Walgreen's Christmas Items 75% now!

Out of curiosity, I went in Walgreen's (because it is a new one near us) and ran across their 75% off Christmas items. There was quite a bit of "good" stuff left considering how many days after Christmas it is now. I know it is because many people this year are saying no to after Christmas sales and hanging on to their money and holding out for deeper discounts. It was just by chance walking through the aisle. I couldn't resist the little M&M's Elvis Ornaments! Regular $5.99 each...got each for $1.29 (Yes, I bought about 10)! I also bought an Elvis singing dog for $5...regular $20! I know those seem like silly purchases but our neighborhood's road names are named after Elvis and I just have fun with it. They also had tons of good candy and chocolates among many other decoration type of items. It is worth a look. I had to splurge as the entire Christmas Season...I was VERY miserly. This was a treat for myself and some sort of relief.

Oh yeah! I can't believe I didn't mention it...we closed our Refinance Yesterday successfully! I am excited about that as well! We locked in for 5.5% 30 Year Fixed! Very awesome! I hear the rates are supposed to lower more, but we didn't care, we weren't going to take any chances!

Maximize those Gift Cards and Cash!

That is what we do when we receive gift cards and cash. We don't look at these types of gifts as something that we need to spend right away. We hold on to them (as long is there isn't some kind of limit or penalty) until we really want to buy something or need something. We don't rush to spend them. This way, when you use your gift card or gift cash...it really feels like a bonus.

If you don't have to concern yourself with finances...well treat yourself to something you really wanted that you didn't get because we all deserve that handbag or pair of shoes or movie tickets once in a while. By treating yourself, it helps to curve the itch to spend for no reason at times. It feels like a breath of fresh air.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Week!

Now the Countdown to the New Year is on! Then TAX TIME!!! Whooo Hoo!

Merry Christmas Eve and Prep for the New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Eve Everyone!

Here are some updates on us:

• My husband is doing fairly well at his new job, this is his second week. I am hoping he will get to leave early on this Christmas Eve because we have a two hour drive to my Mom's house as we all go to our family Christmas Eve Party. I don't expect him to ask to leave early since he is the "new guy," but it sure would be nice not to miss the family party. It is the only time our family gets together all year long, just like many of you. But it will be alright...what happens...happens.
• We will close our home refinance on Monday the 29th! What a great way to end 2008 and roll into 2009 with! I'm excited!
• I did finish all my Christmas shopping...LAST NIGHT! :-) Hey, at least it is before Christmas Eve...I was sure I would be out there today! :-)
• I'm ready to get started on TAXES!
• We need to make our last of the year Donations to our local Guardian Angel! Everyone out there...you can do the same and make it to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc... You are doing a good deed and will benefit on your taxes. It is a great way to make room for your new goodies and your children's new toys by making a donation! You are being "Green," Generous, and benefiting on your taxes for 2008! Hurry! You have one week left to make your 08 donations!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Gear up for Travel by taking advantage of after Christmas Online Specials!

Oh yeah!

If this were a year we were going to travel out of the country...I would totally be taking advantage of Christmas gift cash or gift cards at the following stores!

They are already running sales as big as 75% off!

My favorite purchase ever for travel online was from Magellan's for the PacSafe CitySafe 200 Handbag! Check it out! It is an AWESOME gift for yourself! :-)

My other favorite online travel store for Travel Clothing (made for travel...you just have to read the descriptions to see what I mean...wow!) is Travel Smith!

Magellan's
Travel Smith

They both have catalogs that you can have sent to your home! I do! :-)

Final Christmas Countdown! Yikes!

I can't believe it! It's almost here! As much as I wanted to NOT be one of the last ones out there shopping...guess what? I am!Well, I will just laugh about it because my mom has always said "Laughing is better than Crying!" This year I started out early and then my husband's work took a dive and then as you know eventually laid off. He started his new job Monday but of course there is a holding week on the first check...so this year's Christmas is going to be a little on the less expensive side and all of our friends and family do understand. I consider us blessed people no matter what. As we all know, it isn't about the gifts anyways; however, it does stink a little to not get out and shop in the hustle and bustle throughout the season. I do intend to get out in the next few days to get my son's yearly picture with Santa and do some final shopping and only shopping that does need to be done. Most people will be getting gift cards or cash. These types of gifts can be acquired in the last seconds and that is where we are right now. I am wishing everyone out there a very Happy and Cheerful Holiday Season as well as aVery Merry Christmas!

Things are looking up!

Just thought I would write a post to say thank you to all of your well wishes and prayers. I wanted you to know that things are turning around already!

My husband received a job and will start on Monday. He will make more than his last job and little chance for a layoff there. Downside is he will not ever get any Saturdays off. Oh well. It will be okay. I still consider us lucky and blessed people.

We are also in the process of refinancing our house at 5.5%! Several people recommended us to refinance our house because my husband was laid off. Apparently there is something to it and it is looking good thus far on the refinance. I will keep you posted and let you know for sure if it went through by the end of the month. I am pretty excited about everything again; however, a bit exhausted. It has been a tiresome week. Today, I didn't have a sitter because her son had strep throat and pink eye and to be honest, my son and myself have a cold as well. We were better off to stay home as we also have the house appraisal today. Also, I have a ton of paperwork dealing with the refinance I have to take care of...so I keep moving forward.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

And so our family starts a New Chapter...

With every big event of life, we all turn to a "new chapter!"

As you read in the post before this one...my husband was laid off last Monday. This was a huge shock for us as we had no warning and no anticipation it could happen even though, yes, he did work for one of the Auto companies having trouble. It is just one of those things where you just don't think it will be you.

It is okay though...we have all accepted it (including my husband...whom believes in working). We don't worry, we know all will be okay. We see it as a blessing and an exciting "opportunity" for what is yet to come. I know, sounds "lame" but it is true and how we feel. No room to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves.

As the old saying goes "when one door shuts, another door opens!" (or something like that)

Thanks to our "penny-pinching" ways...I believe we will survive just fine until my husband finds a new job.

I wanted to make this post so all would understand the lack of posts I have made over the past week. Life is currently a roller-coaster but is slowing down momentarily.

Gift Cards: Careful

By now, I would bet most of you have received these emails about being Careful this Holiday Season with Gift Cards from certain stores as they may be closing at the beginning of the upcoming year. That is very sad. I thought I would share that email here (just in case there is any validity to it) so you will also see the stores that it is a possibility to buy gift cards and then all the sudden may no longer be honored.

I know all about "all the sudden" surprises as my husband was just laid off on Monday (he worked for Ford for 7 years). My mom is going to be laid off this Friday (update: she actually ended up being laid off that Tuesday a few days earlier than originally told)(she worked in Furniture for 37 years). So, from personal experience...I believe this email has some truths to it and I will also add links to snopes.com with their spin on these emails. Without further adieu: here is the email:

Stores that will be closing after Christmas
and are still selling Gift Cards that will not
be good on January 1, 2009.
There is no Law preventing them from
selling these cards, so please beware.

Circuit City (Filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor- (117 Stores Nationwide Closing)
Lane Bryant,
Fashion Bug and Catherine's (to Close 150 Stores)
Eddie Bauer (to close 27 stores and more after January)
Cache (Closing all stores)
Talbots ( closing down specialty Stores)
J.Jill (Closing all Stores)
Pacific Sunwear (Owned by Talbots)
GAP-(Closing 85 Stores)
Footlocker (closing 140 stores)
Wickes Furniture (Closing all Stores)
Levitz (All Stores)
Bombay (closing all Stores)
Zales (closing 82 stores & 105 after January)
Whitehall (closing all Stores)
Piercing Pagoda (closing all stores)
Disney (closing 98 stores)
Home Depot (Closing 15 stores in NJ)
Macy's (closing 9 stores after January)
Linens & Things (closing all stores)
Movie Galley (closing all stores)
Pep Boys (closing 33 stores)
Sprint/Nextel (closing 133 stores)
JC Penny (closing a number of stores after January)
Ethan Allen (closing down 12 stores)
Wilson Leather ( Closing all stores)
Sharper Image (closing all stores)
KB Toys (closing 356 Stores)
Dillard's (closing some stores)

Now, if you intended to get a gift card for someone from one of these stores, I would recommend you do some of your own research before you say oh, no...I'm not getting one now. Seriously...you could contact stores and such to be sure of which stores are closing and that sort of thing. It is worth at least looking into it.

Here are the Snopes.com links to these emails and their research about them (all worth looking into...they are not totally false as stated on snopes.com):
This link says the email is a "mix" of truths:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/storeclosings.asp
This link says the email is "Partly true":
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/bankruptcies.asp
Both of the snopes emails are very similar to the one above...so it does make you scratch your head and be more alert when purchasing a gift card for a loved one.

Have a good Thursday!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday DEALS at SHUTTERFLY!

Shutterfly is totally the way to go for that special loved one! Make all kinds of personalized and BEAUTIFUL keepsakes for Mom, Sister, Grandparents, Newlyweds, and the list goes on and on. How creative can you be? Make a PhotoBook! Shutterfly's books are hardback and pages are front and back. You can customize EVERYTHING about it! I better get busy as well so I can also take advantage of this deal. Thinking my sister has been hinting she wants another one. :-) Don't worry, she doesn't read my blog...she is too busy with her little baby that is 5 months old. I don't blame her.

One great item I saw, that is new to me...is custom ornaments. Very pretty! I want one or four! :-)


Free shipping on orders over $25! See Site for details.


Save up to 30% on Photo Books (30% on 12x12; 20% on 8x8 and 8x11; 15% on 5x7 and 4x4)! See site for details.


Save 30% on CenterStage books! See site for details.
This is a great item for kids as your child becomes part of the story for characters like Diego, Dora, Spongebob and more! Very cute and something that can be kept forever.

Save 25% on mugs (excl. Starbucks), save 20% on keepsake boxes, magnets/mousepads. See site for details!

Happy Black Friday and Upcoming Cyber Monday! Thank you Shutterfly for such awesome deals on such fantastic products!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to wish all readers out there a very
Happy Thanksgiving!

Take time to: be Thankful, Rest, EAT, Enjoy Family and Friends, Watch Football Games, Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (what I like to watch), and at the end of the day...Make your plan of Attack or Black Friday and Cyber Monday! :-)

Gobble Gobble!

I'm thankful for all my readers and friends out there that share the love of being frugal and "green!"
Happy Thanksgiving!

Take care and Travel Safely!

Creative Ways to Give Cash and Gift Cards 2008

This year is a tight year for many. With it being such a tough (financially) season...Cash and Gift Cards would make great gifts for many! Not to mention this gift is great for those who love shopping the After Christmas Sales or for the people on your list that are just so hard to buy for!!!
With this being such a predictable gift (maybe)...I thought I should repost my "Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards and CASH!" from last year with a few minor tweaks and added links for even MORE great ways by other great sites:

Here is a couple of ways I have seen cash and gift cards given, in an exciting way!

1) Whatever the amount of Cash you want to give, go to the bank and get it in ones!!! One year, my sister's secret santa in the family gave her $50 in ONES, and put in a large box with crumpled up shreds of newspaper! On the box, the label said: "CAREFUL SMALL PARTS!" All the family watched to see what the gift was in all that paper! hee hee Then, we all got it, as she pulled out one crumpled dollar bill after another! Everyone watched on to see just how much money was in there as our limit is only $20 for the family "secret santa" gifts...once she hit $20..we were like whoa...how much is in there? That is one of those times a video camera would have been handy, and would love to be able to rewind and watch again.

2) My mother, one year, gave my father-in-law money and again in ONES and filled up a little Christmas tree with the ones as "origami money ornaments!" Had to stare at it to figure out it was money on the tree! She gave a "Money Tree!" Sometimes money does come on trees, still not growing on them! :-)

3) For GIFT CARDS and GIFT CERTIFICATES: One year I bought my Mom an Aigner Credit Card Holder, and filled it up with $20 gift cards for many things (about $200 worth)...from grocery store to the movies, to a manicure! Loads of fun in a wallet! Merry Christmas to all and Happy Holidays!

4) For CASH combined with GIFT CARDS and TICKETS to Riverdance: A different year (I believe for Mother's Day)...all my mom wanted was a water pitcher from Wal-Mart that was like $5.00...I got her that (of course) and filled it with other items I wanted her to have: I gave her $20 with a printed note that said for "thrift stores and yard sales" with a cute little graphic on it; There was a gift card but I don't remember what it was for; A matching Aigner Checkbook with tickets to "Riverdance" inside for her, sister, and myself to go all together for a girls big day out. She was speechless! (It was a better year financially that year.)

Those are some of my personal examples...What are yours?

Meanwhile....here are just a few other great sites with this topic...Enjoy! I know I did...man there are so many ways to gift cash and cards...don't be boring, plenty of ideas here not to be! :-) (I do understand getting in a hurry at times...cash is ALWAYS appreciated!)

ThriftyFun (for cash)

ThriftyFun (for gift cards)

I will be looking for more to add (after work today)! Happy Monday and Happy Holidays...have an Excellent Turkey Day!

Fun Gift Idea: The gift of "Blast from the Past!"

I was just thinking and it struck me that a wonderful gift idea (not to mention "green") is to purchase a "Vintage" gift to buy back someone's "past" on ebay! Okay...that is a loaded sentence...let me break that down into some fun gift ideas for you:

First, I have to give a "serious" example and then to the "fun" examples:
A few years back I searched ebay regularly in hopes to find my mom a yearbook from her childhood. When she was growing up her family couldn't afford yearbooks for her or her siblings. The only one they owned was my mom's senior yearbook from high school. Now back to the gift part of the story: Can you believe I found a yearbook that I thought "Might" have my mom in it (on ebay) and emailed the seller and he looked and found her for me AND he said he had a stack that she might be in! SHE WAS! The seller was extremely generous and sold me the elementary books for $5.00 a piece and high school books for $10 a piece. I ended up getting her like 9 books that she did not own with her and her sisters and brothers in! What a FIND! She was speechless. She also had many hours of fun with her sisters and brother sitting down and looking at these books. Even though I got a great deal...you seriously can't put a price on such a gift!!!! Truly Priceless!
The seller also sent it media mail and charged very little for the shipping. What a great seller and helpful! I will have to see if I can find his seller ID and recommend him to you all...he sells only vintage items on Ebay!

Okay for my "Fun" ideas:
Whatever era the lucky recipient had their childhood in...search for movies from that time period or clothing or some "fad" item. Give this as a gift...they will have so much fun strolling and laughing down memory lane! For something like this...nobody beats ebay!

Personally, I would LOVE to have a Jordache Purse I had as a child and if I got that as a gift...Man...that would be AWESOME! Or should I say "Radical?" :-) Go 80s!

Speaking of 80s...if that lucky person is a child of the 80s (such as myself): Might I recommend my Squidoo Lens where I have collected a load of FUN items for these folks...including myself:
GenX; I love the 80s!

How we save $$$ on gas

Now, this probably won't have much effect for other people but this is what we (husband and I) do to save money on gasoline for our vehicles.

My husband has a truck (F-150) and I have a car (Corolla). Obviously, we all know the Corolla would be better on gas mileage etc... My husband's truck is surprisingly pretty decent on gas...it isn't four wheel drive (maybe that has something to do with it?). Anywho, my husband's job is twice the distance of my job from our home. Sooo, since my car is better for distance and takes much less gas....we switch vehicles to go to work. We have saved so much money with this obvious logic. I wanted to share this tidbit as I don't believe I have ever made a post on it.

There are some days that I need my car...for instance...I have to attend a meeting or leave my work for some reason (ex: doctor appointment, etc...) and thus traveling more than to and from work. Basically, whomever is traveling the most miles that day gets the car! :-) Silly sounding maybe...but sure has saved us money. Estimated savings (for us and our travel) per month is from $80-$100 per month varying due to up and down price of gas and where else, besides work, we have traveled that month.

Here is our breakdown (estimate on average): (Estimates are Price Per Month)

(Price break down if we didn't switch vehicles)
$200 Truck (Husband)
$60 car (Myself)
$260 (total price per month on both vehicles)

(Price break down NOW that we do switch vehicles)
$100 Truck (Myself)
$80 Car (Husband)
$180 (total price per month on both vehicles)

A savings is a savings! Find it where you can!

Does anyone else out there do something like this to cut cost on gasoline?

Black Friday...This year...staying home!

"Black Friday" this year will be a bit boring for myself; however, relaxing. I am too "lazy" to get the great deals on "Black Friday". I will stay in the "black" by not spending as we are already in the "Red!"

"Black Friday" comes from the color of ink on retailers reports for their yearly sales. Typically some stores (or many...not certain of exact statistics) are in the Red for the year before "Black Friday" and the go into the "Black" on "Black Friday" as a result of huge sales that day and through the Holiday shopping season. This is when stores really start to see profit. Many stores meet and exceed quotas thanks to "Black Friday." I used to work at a department store years ago and remember my commission would be in the "red" (aka: not making anything besides my hourly) and I, myself, would start making commission and thus going into the "black" on "Black Friday." I must say, I don't miss it. Maybe that is the reason for my lack of motivation to get out and about on that day. I hated getting up sooo early and always said when I get out of retail..."I'm sleeping in!" I guess I am doing that out of respect for my past self this year. :-)

For all of those brave shoppers out there, I did find this one site that you can sign up for email alerts on the latest black friday ads and updates: BlackFriday.com

I believe I am most interested in "Cyber Monday" this year and want to see what it is all about as I have never taken part in this day.

Cool Stocking Stuffer? How about a Custom ACEO?

My husband is now offering Custom ACEOs in our Etsy Shop!

What is an ACEO? For those who don't know, here is the short of it:
ACEO=Art Cards Editions and Originals. This came from ATCs which means Artist Trading Cards. They were originally created and traded between Artists. Naturally, someone found a way to make money from it, changed the name to ACEO and sold them on Ebay and now has become a huge hit for collectors and Artists alike. They are a fun size (same as a sports trading card) of 2.5" X 3.5" (this is what makes it an ACEO or ATC...it HAS to be the exact size or it doesn't qualify). The size is the only "rule" an Artist has to follow for it to qualify as an ACEO or ATC. Typically they are flat and fit into a sports trading card sleeve, but many break this un-announced rule, including myself. :-) These are great because they are so many ways to display them. You can put them in tiny cute frames, set them on easels. Put them in a basket inside their sleeves...sit them on a coffee table for mini-art conversations! If you just want to collect...just get some sports trading pages/sleeves and put them in a book. You can collect hundreds/thousands and they do not take up the space that collecting large pieces would!

Now that I have stated my case on how cool ACEOs/ATCs are (even though I was just explaining them): what are you waiting for? Get started with a Custom ACEO of a Loved One by My Husband or take on some searches on Ebay or Etsy: Type in the Search boxes: ACEO and whatever topic you would like, for example: ACEO Cats


These would make an Awesome Personalized Stocking Stuffer! If interested for Christmas, you need to seriously get your order in ASAP. Christmas is less than 35 days away and he would need a few days to complete the drawing from YOUR photo of an animal or person. Also, you would need to allow shipping time and consider the holiday rush and potentially slow shipping when everyone starts spending up a storm on the 'net!

The Custom ACEOs are a nice low price of $25.00 for one Subject! An Economical way to collect ORIGINAL HAND-CREATED (DRAWN in this case) ART!

Kreativ Blogger Award! Yay! Thank you Frugal Shopping With Julie!

One of my favorite bloggers gave me the "Kreative Blogger" award!

The blogger/blog is Frugal Shopping With Julie by Julie!

I have found so many great deals on Julie's blog...I just love her blog...well written, beautiful design and not to mention the BARGAINS one can find!

Thank you Julie from Frugal Shopping With Julie!

Upon receiving this award, I have to list 6 things that I am thankful for and then pass this award along to 6 more wonderful bloggers!

I like this kind of award because I am blessed to say I could list a thousand things I am thankful for, but will stick with the six that is requested! :-)

Here it goes:

I am thankful for...

1. The fact I have way more than 6 items that I feel blessed and thankful for. God's many Blessings!


2. My Son...he is a joy even when he is not necessarily being joy. (3 years old)


3. My Husband....a wonderful man that puts up with me and my oddities.


4. My Mom, Sister and Niece (5 months old)


5. Friends (Work and Home)


6. Having a sense of humor (most of the time): I love to laugh!
   

I could definitely keep going! I try to give thanks for my blessings every day!
Now I will pass this award on to six bloggers whose sites I enjoy. I have many to choose from so I will just direct you all to six and am certain it will spread through to all my favorites out there!

• (Twitter Pal) Alyssa @ Life From My Laptop
• (Posh Mama Pal) Sweet Mummy @ It's OK to be WEIRD!
• (Twitter Pal) Amanda @ Contest for Moms
• (Frugal Blog Buddy) Lynnae @ Being Frugal
• (EntreCard and Posh Mama) Meg @ Kiss My Style
• (Frugal Blog Buddy) Kyle @ Rather-Be-Shopping

These Bloggers and their Blogs are AWESOME! You will gather so much useful and interesting information from each of them! I am pretty sure if they aren't a favorite of yours already, they will be...so give them a visit and see which ones will become your favorites!

One way to save money..is NOT to Waste it!

Spendster.org is a new site that dedicated to help folks realize their unneccesary spending and "confess" this spending. You can also calculate your wasteful spending. I know, sounds like a "blame game" that may not be of interest UNLESS you actually think about it...we ALL are guilty of this from time to time or in a past where we weren't careful. I believe this site helps us to see where we can improve our spending efforts and maximize our dollar in a more meaningful way.

There are so many ways that we can stop the "waste"...for examples:

• Turn of lights when you leave the room
• Resist the urge to spend at the check out (the ever so popular Impulse purchase...it does add up over time)
• Do you really need that extra bottle of window cleaner that is on sale when you already have two bottles at home?
• When buying gifts...is it really important to buy an extra gift because it is on sale when you already have that person the "perfect gift?"
• Don't throw out cans ....recycle them in some fashion, donate, take to a recycling center, an Art Room (hmm...I am collecting to do some art projects with my students and cans I don't use...go to my fifth graders who are recycling to pay for their beach trip!)
• Think about it, this list can go on and on and on....take time to figure up your wasteful spending....SAVE that money, put it in a jar...and put it to Good use...debt reduction (a bill)...or put it in a savings account for your child. Put it to GOOD use! It does add up!

Happy Saturday! What can you do not to waste...in general or money! :-)

Psst...sometimes that wasteful spending is good for the soul...we need it once in a while...like a meal out etc...don't beat yourself up....but stop where you can! :-)

Check out other folks' stories on Spendster.org

Great site for saving money, being Green, and staying "Afloat"

I was surfing my email account and I ran across this blogger in my "email bag!" This gentleman has a wonderful blog and I am recommending it to all my readers new and old. He has excellent collections of money saving tips, tips to stay afloat, and much much more. I intend to check this blog out regularly because I am forever looking for more ways to stretch a buck! Check out Master your Card below! Two Thrifty Thumbs up! :-)

Master your Card

PetsMart's November Coupon

PetsMart is where we like to get items for our toy poodle Phoebe! This month's coupon is linked below.


PetsMart's November Special! Click the link below for coupon:

Save 15% off your order of $60



This is Phoebe...and she is wearing a funny hat, yes. :-) It is a little Romanian hat we got from this summer's trip there and we were bored and took a picture with her wearing it.

Thrifty Thursday Celebration: Two months and a Low Electric Bill

I wanted to call this Thrifty Thursday Celebration as I feel a need to celebrate the fact that two months in a row, we have had an Electric Bill lower than $100! Pretty exciting and thank goodness because finances are tough right now for us. Last month's was $91.00 and this month's is $92.00! I feel that is pretty awesome because the most recent bill holds a few cold days and running the heat at night! I am pretty excited about that and hope to maintain these low bills over the winter months. YAY!

Wordless Wednesday! Son's Costume: Little Chef!

My little nice chef is first...the second is my mean Chef Ramsey! :-) (Yes, I asked him to make that face for the purpose of the picture.)

The Little Chef! This is my son and his Halloween Costume from this year October '08!

New Year Approaching: A Personalized PHOTO CALENDAR = Great Gift!

Before you know it, we will be turning to a New Year! Are you ready? Is the people you are giving gifts ready? Possibly a Personalized Photo Calendar is the Answer!

VistaPrint is offering Awesome Deals on their Custom Calendars! Prices Ranging from $3.49 - $12.99 with many starting at $7.99 for the 12 month calendars with your photos for each month. You get to start by selecting the borders for your pages and you even get to choose number sizes and fonts for your calendar part of the calendar.

One of my favorite VistaPrint Products is their Custom Caricature Products like address labels and you design the Caricature of yourself and your family members...all the way down to the family pets. I love it! Sooo cute! This also could be a cool fun gift or Stocking Stuffer! Something useful, fun, personalized and cute! These are priced right as well starting at only $3.99!

Some VistaPrint Classics are their fabulous deals on Custom Holiday Cards as well as the age old but must have Business Card! (You can try their Business Cards for FREE even.)

VistaPrint has been around for a LONG time on the Internet. As a matter of fact, this is the first place I ever ordered from and at that time, I bought Business Cards! I also bought a custom address stamp and the Caricature Address Labels! I can say, they are easy to order from and fast on the shipping. You are sure to be pleased with any purchase from VistaPrint. Love these guys! Because they have been around for so long, you can feel secure in placing an order with them.

Have a great day and Happy Shopping for those special gifts...always custom and personalized is sure to win a smile from that someone special! It shows you put thought into your gift and not an "after" thought!

FREE Art Lesson Videos from my Favorite Art Supply Store!

Hey, any Artists or Creatives out there? Love to try new techniques or freshen up the old ones? :-) Check out Jerry's Artarama's New FREE ART LESSON VIDEO LIBRARY! They have mini Art Lessons from Collage/Stamping/Oil/Watercolor/Acrylic/ and so on. Many Mediums and they are pretty good too! I intend to take in all the FREE and watch them all. It will take a while also because it is quite impressive how many videos they have on there!

Get Busy and Get Creative!

I LOVE Jerry's Artarama!

and I Love FREE!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Currently Away at an Art Conference

Just wanted any readers out there to know, that currently I am not at home. I am away in the mountains of Asheville, NC at an Art Conference for Art Teachers of NC.

Today I attended a Seminar on Art Education and one Workshop on Knotting. Both were pretty cool and now I am enjoying FREE Wireless Internet Access and maybe a cup of coffee soon that is in the hotel room. Also, I will take advantage of the FREE Breakfast offered by the hotel.

We (husband and son went along with me) don't have money, so we are taking advantage of lounging in the hotel room while I am not in workshops, etc... We took advantage of the Mall's play space for our son to run around and have his little vacation and all for FREE.

We are looking at this as uninterrupted, stress-free, relaxation. No cooking, No cleaning, No Barking Dog and No Toys to clean up/pick up. Just playing on the internet, watching cable, and that is about it. My son is enjoying a few toys we brought for him, leapster, and some movies we brought. I believe we all needed a little getaway and lounging. Not to mention the mountains are beautiful this time of year with the changing leaves and all. FREE Visual Beauty/Entertainment.

Have a great weekend.

TV Prices Predicted to Drop?

Well, I can't say any of this for certain, but this morning on my local news...they claimed that due to the economy and low sales...that Flat TVs (LCD) are expected to "plummit" in price in the coming few weeks. For example they (local news) were saying a 32" you will be able to (maybe) get for $400; 42" for $700; and a 50" for as little as $1,000. Sounds good, although, in our house, we do not have even the $400 to spare but if You do...Awesome...hang on to your cash for a couple of weeks and do the "wait and see" game. Naturally, the Holiday season is approaching so I would bet this would be normal even if the economy were better because stores love to give crazy deals during the Christmas Holiday Rush. We can't even afford the good deals this year.

We will be watching our spending this Christmas way more than usual. The list is short and inexpensive this year. No worries because Christmas isn't supposed to be about the gifts and that is great. Still, would be nice to be in a bit better financial standing during the season.

The great news is....Tax Time is Nearing! Ya-hoo! I love Tax Time.

Happy Election Day!

Get out and Vote today if you haven't already! No matter whom you are voting for...it is important you exercise your right to vote! I did Early Voting and I am hoping many of you guys did, especially since it appears the lines today are very long and in my State (NC) it is rainy and ugly to be standing in line...but if that is the way it is where you are...Stand in that line anyways...and realize...it is just one day every four years and it is only for a few hours (or less)!

Happy Election Day Everyone and Get out and VOTE!

I love CVS's online Refill Rx Center!

I had to refill a prescription yesterday. (I have done this before but thought I would share how easy it is, in the event someone out there is nervous to use it.)

At CVS.com (once you have filled a prescription) you can register and go online in your account and "refill" your prescriptions. It is awesome. You just use the information off the prescription you are refilling and follow directions typing it in. Once you have done this...it will show that it was received and "in-process." You also get to choose the time you want to pick it up! I put 5pm yesterday but didn't make it...so I went this morning when they opened..and it was ready! I love the "no waiting" of online refilling! Also, you don't even have to go IN...just use their "drive-thru" pharmacy! Hardly gets easier than that!

CVS Rocks!

Happy Halloween! My Best Treats from Halloween Ever! Not even Candy!

I posted this last year around Halloween and enjoyed posting this so much that I thought I would post again this year for any new readers:

I would like to share my favorite items I ever got when I went trick-or-treating as a kid and this year I am adding ideas supporting each one for today's times:

#1: Polaroid Picture of myself with cousin and sister: This lady in the neighborhood took a picture of each group of kids and gave it to them as their trick-or-treating "treat" along with a hand-full of pennies that she collected throughout the year AND a can of soda! Wow! What a stop that was!
New Alternative /possibility, no doubt...with Technology getting faster and faster...why not break out the laptop and photo printer and give those kids a photo to keep forever? Or folks with printing docks! Cool! You could limit it to the kids in your neighborhood only, kids you know, or simply kids below a certain age, or best costume! Hey, get creative!

#2: My Aunt (Mom's sis) growing up was our next door neighbor and she ALWAYS (and I think still does) gives out gumball machine prizes. She saves up quarters and other change and goes to the little machines and gets rings, figurines, or whatever is in those machines, and trick-or-treaters (myself and sis and others of course) would get a little bag that had the gumball machine prize along with candy! Another cool WOW!
New Alternative: Why change this one? Save up that change and go get some prizes in those machines!

#3: This is NOT what I got trick-or-treating but it most certainly deserves the number three spot (would be higher if I got it as a kid myself): My Mother NOW (she loves it) goes to Staples, WalMart etc...at the beginning of the school year and buys tons of notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, etc... school supplies! She gives out these EVERY YEAR now to the kids who trick-or-treat her house and they LOVE it! No Candy! Some kids make her a regular stop and one year she ran out of the notebooks and said do you have anymore notebooks? He counted on that...my Mom felt bad, so the next year she stocked up on even more and made sure that boy got his notebook. She is a SMART shopper and gets items seriously less than a dime a piece! She and my sister always stocks my classroom each year with their smart shopping!
Alternative: Again...why change this one...just remember next year at the back-to-school sales to stock up on those one cent to 5 cents items! Seriously...my mom finds deals like that! I am still working towards finding the deals she does....don't know how she does it! :-)

Okay, I love to talk about memories such as this! I hope this might give you all some CREATIVE alternatives at Halloween! Surprise a kid or two!
Do you have a great alternative to candy at Halloween? Share it by dropping your comment in the comment jar!

REMINDER: Get your candy checked each year! Look up local facilities in your area that checks trick-or-treating candy. Like hospitals, police stations or wherever. We always stayed in our neighborhood so no worries, but today, got to be more safe!

Happy Halloween!

Split your Club Shopping Bill in Half!

I thought this was such an awesome idea that I had to "blog" about it to you!

We all know if you shop at places like Costco, Bj's, Sam's Club, etc...that you are Saving, but ONLY if you actually use enough of the item to purchase in "Bulk." Otherwise, it can seem costly...most especially if something gets old and goes to waste because you have so much of it.

This article I read in the BJ's flyer this past week suggested "Buddy Shopping" which mentions you make a list together with a friend...and go with that person to your store...and buy the items like, let's say, Eggs. You might get a LARGE pack of eggs that you KNOW you aren't going to use them all (and if you do..don't get that item together...get it on your personal list) but if you could split them and the price down the middle...whamo...What a Bargain all the sudden!
Okay, so you make that list together...and split the bill down the middle. When you get back to your house or your "buddy's" house...have fun splitting the items down the middle. Hey, and for those eggs...save an old egg carton from prior shopping and there you go...you both have egg cartons! :-)

You have saved money, and GAS (by traveling together) and hopefully had some fun in the process!

Now, find a buddy!

I loved this idea and it never crossed my mind. I like it because I have seen items that I thought to myself...unless you are a huge family...one wouldn't use all of this or that in time.

Rather-Be-Shopping.com blogger/site owner on TV!!!

Congratulations to Kyle of Rather-Be-Shopping.com! He was on TV on the 23rd for his site! He was on a morning show in Northern California!

Visit Rather-Be-Shopping now to check out his Television debut! That is absolutely awesome!

Kyle's site and blog have been two of my favorites for some time now. I love to see bloggers and site owners recognized on TV, Radio, etc....!

If you have not visited his site before, I encourage you to do so and take advantage of his many coupon deals and advice! Excellent Site and Blog!

I know, I used too many Exclamation points!!! I can't help it, I am excited for Rather-Be-Shopping!

Clinique Bonus Time! Exciting!

I love Clinique bonus time! Purchase $21.50 or more and get your FREE Bonus with 7 items! This time they are giving you a Choice from Three free 7-piece gift sets! You choose your bonus.


It's Clinique Bonus Time! Choose your FREE 7 piece Gift with any $21.50 clinique.com purchase. Hurry, offer expires 11.08 or while supplies last!



My favorite Clinique products are the Advanced Concealer, Moisture Surge, Clinique Happy and Lipsticks! Stock up now and take advantage of the bonuses!

My Son's Halloween Costume

This year I had a hard time trying to figure out what my son would be dressed as for Halloween. Last year he was a 2 year old Elvis and he looked awesome. Kinda hard to top that one.

With much thinking and the fact we are on the tightest budget Ever (it seems)...he will be a three year old Executive Chef! :-) I will make his little jacket and everything. He already has the chef hat, and I am sure I can find him some black pants and shoes. The only thing I debate is whether or not to call him Chef Ramsey. He does have the Blonde Hair. Probably just stick with calling him an Executive Chef.

We couldn't afford for me to run out and buy him a costume this year, which is originally what I had planned to do before we had to "tighten our belts."

Glad it is Friday!

Our big weekend plans: Early Voting! That is our plans for the weekend because we can't go out and shop at all, but voting is a Free outing and we get something done and checked off the list!

Wordless Wednesday: Custom Pencil Drawings of Birds

Custom Pencil Drawings of Birds by My Husband:

Using Shareapic here...Feel free to click on image to make it bigger and then even Zoom in from there!

Great Gift: Custom Pencil Drawings!

Custom Pencil Drawings at a Bargain by My Husband! Check out our Etsy store:



Click on Drawing Above to visit our Etsy Store! :-)

My Free Home Renovation: Clean up and Move Stuff Around!

Well, that is the way I am looking at it anyways. I have been wanting to do some new things to our house, like painting a few rooms, changing floors etc... But all of that, right now, is too expensive to even consider. To get rid of the "let's do something to the house" bug...I am going to clean out closets...put some items away and maybe rearrange a room or two. I feel that will give me an "I did something to the house" feeling and for FREE! :-)

The last time I did this...I tackled the kitchen by moving electronics (cameras, small computer gadgets etc...) above where we use the laptop in the kitchen in the cabinet above. And I got rid of some unused baby stuff (son is now three) to make plenty of space. By moving the cameras, etc...I cleared out a different small narrow cabinet and put all the medicines, etc... together! This gave us a much more functional kitchen for our lifestyle (in the kitchen at least). :-) I am still enjoying my new set up!

I have also switched out hallway closets as well, moving the "Art Closet" next to the room we do Art in and my Barbie Collection to the closet near our bedroom that is much less used. All of this type of rearranging gives me some sense of a "sigh of relief!" Making life more functional!

Have a great weekend!

Loving the Fall Weather: Electric Bill Dropped $40! Yay!

Thanks to the fall weather and not yet turning on the heat with this up and down temperatures....our electric bill dropped $40 and fell below $100! That is exciting! In our last house, rarely did we go over $100 but this house is much bigger and has been a battle from time to time to keep the bill like the old house. I know it is a larger home (we love it) but I still felt like we could cut cost and get the bill back to what we had at the last home. We have actually had much better bills in the past year since making improvements from the first year to the second here.

What did we do...well I know I have shared throughout my blog but here is a few in a "nutshell":

1-New lightblocking (or more so than what the other owners had) blinds.
2-Curtains (not sheers) over windows that allow tons of light (summer time).
3-Using Electric (Ceramic, they are called I believe) plug in heaters...one in the living room and an electric fireplace in the bonus (huge helps).
4-Ceiling Fans added in two rooms.
5-CFL bulbs EVERYWHERE! (only have a few specialty sizes left to go)
6-Sealed the bottoms of the bedroom doors with a plastic something at the bottom (can't remember what they are called) but helps keep the heat or air in the room and not escape.
7-Use outlet covers to keep cool drafts out (it really does help...don't you feel extra cold all the sudden even with a tiny draft?)
8-Cold water only washing.
9-No heat drying on the dishwasher.
10-Try to cut down on using the oven and use the Microwave whenever we can.
11-Lights off when we are not in the room and TV...etc...
12-Don't leave items plugged in that aren't being used or won't be used often.
13-Made sure to change filters every month winter and summer.
14-Made sure the attic was properly filled with insulation and that door sealed all the way around.
15-Close Bonus room door (room that gets the hottest in summer and coldest in winter...happens to be near the thermostat....so this one stays SHUT unless we are in there.)
16-We all pretty much hang out in the same room for the most part....so lights, etc...always running in just one area of the house instead of maxing out everything at once and really getting that meter to turn.
17-Not sure how much it helps, but laundry only on one day a week and full loads only.
18-We didn't know it, but our Fridge (one from the past owners) was not great and wasn't shutting all the way...so we eventually were forced to replace it with a new energy star one. :-)

Now I am sure there is many more things we do to cut costs...and none of these are a burden to us. Our electric bill when we first moved in was near $200 a month. (I freaked out!) Now we are talking not getting higher than $140 on the biggest month. All these little things add up as you see, and we all know over the past couple years that electric bills have went up even if you do nothing different...so that means we have cut even more cost that I can't tell because I am not sure how much it went up.

Okay...here is our electric company's website...I believe they have good tips:

Save the Watts (is there "cute" name for this area of their site)

I also like this section of their site: Energy Efficiency & Renewables (talking about "greenpower, etc..")

In a panic over finances!

I have always had a good grasp on our finances, but for the first time ever...I'm not certain what other spending and wasting we can cut out. Due to the Economy, seriously, we are not doing so well lately. Yikes! We are having to "tighten our belts" way more than usual lately. I'll keep you posted on any additional ways we save money. For now, for us...it is just simply: "DON'T BUY WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE!!!!"

Have a great weekend!

A Christmas Gift I am looking forward to!

My Mom said she was going to get me a subscription to House Beautiful! She told me this is what she is going to do for me, this Christmas! Believe it or not, I remember her saying this last year and it is a gift I am truly looking forward to! I love those magazines and they never get old to me! :-) What is my point? Well, maybe someone around you would love a subscription to their favorite magazine this coming Christmas. Would make a great stocking stuffer and it is a gift that person will remember you for all year long!

Wordless Wednesday: My son at a Romanian Park

My WW Pictures this week are from when we went to a Romanian Park that was across from huge water fountains. It was very pretty that day.

Once again, I have used Shareapic to display the pictures you see above. If you are interested in what this is all about...please check it out today:

Go Green with Amazon!

Cool! Amazon now has an easy way to find all the green products in one place on their site! You can find Green solutions for almost everything: Lighting, Cleaning Supplies, Office Equipment, and the list goes on!

Check them out and give them some visits for a job well-done!

Go Green! (Everyone's Jumping on Board!)

What is the Bailout?

I asked that myself...seems so obvious but at the same time...I wanted a detailed breakdown. Very hard (for me) to find. But anyways...this was the most family-friendly answer I could find...it is from Yahoo Answers and it is a 14 year old asking the question and I believe this kid got good answers with some good links...check it out:

Yahoo Answers Answers: What is the Bailout?

I just wanted to know, and I guess I knew the answer..but always good to investigate to be sure. Do you have a better link (family-friendly)? Share it in the "Comments Jar!" :-)

Happy Saturday Folks!

Sites to find your child a Costume!

Find your child's costume (or yours) from the luxury of your home. Here are a few recommended sites to check out that has a nice selection of costumes for the little ones and some for the big people.

It's FRIDAY! Yay! Time to think about relaxing, shopping, and getting that costume! When you return from work today, take time to surf these sites for their Costume Selections and deals. Relax and shop now and get the costume of your choice. Don't wait til right before, as costumes tend to get "picked over" the closer Halloween gets.

Grab your kids a costume and go out and take some cute pictures! How about making a fun Photobook to commemorate the Season (Fall or Halloween would make a nice book) from Shutterfly or take advantage of their New Member Offer 50 FREE PRINTS and my goodness FREE SHIPPING!!!! Whoa! :

Happy FRIDAY!

Fall Weather and Moving into Winter! Burr!

It is officially Fall as of recently and that means...we will move into Winter (cold months) before you know it!

What have you done or will you do to make sure you save on your Winter Heating Bill?

Here are some actions we have taken already and what I would like to do as well:

Already:
*Thick curtains downstairs (helps hold in the heat).
*Sealed the bottoms of the doors with those plastic things (don't know what they are called). They make the doors open and close slower and they hold the heat in each room.
*Electric Fireplace in the Bonus Room (typically very tough room to heat with the regular heating system and thus causing us to turn up the heat if we are in there...but no more..thanks to the Electric Fireplace...well worth the money..bought at end of season sale last year!)
*Oscillating Ceramic Electric Heater (very awesome...we use that in the Living Room for added heat without turning up the heat and heating the entire house)..very inexpensive and bought at Wal-Mart! Worth the money and does the job!
*Checking the attic door to be sure it is sealed and all insulation in place in the attic.
*Change Filters EVERY Month as recommended..it really DOES make a difference!!!!

Would like to do:
*Add a Thick Glass Storm Door to the front door! Would help heat from escaping and could open the regular door to allow the Greenhouse effect when home during the day on the Weekends.
*Thick Curtains upstairs in all the rooms (some of our curtains are Sheers upstairs right now, not doing much for holding heat in.)

(May add more to this list later!) :-)

Happy Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday: Photos from Romania

Some Pictures from our Trip this summer to Romania:

(Left to Right): My son getting his hair cut; double decker bus; horse and carriage street sign in the city; Exchange sign (common sign to see in Romania: converting money is a very common occurance there)

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Tuesday Toot: Back into Blogging Regularly!

It has been sometime since I last participated in a Mommy Community "Tuesday Toot!"

My Tuesday Toot:

I believe I have taken a VERY long break from regular blogging. I hadn't stopped completely, but it felt like I did. I finally feel back into the "swing of things" with blogging. It feels good to have had a break and to be "back on board" with blogging as well. I have a renewed interest in my blogging and feel energized as a result of the "break."

What is your Tuesday Toot? Join in!

Got a Baby/Babies on your Christmas Shopping List? Try FREE shipping...

The Baby Outlet is offering FREE Shipping on purchase totaling over $99! Easy when you are putting together a great basket of needs for that Baby on your list! I will be checking this out for my Sister's 5 month old baby (My Niece!) :-) Babies are always in need of MORE diapers, wipes, formula, jarred foods, rattles, teething toys, socks and the list goes on...why not make a care basket with these things and even better: Save on Gas and get it all at once and save on Shipping! Awesome! I love that idea: No gas to go get the items and no shipping either! :-)

Have a wonderful Monday and week to come!

Testing Shareapic!

Does anyone else out there use Shareapic?

Here is my first gallery with Shareapic:

Join me in giving this a go:

It is cool because you can benefit from your own BidVertiser ads as well! That is kinda cool! They make it easy to set up. I am in test mode to see how it all works...again, join me by visiting the above link.

I am all in for making even minimal money for something I love to do.

Spoil your guy! Skincare for Men! Great gift idea!

In the spirit of getting an early start on the Christmas Shopping, I ran across ZIRH...apparently, this is a well-known brand of skincare products for men. Men like to spoil themselves like we do. I feel like they just don't always ask for such but as a gift...who says "no thanks!" Okay, don't answer that...some men might say they don't want to try a new product, but I know my husband would try new products and I am considering one of ZIRH's gift packs as a stocking stuffer or add-on gift. He won't say what he wants for Christmas this year...so why no go with something nice and practical.


ZIRH Leader of Men's Shaving and Skin care products

Thank you for the Award!

Visit It's OK to be WEIRD!

This is a great Christian/Family-Friendly site. She is my buddy on Posh Mama and is a big part of our EntreCard PMs group on Posh Mama. I appreciate that she has given me this wonderful award! Thank you! She also designed our logo for EntreCard PMs!

Thank you again! I love your blog also! :-)

Be Greener "Green Tip" when Disposing of CFL Bulbs!

You may or may not have heard by now that CFL (Compact Fluorescent) Bulbs contain a small amount of mercury in them, which you know that is dangerous if broken or disposed of improperly. I wanted to tell you where you can easily, conveniently dispose of your used CFL bulbs (Thanks to NPR...National Public Radio): Home Depot (nationwide) has a CFL disposal. I, personally was relieved to hear that as I knew the bulbs had to be disposed of as BioHazard material but had no idea where to take them...so we just saved them in a bag until accidentally I caught that information on NPR. Thanks NPR for sharing and Thank you Home Depot for being environmentally responsible in two ways: Selling the Bulbs AND taking the extra step to make sure everyone can dispose of those same bulbs. Psst...also you do not have to have bought the bulbs there...ANY CFLs, they will gladly dispose of for you. Now, if you are uncertain of my information...it never hurts to Ask your local Home Depot if they take them, but according to NPR it is nationwide Home Depot stores.

Have a wonderful Fall Weather Monday! Get out and enjoy the day (before or after work for many of us)! :-)

A couple of good Thrifty and GREEN sites to take in...

I thought I would share a couple of sites that I think are pretty cool with keeping "Green" and "Savings" in mind:

The first is from Nickalodeon...good for these guys for teaching kids early about being "green" and not wasting. On this link you will have to turn on your computer sound. They give a "Green Tip of the Day" and it is audio. They tell it in a way that is educational...some facts...adults may not even know. Good stuff: Nick: Big Green Help

The second is for all of us adults and yes I have blogged this one before...but I just love this site and can just read it for hours and hours (if I had hours and hours)... WalletPop You will find an interesting topic on nearly anything financial you are looking for. You will find topics on finances that never crossed your mind and make you take notice. So give this site a glance or two or favorite it for yourself and others: WalletPop (I have this linked to their "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" page...they have other topics on Bargains, Taxes, and so so so much more!)

Have a Beautiful Weekend! I intend to get out and grab a Christmas gift or two and soak in the Fall-like weather! I LOVE it! It is totally a Front Porch Swing kinda day! :-)

I love Shutterfly! Very cool SCHOOL Photobooks!

Now that school has started back...why not make the most of those first day to school memories? Especially those of you with Kindergarteners and Pre-schoolers off for the first time! Did you grab a photo of the kids getting on the bus, walking into their classrooms, meeting their new teachers? Smiling with Friends? Didn't? Well, you can go have lunch with your kids today and take some of those photos and make a book at Shutterfly! They are running great deals right now, and here they are:

ArtsCow Free 400 + 800 Prints throughout the Year Now!

It is Unbelievable! ArtsCow is offering old and new members an additional 800 prints (half 4X6's and half 5X7's) to last through the year. It is their Anniversary and they are sharing it with their current and new members with the additional 800 prints. New sign-ups will still get the 400 AND the 800!!!! You get to redeem 50 4X6's and 50 5X7's each month! Not a bad deal, I must say! I have redeemed a free book from these guys and 100 pictures already. Great quality...can't complain about free! (You do pay shipping but seriously..excellent deal...stock up and make a scrapbook for someone for Christmas!) If you are a current member, then log in to your account and read the first page, it will give you the code for the free 800 prints and how to add them to your account. It is EASY. New folks...when you sign up, I am certain the site will explain. You have an "Overview" page that explains any current deals and what to do to redeem. Just read it and follow directions and it is easy!

Go get those prints now everyone! Go! :-) Have a great day! Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Pictures? I do!

100 Days Til Christmas today!!!! Wow!

How exciting? Christmas is 100 days away! I plan to "plan" out these days and try to get a gift each week, so by Christmas...I can just enjoy the decorations, music, family, well Everything but the shopping! Well actually, let me Clarify...I will still enjoy the "shopping" but it won't be the stressful kind...it will be the "add-on" gift and "stocking stuffer" kind of shopping that is enjoyable.

I am just so excited about Christmas this year. My son is 3 years old and can say so much and really enjoy everything and talk about it. Last year he enjoyed everything but I had to stay right with him for fear of pulling down the tree and things like that. He ended up not doing any of the things I stressed over but at least this year...I am really not concerned and I feel he will really really enjoy himself and know more of what is going on.

I also love Christmas time, as I finally make use of our Dining Room and turn it into the "Christmas Room!" This is where we collapse the table (It folds down narrow and looks like a console when done) and push against the wall and cover with a nice table cloth. We set the tree up in the middle and scatter the dining chairs about and in each one put a stocking or stuffed Christmas animal, etc... On the table I get to display all my Christmas knick knacks and it looks good that way. I really have fun decorating that room and it feels like Christmas is the only time it is used. We like to go in there and sit with the tree and decor. My son loved it also. He would just stare at the tree. So cute. We also had (last year) scented pine cones from Lowe's Foods. Awww..smells so Christmasy (sp?). :-) If that is a word, then you know what I am talking about. Last year was the first time we set the dining room up that way as we just finished our second year in this house. We love it.

Sorry to reminisce on everyone...but I am excited! I will hope to post Christmas shopping ideas and deals, etc... through the season.

Happy 100 Days Til Christmas!

Do you have your Costume yet?

I just love surfing for costume ideas...especially for the littliest ones!

I thought this one was really cute...a Sock Monkey! How Cute! :-)

They have many to choose from at this costume site: