Peak Peeks

Trick em into Eating Healthy!

2009-12-11T17:30:00.001-05:00

Do you have issues getting your kids to eat healthy? if so you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this video

I didn't have "too much" of a problem with my kids, as a matter of fact Kelly was on TV when she was little because she said her favorite foods were chicken and green beans! LOL Now my step-daughter and grandkids are a different story......... PICKY PICKY PICKY! It appears there are lots of parents who are trying EVERYTHING to get their kids to eat healthy!

I was lucky enough to be selected to review HEALTHY HARVEST SPAGHETTI .....
I was shocked that my family did NOT notice a difference between the reg. "white" pasta and Healthy Harvest..........I always thought they would turn up their nose because my step daughter doesn't even like it when I change from reg. spaghetti noodles and other "like" pasta , just a different shape.........ie: ziti etc......... cuz "it tastes funny" so when I made this I was totally prepared to offer up some other less healthy option but .............I hid the box
and EVERYONE came back for 2nds, WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW ...........
after everyone was done munching and was kicking back, I told them about the ole switch-a-roo that I pulled........and had to prove it by retrieving the box! :)
I am a believer in RONZONI HEALTHY HARVEST and you can be too!
GO NOW and GET A coupon for $1 off 2 boxes coupon HERE
and try it out soon!

and sign up to get online recipes and more info about the HEALTHY HARVEST PRODUCTS too!

Don't forget to enter the Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta Pairs Instant Win Game! Play for a chance to instantly win $25 Visa gift card and chance to win trip to Canyon Ranch. HERE

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni Pasta and received a sample of Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate."

Hickory Farms : A taste of home for deployed FREE S&H

2009-12-11T16:22:00.000-05:00

My Son-in-law went to IRAQ last January. He is a Gunny in the Marines and went over there for a year (11 months) tour of duty. Fortunately, he is now safe and sound and back home with his family. There are many service members still in Iraq and Afghanistan and many troops continue to be readying for deployment. (son in law pictured to left ,before going to Iraq)

Shortly after (a month or so) my son-in-law deployed, I learned that Hickory Farms online gift store shipped for FREE to those that are deployed with an APO or FPO address. I was thrilled! Hickory Farms' products are TOP RATE , stay fresh and I knew deployed troops would appreciate a "taste from home." The items are good, the prices are good and you cannot beat FREE S&H over to the middle east! :) There was no minimum purchase and still isn't to qualify for the FREE S&H. Just click the TAB that says MILITARY GIFTS on the site to find out which items qualify.

GO HERE

I received a "basket" of goodies from Hickory Farms to review and write about on my blog. It isn't an actual basket but rather a box filled with many fine items including : sausages, cheeses, candies etc. As I taste tested the products, images from the past arose in my mind. Isn't it funny how certain "tastes" and "smells" can transport you to a different place and time? Anyway, as I tasted each item I savored each bite. I thought about how the deployed soldiers would have fond memories of home and the holidays with them as they opened their boxes of goodies!

I sent out a box of goodies to my son-in-law last January and then got the idea to spread the word to others, letting them know about the great offer to ship without paying shipping and participating in RAOK, by sending to my Son-in-law to distribute! The boxes started to roll in and the excitement began! My son-in-law was quickly becoming a popular guy in the middle east as people were sharing a "bite of home" and sending to them! My son-in-law wrote a letter of thanks that I shared with my online friends that participated. It wasn't me, or my friends that were responsible for such a chain reaction of kindness, it was HICKORY FARMS! They made us an offer we could not refuse!

If you have a friend or relative with an APO/FPO address you may want to do the same this holiday season........... Hook up with Hickory Farms to share with those that could use some cheer , and would appreciate a bite of home!

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review."

ENDORSEMENTS / REVIEWS disclosures

2009-11-29T19:35:00.001-05:00

RAOK! Teach them to Fish!

2009-11-20T16:39:00.001-05:00

I am often contacted about charities and organizations looking for donations of gifts or gifts in kind. I think this is due to my own efforts with Operation Santa in the past and my RAOK that I do on a regular basis. I am contacted by those looking for help as well as by organizations looking to help others. I was asked recently by Mom Central to blog about Oxfam America Unwrapped and received a credit for a gift on the Oxfam site. I was so excited to do this to be able to have a gift to help others thru this site and went straight over to find out what it is all about.

While I appreciate organizations that help out third world countries and those that are less fortunate abroad, it is my personal opinion that help should start at home.
I know a bit about charities and non-profits and how they work. I am a cynic by nature and have read all of the "horror" stories about how people donate $10 and $1 actually goes to the cause.

With my "expectations" for what a charity should be or shouldn't it would be hard for an online company to "impress" me or get me to promote , endorse or donate in anyway. A perfect example of this is a popular online "click to donate" type site that makes a lot of money and actually donates very little to the actual charities. A lot of unknowing sites promote these thinking that it doesn't cost anything to help out. Little do they know that they are sending people to a BUSINESS that actually donates very little of the proceeds.

This is why I stay mainly with the donations of ITEMS that will actually go directly to the cause. I am also a person that believes "if you teach a person how to fish they will have food for a lifetime" and that this is much more effective than giving a person a fish.

I was so happy to read........

Oxfam America is one of the top charities rated by leading charitable watchdog organizations, including the American Institute of Philanthropy. Charity Navigator gives us 4 out of 4 stars. We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for charity accountability." immediately upon arriving to the site, but even more happy to read this story......

With a little training, village women in Mali lead a community finance revolution, helping others start their own savings and loan groups.

Minata Coulibaly takes a straightforward approach to her business raising chickens in the village where she lives in Mali: "I sell the largest ones for the most money."

Coulibaly got the capital to start her business from her Saving for Change group. Since she joined the group, she has been impressed with the way it has helped women earn money and improve their lives. "If you need money, you can ask for a loan," she explains outside her mud-and-thatch home. "When you earn some income, you can buy clothes for your children, buy food, and solve a lot of problems."

Married, with a six year-old daughter, Coulibaly, age 30, launched her business with a $14 loan and four chickens. Now she has 23 chickens and has earned enough money to set up her newly wed goddaughter with a new bed and a well-equipped kitchen.

With her business flourishing, Coulibaly wanted to help other women. "I decided to create another group in this village so more would benefit," she says—as if starting a group is like filling a bucket of water at the well: when you see a need, you fill it. To date, she has helped form four new groups. Thanks to Oxfam and the efforts of women like Coulibaly, there are now more than 11,000 Saving for Change groups globally with 223,000 individual members. Participants—mostly women—have collectively saved more than $2.7 million.

I LOVE THIS COMPANY! I can't wait to find out more of what it is doing, especially locally. S please take a second, and check them out. HERE I expect to read and hear GREAT THINGS about them now and in the future. If you are looking for a charity or organization to help over the holidays and are like me and would rather "teach them to fish" rather than give them a fish, then don't overlook this great opportunity.

SMUCKERS JUST GOT SMARTER!

2009-09-27T16:51:00.001-04:00

SMUCKERS JUST GOT SMARTER!

Breakfast .......... in the a.m. is a battle at my house, my 13 year old step daughter doesn't want to eat anything in the a.m. but is starving before lunch and then would rather socialize than eat. She doesn't really ENJOY eating if that makes any sense to you (doesn't to me!) ..... she says "EATING IS BORING" whoever heard of such a thing? Truly she doesn't care to eat .........just anything to make her stomach stop worrying her is her style........... ***note this is very unlike all of the other members in the house........ :)

NOW you know as a parent we worry when we have a picky eater and a NON EATER too......
we want our kids to have something in their bellies that actually has some nutritional value
and SMUCKERS just got SMARTER with WHOLE WHEAT crust! My daughter actually LIKES PB&J but in the a.m. who feels like MAKING IT ? NOT ME! so the convenience factor is here (check) and now the UNCRUSTABLES are a bit more healthy!

We tried them out over the weekend (I let her have 1 of the 4 in the box) and she has been bugging me to eat MORE............. well NO WAY JOSE you can have them for BREAKFAST on the school days.......!!!!!!!!!!! Don't forget I wear the title of PREZ of the MEAN MOMS CLUB PROUDLY and I love to use bribery to get my way!

GO HERE to find out how you can WIN A BOX (they are giving TONS of them away starting TOMORROW!)

LOVING ME SOME SMUCKERS AND SOME MOM CENTRAL TOO! :)

nutrition chart:

BREAD: UNBLEACHED WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, WHEAT GLUTEN, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, YEAST, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (DISTILLED MONOGLYCERIDES, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, DATEM, ENZYMES [WITH AMYLASE, LIPASE, ASCORBIC ACID, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, AZODICARBONAMIDE, WHEAT STARCH]).
PEANUT BUTTER: Peanuts, Dextrose, Sugar, Contains 2% or less of: Partially AND FULLY Hydrogenated VEGETABLE OILS (SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED AND/OR RAPESEED), SALT, MOLASSES, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES (PALM AND/OR SOYBEAN OILS).
GRAPE JELLY: GRAPE JUICE, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM CITRATE.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Smucker’s Uncrustables and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central will send me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

ATKINS RECIPE CONTEST AND MORE!

2009-09-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

Do you have a great new way to use the new Atkins Cuisine™ Penne Pasta or All Purpose Baking Mix? Share it with the Atkins Community for an opportunity to win great prizes and get your name in lights! The "Win with Atkins Cuisine" Recipe Contest runs from September 1, 2009 to September 30, 2009 so get started today!

GO HERE to register and enter the contest!

I have already used the PENNE PASTA and made a wonderful dish to share over labor day! the only problem is I FORGOT to take a picture of the completed dish before it was DEVOURED and I mean DEVOURED! :) sooooooooooooooooooo I will have to remake it before 9/30! NO ONE EVEN KNEW IT WAS "DIET FOOD!" LOL

Here is a pic of the two little men enjoying their picnic lunch........ with the pasta salad and BBQ
they were happy campers! :)
I was a happy camper because everyone loved the food and I was able to eat GUILT FREE due to the PASTA secretly being LOW CARB! :)
shhhhhhhhhhh dont' tell the men............

HERE IS WHAT MOM CENTRAL has to say about the products:
ATKINS has come to our rescue with their Cuisine line, launching two new staples to help us eat a greater variety of our favorite foods. Atkins' new All Purpose Baking Mix and Penne Pasta come packed with fiber, are low in sugar, and, of course, fit perfectly into a low-carb lifestyle. Plus, they make cooking and baking easy. And, when you try them with one of Atkins' cool recipes like Penne with Fresh Tomatoes, Lemon and Feta or Rich Chocolate Brownies, you won't feel the slightest bit guilty about indulging.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR????? GET TO THE STORE AND GRAB SOME ATKINS PRODUCTS and GET COOKING ! checking out the prizes?

Limit two (2) entries per person, one in any category 1-3, and one in any category 4-6. You may enter the contest under one name, one e-mail address and in one pasta and one baking mix recipe category only

VOID IN VT & MD
PRIZES:
Pasta Grand Prizes (3): Regalware eight-piece professional grade cookware set, Calphalon stainless steel six-piece utensil set, box of every Atkins product in an Atkins branded grocery bag, Calphalon Contemporary twenty-one piece knife block set, Atkins recipe book, recipe featured in Atkins newsletter, web site and community (ARV $1,500).
Baking Mix Grand Prizes (3): KitchenAid six-quart stand mixer, professional grade four-piece stainless steel mixing bowl set, Calphalon Classic five-piece bakeware set, box of every Atkins product in an Atkins branded grocery bag, Atkins recipe book, Calphalon Contemporary twenty-one piece knife block set, recipe featured in Atkins newsletter, web site and community (ARV $1,500).
Baking Mix Finalist Prizes (6): Three cases of Atkins Cuisine All Purpose Baking Mix, Atkins recipe book, set of three All-Clad stainless steel mixing bowls, silicone rolling pin, non-stick rolling mat ( ARV $500).
Pasta Finalist Prizes (6): All-Clad stainless steel seven-quart Pasta Pentola, three cases of Atkins Cuisine penne pasta, Atkins recipe book and a Prago Trade Roma La Petite sauce maker and food strainer (ARV $475).
Semi-Finalists Prizes (24): Assortment of Atkins products in Atkins branded tote (ARV $100).

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Atkins and received samples to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

NOURISH YOUR BRAIN !

2009-09-10T00:22:00.001-04:00

GO HERE to learn out BRAIN FUEL FOR KIDS
there is a lot of GREAT information and links about the brain, what it takes to have a healthy brain and how to nourish the brain as well. there is even a forum to discuss BRAIN issues , not to mention a contest to win $30k!

There are many many article links about the brain, myths and facts too........ check out a few here

ON THE SITE there is also an entry form to win a FREE year of LUMOSITY (site for brain games) which costs $79.99 for the year otherwise.
you can also buy as little as a 3 month membership for under $25
small price to pay if it helps build your kids' brain (about $8 per month)

Now take it to the next level and challenge them with games from the leading online brain fitness and cognitive training provider, Lumosity.com. Developed and tested by some of the leading scientists in neuroscience, cognitive psychology and bioinformatics, Lumosity games promote:
- Quicker thinking
- Improved memory
- Increased alertness
- Elevated mood
- Better concentration

there is also an ASSESSMENT section that allows you to track your progress as you play to gain better health!
I let my 13 year old try it , she grumbled a bit at first but then found the site to be FUN and ENTERTAINING and didn't want to QUIT! :) she hates it when mom is RIGHT about something! :) She especially enjoyed the MEMORY type games and the LOGICAL REASONING (she tried to do this one too quickly at first but learned from that mistake!)

I would recommend LUMOSITY and BRAIN FUEL to anyone of any age, not just children. SCIENCE says that the more you use your brain the less likely you are to loose its functions. all of the games are user friendly and it does not take any advanced computer skills to play! START THEM YOUNG and OLD alike! HAVE FUN with it and challenge yourself to improve your personal best! :)

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of BrainFuel and received an insulated lunch bag from California Innovations to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Make a Dash for the New "Mrs. Dash"

2009-08-14T14:27:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows (and if they don't they should) that I LOVE LIME!
I was fortunate enough to have Mrs. Dash send me a bottle of the new
Mrs. Dash New Fiesta Lime Seasoning Blend. Whats especially great about Mrs. Dash products is they are ALL - All natural, NO MSG and SALT FREE products. So now that you know that it is GOOD for you, let me also tell you this new variety TASTES GREAT TOO!

The very first thing that I made was home made salsa! My friend (thank you Dennis) gave me a sink full of some great ripe red tomatoes, I put them in the food processor with onions, bell peppers, a small hot pepper, garlic, fresh cilantro and MRS DASH! I made several jars of it and it is SOOOOOOOOOO Delicious!

The next item of interest was Home-Made Chicken Salad! People always love my chicken salad and often ask me for the recipe! Whats funny is that I never make it the same way twice. This time I made my classic chicken salad and added the secret ingredient of MRS DASH FIESTA LIME to my "usual" basic ingredients and also added some Olive Salad. OMG! This wasn't just DELISH , but it was GONE very quickly! My DH said this was "the best yet!" WOW! what an easy addition and WHO KNEW? It is also GOOD FOR YOU! shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell the DH! :) (he thinks things that are good for you don't taste as good! LOL!)

sign up for the MRS DASH newsletter and watch it for more recipes and sometimes they even share some coupons in there!

DONT LET THE TITLE FOOL YA! GREAT COOKBOOK

2009-08-11T16:11:00.002-04:00

DONT LET THE TITLE FOOL YOU!

Easy Entertaining for Beginners: You Can Throw a Fabulous Party, from Holiday Fiesta to a Romantic Evening for Two
by Patricia Mendez

$14.21 with free S&H if you buy $25+

This is a jewel of a book and its not just for beginners, as the title implies! The step-by-step processes outlined at the end of each chapter are invaluable! I am a seasoned cook that makes everything basically by "eye." I have had many of dinner parties, cook outs, holiday gathering meals etc and would have LOVED to have this type of instruction to go by! The instructions start days BEFORE and continue in increments until AFTER the party or dinner!
How many parties would I have enjoyed MORE if I would have been more prepared? ALL OF THEM!

There are 12 great chapters and 166 pages of great information! The suggestions start for a romantic dinner for two and builds up to a full blown celebration. There are classic recipes like mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie given in the book along side of some NEW recipes such as kahlua chocolate pie and Cosmopolatins . Each chapter is complete with instructions, recipes, suggestions, beverage recommendations as well as a "time line." There is even a CRAFT including in the little girls tea! How very appropriate and creative Ms. Mendez is!

Patricia Mendez has successfully filled a missing link in my cook book collection. Her outlook and odeas are fresh and unique. After thumbing through the book and marking several recipes it inspired me to plan a fall cookout!

This book has a "Moms Choice Award for Excellence" on the front cover. I am not sure what the criteria is for that award but I am sure Ms. Mendez didn't only meet them but surpassed them! This book is truly outstanding and an inspiration for all cooks, both young and old, novice and expert!

In the middle of the book is where you find the photographs that she has taken of some of the food in the recipes of the book. The photographs are great and present the food well. The lighting and the presentation are top rate. If I had any complaints about the book at all, it would be that I would prefer for the pictures to be with the recipes rather than in the center of the book.

The end of the book is a delight: closing thoughts, kitchen basics, conversion chart, substitutes and an index that makes everything easy to find. These rereference pages (in my humble opinion) should be readily available in all recipe books, rather than a chosen few. They are not only helpful but handy when included in the book I think Ms. Mendez
thought of everything but the preverbial kitchen sink when she wrote this book! :)

So like I said , don't let the title hold you back from purchasing this book! It would be a great gift or addition to your cookbook collections! Happy Entertaining Ya'll!

Across the Pond by Storyheart : book review

2009-08-11T12:22:00.002-04:00

ACROSS THE POND by STORYHEART
GO HERE to get for $17.99 shipped

Thanks to Harry Potter and other popular books, there appears to be much interest in England these days. This is book is targeted towards a young adult or teen, but as a 47 year old adult I appreciated the Light & Easy read. This is a romance and travel adventure of a teen boy that comes "across the pond" from England to America for an eye opening adventure.

His parents have won a trip to Australia and send their son to stay with their American friends. As luck would have it the main character of this story, Fred, meets a young lady, a bully and an all American baseball hero on his short visit. It is a feel good story where everyone that is good makes out well and the bad guys lose!

This is a book that I would readily recommend for all tweens, preteens and early teens. I believe that it will appeal equally to boys as it would girls, even though it is labeled "romance" it is a well rounded story complete with school yard brawls and sports too!

One of the best features of the book , that was of most interest to me was the cultural comparisons. The main character wants a video game console and in order to get that he has to complete a notebook with words that are different or objects that have different titles in each of the countries. This is humorous and informative and the main reason my own 13 year old step-daughter wants to read it!

I am sure there will be a sequel to this story as the ending had a few possibilities, that hinted at "more to come." The main character, Fred, is a great guy for young ones to relate too, he has a lot of fortitude and great character for a young man which is rare in today's society. An example is set in this story for other youngsters without being "preachy."

Story Heart spins a good yarn and this book is no exception. I believe that everyone will enjoy it and it could quite possibly be made into a movie or TV special! Disney or Hallmark either one would like the components of it! Remember you read it here first!

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Bible Belt CD free download & more!

2009-07-21T14:26:00.002-04:00

Bible Belt CD, Free Download and more!

if you missed it last time, click here to download bittersweet ‘Fire Escape’, the dramatic album opener from Diane Birch’s debut record Bible Belt.

If you would like to "listen first" just scroll down to my playlist below and choose the fire escape by diane birch

My favorite song is actually "RISE UP" &"REWIND" on the album but the ENTIRE THING is great! I plan on taking it with me to listen on our travels next week in the car, PERFECT CD for heading to the Beach!

NOT A CD FAN? get it from itunes and load up that IPOD!

I am so loving this CD! this cd was recorded in NEW YORK AND N'AWLINS with the help of some grammy award winners.............. so ya know it has to be good!

Bluesy and catchy tunes fill the air with my AUDIO THERAPY this a.m.! Her voice is clear and unique. The piano is predominate but the percussion influence gets your body moving!

AN IRISHWOMAN'S TALE

2009-05-25T14:14:00.002-04:00

"An Irishwoman's Tale" is based on a woman's (MARY'S) quest to find her "truths." Mary is a woman caught between generations. She is the bitter caretaker of her "mother" and her daughter as well. She outwardly appears to have a good life dispite the fact that she has a mother/non mother which was quite confusing at first It took me a while to "get into" the book as I was having trouble relating to the blatent "off standishness" of Mary. That was very short lived as Mary opened up to her new friend and was able to confide through her vivid story telling and trave

This is a novel of fiction but based on a true story. This made the book intriguing yet I found to also be very distracting at times. In the of the book Mary seeminlg has a great life but has twinges of bitter resentment from her childhood. She prays for a friend and this prayer is answered when Southern Sally appears in her life, relatively early in the story. Sally is the opposite of Mary in that she interacts well with others, makes friends easily and encourages others to do the same. Mary is quickly able to disclose her feelings and thoughts through stories of her past to this new found friend. Beginning when she is moved from her Irish home to America.

This book follows Sally & Mary to Ireland and back to the states to investigate, learn and put the puzzle pieces of Mary's life back together. Mary finds closure and learns that God was with her all along through her many triumphs and tragedies. This book takes you from a troubled childhood , through coming of age issues and finally into a grown woman with a daughter of her own. The reader retraces her roots along with Mary and Sally in order for Mary to gain trust in others, herself and God.

I gave this novel 3 stars as it is worth the read but it is Not a "can't put down page-turner." I found myself drifting off in the beginning of the story and having to reread some of the pages for the words to "soak in." It does have some good twists and turns which makes it not as "predictable" as some other novels that attempt to cross generational lines and countries. I also found the writing "choppy" in some areas. I am guessing that is in the parts where fictional and historical imagry was added to the non fiction parts of the story to add color. I found the descriptiveness took away from the story rather than made it more relistic.

“Letting Go” A Journey from Bitter to Better

2009-05-31T14:16:00.001-04:00

4 STARS

There are few "religious" books that I truly enjoy reading. Many are laden with so many scriptures that I often think, "Why don't I just pick up the Bible and read that?" I find them to be somewhat choppy and the flow of the story is interrupted by the authors attempt to mold scripture around the points and events in the story. Although there were parts of this book that seemed "forced," on the whole "Letting Go, Pathway to an Amazing Life" was an exception to this rule. I was able to focus on the uplifting story of the author, Sandy Hancock, who wrote this book with passion and conviction. The book held my attention throughout.

This book is the telling of the migration of a life. The journey from being unfulfilled and hungry to one of being satisfied and having a purpose is chronicled and shared with the reader in an interesting and entertaining voice. The author tells of a life that was not necessarily bad but one in which no matter how many worldly successes the author achieved she remained unhappy. The migration to fulfillment is spelled out with the simple resolutions of being submissive to God and repulsion of Satan. Rather than just recite this simple notion, the concept is painted and illustrated with many different instances and examples from the author’s life.

There are many memorable moments in the author’s words and journey. There are many references to situations that most women will be able to relate to. The scriptural use compliments and illustrates her points without distraction and often is enlightening to the reader. I recommend this book to all women who seek to better themselves or simply reaffirm their spiritual journey. Although the author’s life and experiences are unique and even charmed in comparison to most, Sandy's search for love and acceptance is one that is universal in its rawest form.

Very often I will put a book down and all that remains with me is the plot or the story or the moral but this is not the case with "Letting Go, Pathway to an Amazing Life." After reading the book and reflecting back on the most memorable points, one particular reference remains implanted in my thoughts. "The only difference between BITTER and BETTER is "I." This poignant and truthful statement will remain with me forever.

A PERFECT "10-10-10 " Formula for Success!

2009-04-16T11:08:00.003-04:00

This book was just released on 4/14/09 , I Have it and can't wait to finish it.............

This book is about teaching you how to make hard decisions in life.
Many people will tell you , "write down the pros and cons" and then talk about these with someone whose advice you trust others will say "pray about it" and others will say "use the power of positive thought to get the outcome you want" there are many people with many ideas about how one should make decisions in their life.

Suzy Welch has written a book with a FRESH new approach, 10 - 10 - 10......... or analyzing the effects of your decision on your life in the next 10 minutes, 10 months and then 10 years. I haven't finished the book but I am working on it! To get an idea about the book.......... check out the following:

HERE is the SITE REVIEW / PREVIEW..............HERE

From columnist and bestselling author Suzy Welch comes a powerful, proven strategy for making difficult decisions and clarifying life choices. Doris Kearns Goodwin calls 10-10-10 "A triumph."

We all want to lead a life of our own choosing. But in today’s accelerated world, with its competing priorities, information overload, and confounding options, we can easily find ourselves steered by impulse, stress, or expedience. Are our decisions the right ones? Or are we being governed, time and time again, and against our best intentions, by the demands of the moment? With 10-10-10, Welch proposes a transformative solution to deal with this pressure, as she shares her own life-tested strategy to help us regain control of our choices - and reclaim our lives.

WATCH THIS AWESOME TODAY SHOW INTERVIEW

Going GREEN + Saving GREEN = WINNING combination!

2009-04-16T10:48:00.002-04:00

Ok I know Saint Paddy's day is over, but Kelly Green is "in"!
Check out Kelly Ripa and Electrolux who have captured my heart (and the rest of America's) with their commitment to whats GOOD!

Great for the Environment and great on the eyes too , this set of appliances are TO DIE FOR! OMG! I would love to have them , wouldn't you? RIGHT NOW if you plant a VIRTUAL FLOWER on the website $1 donation will be made Global Green USA to support their healthy green schools initiatives across America. Its VERY EASY, FUN and best of all, enters you TO WIN THIS SET!

I would be so thrilled if a Freelancer Won this! SAVING GREEN and GOING GREEN are the WINNING COMBINATION! Mom Central has asked me to spread the word about this great contest and in addition, they too are giving away a set of these wonderful energy saving appliances! Beautifully designed - front loading - saves energy & water too! I dunno about you but I would love a discount on both of those bills! WOW WOW WOW!

Go plant your virtual flower HERE at Electrolux , then head on over to Mom Central and tell them which flower you planted HERE and share your laundry tips for saving time & energy............
you will then have two chances at the WINNING COMBINATION! GO GET UM FREELANCERS!

Making Life Better with Unilever !

2009-04-07T11:40:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter Recipes offers and more

Making Life Better with Recipes, ideas, tips, promotions and more!
check it out HERE
find your favorite brands :) sign up for the newsletter and get busy , make sure you have your printer on, as there are some great recipes, Free Turkey or Ham offer for Easter and more!

Look under NEWS AND OFFERS and enter some contests too!
there is a VIDEO of Paula Dean's sons with some Great Chocolate Chip Cookies made in ONE BOWL that are better for you than normal (less fat) and look GREAT TOO!

When I signed up I took a quick survey and it offered me a COZI ORGANIZER for my family.
MY favorite recipes were found HERE
this menu was particularly pleasing to me! the double berry salad
and blueberry bundt cake sound DELISH! but I am a big BERRY FAN ..........so you may find something else you like

I posted previously about the FREE TURKEY / HAM offer on the site HERE
if you missed clipping the form , there are a couple available on EBAY
GO HERE and sign up / sign in ......... then choose EBAY .......search for "turkey ham rebate"
and purchase + get rebate on your ebay purchase

I am a HUGE UNILEVER FAN .............. so it is easy for me to find many recipes, coupons and offers that I like on this site and I am sure you will too! ENJOY!

CONTEST TO WIN Palmolive or Amazon!

2009-04-03T13:04:00.003-04:00

Palmolive - You're Soaking in It! CONTEST 5 winners!

Ok I guess I am "showing my age" with the title here, does anyone remember MARGE? Soaking the woman's hand in Palmolive? I neva really "got it" until now!

PALM + OLIVE
Olive in color (?) or using olive ingredients and good for your "palms" is that it?

NOW we have EVOLVED and have Palmolive^® Pure + Clear^™
it is CLEAR in color and ALL NATURAL so good for you + good for the environment too!

I have always been a FAN of Palmolive because it and only one other un-named here brand actually WORKS on my dishes. I just started using a dishwasher a couple of years ago. Previous to that I hand washed ALL of my dishes. It is very important to me that no matter what brand I buy it CLEANS the grease off of my dishes AND rinses off easily. Palmolive has never let me down! This still holds true, even with the NEW FORMULA!

This unique powerful cleaner doesn’t contain any unnecessary chemicals and is made from biodegradable cleaning ingredients. It easily rinses off dishes and smells great and YEP you got it, CUTS THE GREASE TOO~! for those that are leary or weary all that I have to say is watch our "you're Soaking in it" :)

NOW if you would like to SAMPLE this product I will be giving out an envie that includes sample sized product to 5 lucky freelancers who
log into http://chatthreads.com use coversation ID: 101-256-297614
type in something about the NEW PALMOLIVE and this "blog conversation" Chat threads will donate up to $5 to charity or enter to win $100 AMAZON GC and grand prize of $1000

GO BACK to httP://www.thefrugalfreelancer and comment on the post letting me know you went to the chat threads site and of course if you won $100 AMAZON OR NOT! (make sure I have your EMAIL ADDRESS AS WELL to get your mailing addy)............ I will be drawing the winners on TUESDAY APRIL 7. GOOD LUCK!

Kelloggs Pop Tarts MULTIPLE PROMOS

2009-03-29T16:46:00.003-04:00

FREE MOVIE ! up to 5 per Household if you buy POPTARTS

I don't know about you but I like going to the movie theater esp. when its free, and if there is nothing in the theaters that I like usually I give to my daughters or brother to use and they LOVE IT......... who wouldn't? FREE DATE NIGHT or GIRLS NIGHT or KIDS DAY etc etc........... NOTE THE PART THAT SAYS OR ANY OTHER MOVIE? you don't have to be a star trek fan to enjoy this offer. you can do 5 per household which means 25 total boxes of the ~~healthy~~ yummy processed breakfast product.

25 boxes w/o coupons can cost anywhere between $37 - $55
using coupons and shopping sales can reduce this amount drastically
but don't let them disappear off the shelves waiting for the "right" coupon
either. the most I would pay for 5 movie tickets is $8 each or $40 for 5 of them
so that would be like getting 25 boxes of free pop tarts. Doubling coupons are
great opportunities for those that have in your area. Here is a 55cents internet coupon
good on 2 different varieties (printable) that you can actually print 2x. Our local Kroger
only doubles up to 50cents. If Kmart does another double this would work here for $1.10 a piece savings on each of two boxes.

THE FREELANCER WAY:
#1 GO HERE and sign up / sign in
#2 FIND EBAY IN YOUR LIST OF STORES (sign up or sign in there)
#3 SEARCH for "Pop Tarts Coupon" you should find plenty of the $1.00 off 2 that don't expire until April 19
#4 Sort by "Buy it Now"
#5 Check out and try to pay 10 cents or under each........( 10 for $1.89 shipped etc etc are .18 cents each and save you 50 cents a box at coupon face value on 20 boxes)
#6 Get the best deal you can on your poptarts and vouchers......... to get total of 5 free movie passes.... plus enough pop tarts for an "army"
#7 DONT FORGET TO ENTER THE CONTEST ON THE KELLOGGS POP TART PAGE HERE to try and win ITUNES GIFT CARDS too, while we are in the "pop tart" mode! :) I didn't win today but I can try again tomorrow and everyday until 4/12

If you donate any of the pop tarts
to local food banks and / or shelters etc then you deduct at the retail cost.

Recently as a Freelancebyu Mods group project a few of us got together and mailed a toaster oven and case of pop tarts overseas to our group of soldiers. If you know of anyone overseas
you may want to know that the toaster oven was requested because although they have lots of food they had no appropriate plugged toaster oven to heat things up in. One of our ex-forum moderators passed away and we did this as a donation in her name in lieu of flowers. Maybe you have a troop that you know of that could use / want some pop tarts?

Poptarts FREEZE well too and can be used as snacks, or in lunch boxes for Dessert too. Nope they are not the most nutritious snack in the world, but they aren't the worst either!

ANOTHER WAY TO GET VOUCHERS for FREE POP TARTS:
Ok you NEED a form and they can be found inside the SMP of poptarts. If you know any friends that buy Pop Tarts tell them about this offer too. You may be surprised at how many people will either A) thank you for the info B) already know about the offer C) will say something like "I never send in for that stuff." If they answer with the LATTER answer "C" - you then say "can I have yours, here lemmee get that off the box for you?" :)

Requirements

To receive your Kellogg's™ STAR TREK Free Movie Ticket (good at participating theaters) you need:

Completed Official Order Form

STAR TREK Official Movie Pass vouchers from specially-marked packages of Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Toaster Pastries - all 8 ct, 12 ct, and 16 ct varieties.

Movie Ticket good for one admission (adult or child up to $12.00) to STAR TREK or any other movie at participating theaters.
http://moviecash.com/locatorUS.php
Offer available while supplies last. Limit 5 movie passes per household.

NEOSPORIN to the rescue!

2009-03-10T17:12:00.000-04:00

PHOTO CREDIT:
neosporin.com

I can remember a couple of things from childhood that my children never had to endure, that I dreaded with every ounce of my being and were thought to be "the only way" to do things.
These things included:
mecurachrome (photo credit: amazon.com)
&
cod liver oil
among others...........UGH

I was happy that I didn't have to use the same remedies that were used on me..... my children NEVER MINDED my rescue remedy, NEOSPORIN- I love(d) it because it has anti-biotics in it and works to heal, my children love(d) it because it didn't hurt! It is a TRUSTED name in my household! Now everyone knows that I use coupons and look for the "deals" but when it comes to certain items, I will buy it if I need it, no matter if I have a coupon or not. (I prefer to NOT do this and stockpile when there are deals to avoid this at most every cost but...............)

Just recently my grandson had an "accident" which sent him to the emergency room for possible stitches. Well, he didn't get them because of the placement of the wound, but he did get butterfly bandages and strict orders "to clean and nuture" the wound "watching for infection."
WELL, LA-LA (thats me) quickly suggested to my DD "Neosporin" as it has anti-biotics and pain relief! That was the ticket for my DD who had to FIGHT with her son to get ANYTHING , even water on the "boo-boo's!" So Neosporin to the RESCUE! I am happy to say that he is healing quite nicely............ without infection! Picture taken just before the accident (left)

My other daughter, Kelly, doesn't have children yet, but is a hair dresser and gets knicks and cuts all of the time. She recently visited and was taking the kiddo-s (her sister, friend and nephew to the park) and saw my neosporin on the counter. She asked if she could take one home because she didn't have any. A house without Neosporin just isn't acceptable because anything can happen and you know WE LOVE IT! And she was now READY just in case there were any boo-boo's on the horizon! Luckily there were none, but she was ready to rescue if needed!

Neoporin just came out with a new product....... NEO TO GO
I love it! it slips into your purse, glove compartment, pocket etc and you are ARMED AND READY , if something is to happen. This product is not the cream or ointment that we are used to in our house, but yet a spray on product. I quickly added this product to my TRAVEL BAG
as we like to go on trips and vacations "prepared" and you guessed it, we were out of Neoporin! This particular product is GREAT because it is in a hard plastic / crush resistant container which is a definite improvement over the tubes that I used to carry!

THANK YOU NEOSPORIN! I am NEO TO GO ! perfect-o! Thank you MOM CENTRAL for the opportunity to share this great product! :)

Clorox gets and gives GREEN! :)

2009-02-02T13:28:00.005-05:00

GREENWORKS INTRODUCES THEIR NEWEST PRODUCT : CLEANING WIPES

GREEN is the new black and everything that is green is "good" right? Wrong......
Green can be expensive, not live up to expectations, and/or just plain NOT WORK as well as the other products on the market.............

So with trepidation I wander into the GREEN market.......... I want to do what is good and LEAST COSTLY to the u ENVIRONMENT and at the same time not too harsh on my wallet. I have tried some products that are GREEN that you need to use TWICE AS MUCH to get the same results..................so with all of that in mind

READ ON..............

This is what MOM CENTRAL had to say " Green Works™ Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes, a quick and simple way to clean naturally with the cleaning power of Clorox. The new Wipes are made from 100% cellulose fibers and derived from renewable farm grown trees. Like all Green Works products, they are formulated using biodegradable ingredients, are packaged in recyclable canisters and not tested on animals. "

ok...............I love the way this all sounds but.......... I needed to try it
the first thing I noticed was my product was delivered to me with 30 COUNT wipes included in the plastic container. I am thinking "it looks like a lot more could fit in this container OR the container could be smaller" that would make the product even GREENER........... but because it is RECYCLABLE as per the clorox site............that makes this a bit more

I have used some "wipes" before that were pretreated that I have used to clean. These are a bit different......... a little thicker than the other brand(s) I have tried.and guess what......... worked BETTER TOO! the CLOROX company has always been one that I have used, appreciated and raved over, as they make many products that I love (OUTDOOR BLEACH ROCKS for MOSS & MILDEW) and "CLOROX ANYWHERE" is a favorite around my house and now I love these new wipes! Now these wipes will be a mainstay for me (I will be actively looking for coupons for them) as I only needed 1 wipe vs. 3 of the "other brand" to clean up a similar area! FRUGAL CHOICE IS TO USE LESS!

They are competitively priced and REALLY WORK , smell good and are "GREEN" what could be better? ....................WELL , I have an answer for that too......... they are GIVING THE GREEN in a contest that you can read about on my other blog ........ $10,000! GO GET UM!

EDUCATION with BABY EINSTEIN.............

2008-12-10T20:29:00.000-05:00

OK so when I first viewed a BABY EINSTEIN VIDEO I didn't "get it." I couldn't get how this could possibly be good for a BABY to be viewing a SCREEN that we sometimes affectionately refer to as the BOOB TUBE, ya know? Some even call it the IDIOT BOX............... so since when was and is the TV or VIDEOS considered EDUCATIONAL much less referring to watching it ............ making you SMART (inference to EINSTEIN!)????

The video that I saw seemed BORING really with a bunch of photos and no words when I watched it by myself. BUT then I saw a babies actual REACTION to the way it was presented and I was IMPRESSED! This is actually what they WANT TO SEE and ARE ABLE TO SEE (designed for each age group) There was a LOT of smiling, cooing and actual excitement as a variety of photos were shown and the music, well, HEY HOW MANY OF YOU introduced your child to CLASSICAL MUSIC as an infant? (not me, this is GREAT!)

EVERY PARENT will love the gifts because they are EDUCATIONAL and EVERY CHILD will love them because they are AGE appropriate and as I said before the are EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT, not what adults want! :) surprisingly enough!

NOW back to the DVD / TV issue............. if you are concerned READ ON..........
the company gives us some EXCELLENT tips on how to enhance the BABY EINSTEIN EXPERIENCE and help the children learn as the parent learns how to teach as well............
it is SO REFRESHING to see this is a TRUE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE .............

DVD Viewing Tips

Without exception, one of the most significant moments of discovery for any mom, is the day she realizes her baby truly recognizes her and wants her above all others. That bond, the super-glue of parent child attachment, is the foundation for baby’s healthy development.

At Baby Einstein, each DVD is designed to reinforce parent-child interaction by providing visually interesting, entertaining content that you and your baby can watch together. Whether the theme is art, music, or barnyard animals, each DVD offers an opportunity to cuddle, share, talk, or sing along with your baby. The DVD can also be a jumping off point for more parent child interaction during your everyday routine.

Talk! Talk! Talk!

From the moment we say that first hello to our new baby, we begin developing our little one’s language. So, when you’re watching a Baby Einstein DVD, you don’t have to be quiet. This is a chance to create little stories.

For example, if you see mechanical toys on the DVD, describe the action to your baby—“see the seals go UP the ladder. Now they’re sliding DOWN and around-- very fast.” If your baby starts “talking” back to your sounds, praise, cuddle, and imitate your baby to keep the conversation going. Even if you feel self-conscious about talking to a 6 month old, just stay the course. Your baby is probably listening and may show you with a smile, nod, or squeal, the many different ways they understand your language.

From the Video Theme to the Real World Scene

Whenever there is an opportunity to link what you have seen on the DVD to other experiences in baby’s life, make that connection. For example, if you watched a DVD about animals, you might say, “Oh, look. There’s a BIG fish on the screen. Do we have another fish in our house?” And off you go to look at your gold fish. This kind of activity shows baby that something we see in one place can be seen in other places too.

Bring it to Life

If children or puppets on the DVD are jumping or dancing, you can hold your little one and dance along to show baby how it feels. You can also play infant sized musical instruments to accompany the DVD Orchestra. Or, try using puppets or baby’s favorite stuffed animals to mimic the action in the DVD. You may get giggles from your little one. Babies usually want to do what they see and you can make that happen.

Make it Personal

Try making connections between what happens on screen with what happens in baby’s life. If you have a DVD that contains sign language, try some of the simpler signs with your baby. If you see how the puppets always do silly stuff, bring a puppet to mealtime to help you serve the food or provide additional encouragement to complete the meal.

Make it a Family Affair

Consider using DVD time as a way to interact with the whole family. If baby has an older sibling(s) around you can invite them watch the DVD with you. Encourage your older child to point out the names of the animals, say the colors, or even make animal sounds. They will probably love playing with baby and will be excited about showing off how much they know!

NOW what parent doesn't want to give their child EVERY advantage and opportunity to be SMART? NONE! NOW Baby Einstein isn't just WATCHING it actually interactive toys too!
check out the shopping site SECTIONS / CATEGORIES they have EVERYTHING and everything is made with a specific purpose: MAKING YOUR CHILD SMARTER!

RIGHT NOW you can save up to an additional 25% on some COOL STUFF TOO!check out this REMOTE CONTROL
or this
press & play duck

THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF GREAT TOYS ALL DESIGNED for PARENT / CHILD INTERACTION AND of course to make your child SMARTER while "playing!" HOW COOL IS THAT?

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE CONTEST

2008-12-03T20:23:00.000-05:00

go HERE everyday everyday everyday and follow the directions to WIN WIN WIN some GREAT GREAT GREAT gifts from an AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME company (sung to the tune of miss suzy hand game)

There is something for EVERYONE! HERE IS THE SCHEDULE!
you can earn bonus entries too!

REMEMBER YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU DO NOT ENTER so what are you waiting for?

Day 1, December 3rd: Deck the Halls and 'Tis the Season Gift Packages
Day 2, December 4th: We're Expecting Gift Package
Day 3, December 5th: Green and Global Gift Package
Day 4, December 6th: Family of Photogs Gift Package
Day 5, December 7th: For Grandparents Gift Package
Day 6, December 8th: Baby on Board Gift Package
Day 7, December 9th: Toys for Toddlers Gift Package
Day 8, December 10th: Little Book Lovers Giveaway
Day 9, December 11th: Being a Kid - Boys' and Girls' Gift Packages
Day 10, December 12th: Furry Friends Gift Package
Day 11, December 13th: For Tweens - Boys' and Girls' Gift Packages
Day 12, December 14th: Teenage Fun Gift Package
Day 13, December 15th: Health and Wellbeing Gift Package
Day 14, December 16th: For Him Gift Package
Day 15, December 17th: For Her Gift Package
Day 16, December 18th: Family Night Gift Package

I really would like the packages on the LATTER stages of the contest from the 13th on
so I am holding out and letting others win (without my interference) on the first 10 days! GOOD LUCK I HOPE YOU WIN!

YOYO LIP GLOSS!

2008-12-04T17:53:00.002-05:00

BUY 2 LIP GLOSS get 2 FREE PROMO HERE

We don't have any yo yo stores here in va, but you can check the store locater to see what is near you! this appears to be a HOT TEEN / TWEEN ITEM and I can't wait to get some and let my girls try it out!

They have a myspace page already up and lots of contests on the web! CHECK ITOUT by doing a search.

ALSO if you have a blog you can qualify by making a post about it like this one! DETAILS HERE

YOYO Lip Gloss strives to create the most innovative products that reinvent modern day ideas and change traditional concepts; YOYO Lip Gloss is that product. We bring a whole new meaning to the word lip gloss! If you are looking for a store near you that sells YOYO Lip Gloss, take a look at our Store Locations. Want to know more about YOYO Lip Gloss? Visit the about us page of our web site. Got something to say to YOYO Lip Gloss? Let us know, we would love to hear from you, visit our contact page of yoyolipgloss.com.

EASILY Visioning a Better Year, life, relationship etc

2008-11-22T15:01:00.004-05:00

How to Make a Vision Board: Goal Setting Lesson Plan for Kids via kwout

What is a Vision Board?

Vision board is created by an individual to illustrate what he wants in this life. A vision board is a personal collection of an individual desires and no restrictions are placed on the images or words displayed on the board.

A vision board may be a combination of life areas such as career, finances, family, and health or it may only highlight one life area such as finances. A student vision board will differ from an adult's vision board. For example, a student will not be focused on her career but rather on her education.

A vision board is created by pasting images and words on a poster board to display the individuals goals. The images can be magazine photos, personal photos, or hand drawn pictures and sketches. As well, the words can be cut from media formats or be handwritten.

DO YOU "SEE" what you need to do now? ARE YOU READY TO GET SOME INSPIRATION ....................

IF YOU LOVED "THE SECRET" or even LIKED "THE SECRET" you will ADORE the VISION BOARD BOOK! I have it and am GLUED to it..........every night I read it and every night I am inspired by this author.

If you believe in the "laws of attraction" and want to succeed in love or life this is the book for you! It is a GOAL SETTERS DREAM ............ inspiration and step by step instructions on pulling out your creative side and making your hopes come true!

GO HERE
to purchase the book and you can start a new journey, instead of waiting for good things to happen to you, you can initiate the process by making a vision board with the help of Joyce, auther of "THE VISION BOARD"
5 STARS out of 5 STARS review .......... 14 reviews total

WHAT THE AUTHOR SAID & DID............ WHAT GREAT KARMA!
Every morning and every evening I surf around the net looking for mentions of The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life and when I find them I usually make a helpful comment or two if I can. In this case early this morning I saw that a blogger's holiday vision was to get a copy of my book. SO, I fulfilled that vision and she was stunned. You attract what you vision -- this is a simple example. She wanted my book -- so why not give her one for reviewing and one for her to give away in a contest on her blog. VISION FULFILLED !

EVEN THE AUTHOR OF THE MILLIONAIRE MIND agrees with the thought process of the VISION BOARD

ANJIES THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS ON THE VISION BOARD AND THE BOOK

I have added this book to the MUST READ list on the left of this page. I have been actually reading this one in conjunction with a few other creative /scrapbooking/art books in order to get "pumped up" for the holiday season! I am ready to jump in with both feet create a Vision Board(s) and share them too!

I used to HATE the skit on SNL with the positive affirmations "I am beautiful" " I am loved"

etc etc in front of the mirror, telling yourself positive things about yourself and being your own cheerleader just turned me off................... THEN I BECAME A SOCIAL WORKER. As a Social Worker I saw how many people had to do this (self affirmation process) just to make it a day in life without self medicating to the point of atrophy and/or teens that were morbidly self destructive due to lack of self esteem. These vision boards are not only a great tool for the "average" joe but also appears to be a great tool for the field of social work.

The author of this book not only makes the process a simple one (step by step instructions) but also is a source of beauty and inspiration. I recommend the hard cover edition of this book as it is sure to get lots of use and is definitely a book you will either want to keep for years or pass along to others after the "process" is perfected!

I am going to VISION a wonderful 2009 via the VISION BOARD with my family. What a great family project for New Years Eve........... make a vision board together for 2009 wow , a REVELATION that is much better than a "resolution" Have fun!

Laundry Savings + CLOROX 2

2008-11-22T14:08:00.004-05:00

I am all about FRUGAL and saving money on things. One of the biggest savings that I have in my household (besides groceries) is Laundry Detergent. I hate the hiked up laundry product prices and have been disgruntled about the "cease in making the small box" that I used to get for pennies after coupon usage (doubled) in the grocery store. I live for laundry product free samples and would otherwise buy the $2.99 laundry detergent at food lion, if I didn't MYO (make your own) laundry soap. This saves me an incredible about of money and my clothes smell good for pennies.

PREVIOUS POST ON MYO LAUNDRY SOAP AND DRYER SHEETS
MYO............ Powdered Laundry Detergent
1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap (I use 1/2 a bar for each batch and make 2 batches at a time)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 2 tablespoon. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.
ANJIE NOTE: THIS RECIPE SAVES YOUR TONS OF MONEY! if you cannot find the ingredients locally you can purchase them here

MYO DRYER SHEETS : use a matchless sock and liquid fabric softener. Put a quarter size dab on the sock of the liquid softener. Rub the sock together until the sock is not wet but rather damp and throw in the dryer with a load of clothes. CHEAP softener is AOK, I love using free product samples to do this!

Now one of the draw backs of MYO laundry detergent is that the colors and whites are not as deeply colored or bright white if you do not use BLEACH of some sort. So then we start talking about the added expense of doing laundry one more time. I like for my clothes to last a long time. I am not a slave to fashion and tend to buy more of "what i like" than what is "in style." This drives my daughters crazy, and they threaten me with "what not to wear" from time to time! :) I tend to wear 70's style , gypsy-ish long dresses A LOT! :)

USING CLOROX 2 stain fighter and color booster is a savings in the long run........... your clothes last longer and look "newer" too! The cost of a bottle for 33 loads is about $7 -$8 at our local food lion or .25 cents a load. I have found that I can stretch a 33 load bottle into 40 loads further reducing the cost to 20cents per load. This is a small price to pay for the RESULTS in SAVING YOUR CLOTHING from the TRASH BIN due to stains and/or dulling color, dingy whites. Not only is it effective in treating stains it is also easy to use. It doesn't add but a couple of seconds to the time it takes to do your laundry and works most of the time! :)

WIN 1 of 4 CLOROX 2 coupons for a FREE PRODUCT up to $6.00
HERE
GREAT ODDS! THANK YOU CLOROX for letting us try your product! YOU ROCK! I will be drawing a winner for the Clorox2 on DECEMBER 1st! make sure you are in it to win it!