get something for your own little person? Then check out Rachelle's etsy store for some super cute handmade items for a baby's room.
Over the summer I met Erica, a woman from church whose business was just kicking off. I hadn't seen her since that meeting and forgot about her business. Then I saw her at church on Sunday and it all came back to me. So, I looked up her company's site to see how things were going. She makes a really neat product called "Hooray For You" note tags that are now being sold all over the country. Go check them out. Could be a perfect Christmas gift for someone!
Monday, July 14, 2008
M - M - M - M - M - M
Mirror - We have a big, honkin' mirror on our mantle. I took it down for a day last week and discovered a problem. I am vain! Every time I walked by the fireplace I'd turn to look in the mirror, but it wasn't there. Every. single. time. I've never even noticed that I glance that way when I walk past, so I was shocked at how often I did it. What's the deal? You know I'm a pretty low maintenance girl, so it's not exactly like I'm making sure my makeup looks good or my perfectly styled hair is all in place. I have no idea why I look. Now that the mirror is back up, I'm making a conscious effort to not look in it every time I walk by.
Music - We spent Sunday night at a free concert by Cubaneo at the park across the street from our house. It was great! The music was good, the weather was beautiful, we ran into lots of neighbors, the boys got their arms painted, and all the kids loved the balloons. If you live in our general neck of the woods, then go check out the schedule for other free concerts this summer.
Mouth - I think a picture is worth a thousand words.
Music - We spent Sunday night at a free concert by Cubaneo at the park across the street from our house. It was great! The music was good, the weather was beautiful, we ran into lots of neighbors, the boys got their arms painted, and all the kids loved the balloons. If you live in our general neck of the woods, then go check out the schedule for other free concerts this summer.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
K - K - K - K - K - K
Kake - Mandi is doing yet another giveaway this week and I think it's the last one. Her husband sells and distributes Tastykake, so the winner will receive a variety of Tastykake products. Go enter!!
Kisses - Tim started a kissing tradition when Silas was born. It's called "four corners" and he kissed Silas' forehead, left cheek, right cheek and chin. Then he did it with Devon. Now he's doing it with Naomi. That's cute in and of itself. It gets better though. The boys give Naomi four corners all the time. Too stinkin' cute!!
"K" words - I couldn't think of a third "K" topic. So, I decided to google "k words". I ended up with a list of unusual words that start with "k". In an attempt to broaden our vocabularies and fulfill my self-imposed quota of three topics per letter, I am going to teach you some new words. I'm sure you'll find that they come in handy in everyday conversation. Ready?
kakidrosis - body odor
kantikoy - to dance as an act of worship
kenophobia - fear of empty spaces
keystone - to double the wholesale price for retail
kickie-wickie - a wife
kidology - a study of kidding
kirking - first attendance of church by a couple after marriage
kreatophagia - eating of raw meat
krobylos - tuft of hair on the top of the head
Kisses - Tim started a kissing tradition when Silas was born. It's called "four corners" and he kissed Silas' forehead, left cheek, right cheek and chin. Then he did it with Devon. Now he's doing it with Naomi. That's cute in and of itself. It gets better though. The boys give Naomi four corners all the time. Too stinkin' cute!!
"K" words - I couldn't think of a third "K" topic. So, I decided to google "k words". I ended up with a list of unusual words that start with "k". In an attempt to broaden our vocabularies and fulfill my self-imposed quota of three topics per letter, I am going to teach you some new words. I'm sure you'll find that they come in handy in everyday conversation. Ready?
kakidrosis - body odor
kantikoy - to dance as an act of worship
kenophobia - fear of empty spaces
keystone - to double the wholesale price for retail
kickie-wickie - a wife
kidology - a study of kidding
kirking - first attendance of church by a couple after marriage
kreatophagia - eating of raw meat
krobylos - tuft of hair on the top of the head
Sunday, June 1, 2008
F - F - F - F - F - F
Failure - How do you deal with personal failure? Cry or give up? Take a new approach or have a meltdown? What if your intentions are good and you're trying your best, but it's just not good enough? I've been trying to deal with some failures of my own lately and it's hard. Really hard. I have a tendency to try and figure out solutions on my own. While God gave us a mind and a will of our own, he also gave us himself. So, I'm making an effort to spend more time in prayer and less time analyzing. What about you? How do you react when you blow it in some area?
Family Fun - Well, last week I told you about Mandi having six weeks of giveaways. Some of you entered her Baby Legs contest and we'll find out the winner soon. This week she's giving away a one year subscription to two different magazines, Family Fun and Wondertime. I've never read Wondertime, but I love Family Fun! So, go enter the contest and good luck!!
Feed - This has nothing to do with eating and everything to do with blogging. My friend Leslie showed me how to set up a feed reader. Oh, how my life has become easier!! No longer do I spend time hopping around to the blogs I love to see if there are new posts. Instead, I made iGoogle my homepage and added Google Reader to the page. I've added the addresses to the blogs I read regularly to Google Reader and it lets me know when there is something new. I only have to go directly to the blog if I want to make a comment. Now, I realize this isn't exactly a technological newsflash or anything, but it was a new trick for me. As a fan of efficiency, I love Google Reader!!
Family Fun - Well, last week I told you about Mandi having six weeks of giveaways. Some of you entered her Baby Legs contest and we'll find out the winner soon. This week she's giving away a one year subscription to two different magazines, Family Fun and Wondertime. I've never read Wondertime, but I love Family Fun! So, go enter the contest and good luck!!
Feed - This has nothing to do with eating and everything to do with blogging. My friend Leslie showed me how to set up a feed reader. Oh, how my life has become easier!! No longer do I spend time hopping around to the blogs I love to see if there are new posts. Instead, I made iGoogle my homepage and added Google Reader to the page. I've added the addresses to the blogs I read regularly to Google Reader and it lets me know when there is something new. I only have to go directly to the blog if I want to make a comment. Now, I realize this isn't exactly a technological newsflash or anything, but it was a new trick for me. As a fan of efficiency, I love Google Reader!!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
LINKS I LIKE #2
Ok, I have a few sites to throw out to you. Ready?
I'll start with Jess. Her blog is called Making Home and it's filled with all sorts of fantastic stuff, both encouraging and challenging. I was originally intending on showing her recent post about Romans 14 and how it applies to the prideful and judgemental attitudes moms can have toward each other. Then she had an excellent post on a marital dilemma. I guess I'd suggest going to her site and reading in whatever categories appeal to you. It's all good!
If you want to listen to commercial free music while the computer is on, then check out Pandora. You can create multiple stations based on particular songs or artists. It's wonderful!!
Next on the lineup is The Pioneer Woman. Oh. My. Word. She's amazing! She is hysterically funny and a kick in the pants to read. She's constantly giving away prizes, has tons of pictures, a whole section of her site devoted to photography, another to cooking, one to home and garden, and the rest to whatever floats her boat.
Ashley sent me a link to the following site. It's called Stuff Christians Like and it's a riot. If you like sarcasm and are comfortable mocking some of the silly things that go on in churches, then you'll enjoy this site.
Metro Parent is a site that has a lengthy list of activities for families in the Portland area.
And I think we'll call that a wrap.
I'll start with Jess. Her blog is called Making Home and it's filled with all sorts of fantastic stuff, both encouraging and challenging. I was originally intending on showing her recent post about Romans 14 and how it applies to the prideful and judgemental attitudes moms can have toward each other. Then she had an excellent post on a marital dilemma. I guess I'd suggest going to her site and reading in whatever categories appeal to you. It's all good!
If you want to listen to commercial free music while the computer is on, then check out Pandora. You can create multiple stations based on particular songs or artists. It's wonderful!!
Next on the lineup is The Pioneer Woman. Oh. My. Word. She's amazing! She is hysterically funny and a kick in the pants to read. She's constantly giving away prizes, has tons of pictures, a whole section of her site devoted to photography, another to cooking, one to home and garden, and the rest to whatever floats her boat.
Ashley sent me a link to the following site. It's called Stuff Christians Like and it's a riot. If you like sarcasm and are comfortable mocking some of the silly things that go on in churches, then you'll enjoy this site.
Metro Parent is a site that has a lengthy list of activities for families in the Portland area.
And I think we'll call that a wrap.
Friday, May 16, 2008
FREE ADVERTISING #3
The kids are in bed. Tim's watching a movie. I'm wasting the night away online. Figured I may as well do something worthwhile, so I'm directing you to the sites of some friends and acquaintances.
Randi took the plunge this week and started a blog dedicated to her photography! All the pics are great, but the ones of children and babies are so stinkin' cute!! So, if you are in the Portland area and need some photos taken, then check out her work.
Are you a "save the planet" type of girl? Try to avoid using disposable products? Then Jen's cloth pads would be right up your alley. I'm a bit of a "ruin the environment" kind of girl myself when it comes to these products, but I know LOTS of women who love the cloth! If I was going to go for something more environmentally friendly, then Jen's the girl I'd go to. Plus, she's just a fun person.
Ginnymae's site is filled with purses and totes of all kinds - quilted, straw, feedbag, etc. She also makes "hares and bears", miniature rabbits and bears, for just about every occasion you could think of. Right now her site is offering free shipping on hares, bears, and straw purses!!
If you've known me for any length of time, then you know that I have a major sweet tooth. Well, one of the sugary treats I tried recently was a lavender cake that Seri, a woman from church, made. Oh. My. Word. It was fantastic!! I'm going to send you straight to her menu so you can salivate all over your keyboard. If you live in the Portland area and need a tasty cake for a wedding, birthday, or just for kicks, then she's your lady!
And that wraps up another free advertising post. Be sure to check out these sites and keep these women in mind for your own needs or for gift giving.
Randi took the plunge this week and started a blog dedicated to her photography! All the pics are great, but the ones of children and babies are so stinkin' cute!! So, if you are in the Portland area and need some photos taken, then check out her work.
Are you a "save the planet" type of girl? Try to avoid using disposable products? Then Jen's cloth pads would be right up your alley. I'm a bit of a "ruin the environment" kind of girl myself when it comes to these products, but I know LOTS of women who love the cloth! If I was going to go for something more environmentally friendly, then Jen's the girl I'd go to. Plus, she's just a fun person.
Ginnymae's site is filled with purses and totes of all kinds - quilted, straw, feedbag, etc. She also makes "hares and bears", miniature rabbits and bears, for just about every occasion you could think of. Right now her site is offering free shipping on hares, bears, and straw purses!!
If you've known me for any length of time, then you know that I have a major sweet tooth. Well, one of the sugary treats I tried recently was a lavender cake that Seri, a woman from church, made. Oh. My. Word. It was fantastic!! I'm going to send you straight to her menu so you can salivate all over your keyboard. If you live in the Portland area and need a tasty cake for a wedding, birthday, or just for kicks, then she's your lady!
And that wraps up another free advertising post. Be sure to check out these sites and keep these women in mind for your own needs or for gift giving.
Monday, April 21, 2008
FREE ADVERTISING #2
I've done a "free advertising" post once already and I know at least one person received business because of it. So, I'm going to do them periodically. If you want to see who else I've advertised, then just click on the label that says "advertising" at the end of the post or on the right of the screen and it will show you all other advertising posts. The links are all in bold print. Happy browsing ... and probable shopping!
Thinking of moving to the Portland area? Check out my friend Jess' historical house in Oregon City. They just put it on the market and it's as cute as can be!
Do you knit or crochet? Or do you just love using things that other people create out of yarn? Lona's family raises sheep and sells wool products, such as rag rugs, yarn, socks, and dish cloths. She is giving away a $15 gift certificate to her Etsy store right now. Check it out right here!
Merry is known for her wise counsel to the moms on the Sonlight forums. Here is a poster she's created to help train your kiddos to respond to instruction in a timely and respectful manner. She also has some fun caterpillar bookmarks for the avid readers in your life.
Love to wear silver jewelry? If so, then you need to check out Tanya's site. She has some really cute handcrafted items!
Thinking of moving to the Portland area? Check out my friend Jess' historical house in Oregon City. They just put it on the market and it's as cute as can be!
Do you knit or crochet? Or do you just love using things that other people create out of yarn? Lona's family raises sheep and sells wool products, such as rag rugs, yarn, socks, and dish cloths. She is giving away a $15 gift certificate to her Etsy store right now. Check it out right here!
Merry is known for her wise counsel to the moms on the Sonlight forums. Here is a poster she's created to help train your kiddos to respond to instruction in a timely and respectful manner. She also has some fun caterpillar bookmarks for the avid readers in your life.
Love to wear silver jewelry? If so, then you need to check out Tanya's site. She has some really cute handcrafted items!
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