Freebies: Week of October 27th, 2008

Halloween Scapbooking Pages:

Here are some freebies courtesy of DigiFree that would delight any ghoul-get it? Check out their website for more free scrapbooking downloads. Here is just a sampling.

Scare up a free meal!

On October 31st, participating Ryan’s and Old County Buffets will be giving kids in costume a free meal (up to two free kids meals per adult). If you live near a County Buffet or a Hometown Buffet, I would call and see if they are participating since these buffets usually run the same promotions.

Shred Fest!

Since moving this past week I've come across some paperwork, documents, etc. that have important information on them. Such information needs to be discarded appropriately and for good reason. We all know it takes a while to actually "move in" and since moving I've found there are boxes of information that is no longer needed and needs to be shredded. I called a shredding company last week to get prices on what they charge and what they told me I thought was reasonable, considering the amount of papers and boxes that have been sitting around for um, let's just say years! So while I was glancing through the local newspaper this morning I came across a bank that is having a Shred Fest this Saturday. The most wonderful thing about it is it's FREE. Yes I said free as in don't have to pay a dime to have outdated paperwork turn into garbage, safely. Talk about frugality! Yep, so that's where I'm headed to on Saturday.

3 Things That Need To Be Done Before Moving

We finally sold our house! Read my post A House For Sale to read about that adventure. Anyway when it comes down to it, there are only a few items that I think really need to be done before moving, besides the changing of addresses, etc.

Pack up the small stuff ahead of time. I started moving the small stuff out of the house way back when I originally moved out. My situation was different though and that helped a whole lot! This would include extra linens, books, etc. Leave the bigger items to be moved out such as beds, dressers, etc. at a later date, the day you actually need to sleep in your new house. Get your drawers and closets cleaned out so that nothing is left behind. I've left "stuff" before in closets that I thought I cleaned out.

Rent a truck, hire some help, or do it yourself. I don't always advocate renting a truck or hiring help but at this juncture of my move, but that may be a possibility this time around. It seems that everyone is busy that I normally could count on. So that means other means. I can't believe that a 30 day time frame has almost come and gone! Maybe I will have to consider renting that truck. Does it come with helpers?

Clean for the next tenants. This may be obvious but I've actually moved into a place before that wasn't ready for us to move in. It was gross! When I moved into another house, not only did I have to clean after the previous owners, but after moving in, I felt like I needed to clean again after we moved in. That was not efficient to say the least. Save this job for the very last, after everything has been moved out.

Freebies: Week of October 6th, 2008

I found a website called Scrapbookscrapbook.com that has Fall Graphics that you can download for free. These graphics are for scrapbooking pages. You will be 'downloading' a file onto your computer to print as many copies as you want, when you want. You will be asked where you want to put this file. The website suggested that you tell your computer to put the file on your Desktop. It will be easy to find there. The icon will be a PDF file. You just double click on it and the viewer will open. The graphics will be in the graphics viewer. Then just print as usual. This will take a minute or two for the file to come to you from them. So, just go to this website and follow directions on how to download this file. These would make for some simple cute scrapbooking background pages.

The Family That Paintball's Together...

We've all heard the saying, "The family that plays together, stays together". This also applies to the game of Paintball. While I'm not one for the actual sport of Paintball, I have heard quite a few stories about the games my son and husband have played against others in their group. Here's a shot of my son and husband after a game. I bet you couldn't tell that huh?











Some of the group have included cousins, uncles, and brothers in which they have a great time shooting at each other. Here's a picture of one of the cousin's.











When the "group" gets together, it is usually up in a wooded area. Easier to hide I'm guessing. So here's a picture of a beautiful wooded area in northern Arizona. I would go just to take in the beauty of the forest, but a Paintball game is usually when the guys get together.





It's a wonderful time for family to get together doing an activity that they enjoy. Next time they go, I'm supposed to be taking the pictures. I hope there will be a tree or two wide enough to hide behind so I won't get hit!

October Conference

For the next two days, Saturday and Sunday, is is about listening to the LDS General Conference in which we get to be inspired, uplifted, and most of all learn as the General Authorities of our church speak to us about important topics. This conference is held in Salt Lake City, Utah in which anyone can watch this via the BYU Channel on television or the internet, or one of the local channels of your television anywhere in the world. This is the activity in which I will be choosing this weekend.

3 Weird Foods I Like To Eat

When it comes to eating food, there are some strange and interesting food combinations that I rather like. For some reason, these certain combinations taste really good to me. Now don't get grossed out when I tell you what I like to eat together:

Cottage Cheese and potato chips

Now with eating this combination I just use the potato chips in place of the spoon. Weird huh? Yeah, I know. Try it though, you may change your mind.

Apples and peanut butter

This is a really good and somewhat healthy snack. So maybe it's not that strange to some people but it's not what I eat all the time. Sometimes I just have this craving for something healthy...the apple, and something salty...the peanut butter.

Cantaloupe and ice cream

And not just any ice cream. It has to be a scoop of Breyer's Natural Vanilla-the one with the whole vanilla bean thing going for it. I got hooked on this funky combination by a family member. Let's just say they are a bit strange anyway.

See, I told you they were weird. I don't have any pictures for this post mainly so that your imagination can run with it. Just for curiosity's sake, I bet you that you too will try any one of these too. Go ahead, I dare you!

Freebies-Week of September 29th, 2008

If you want a really cute and quick scrapbook idea for Fall or anytime, head to Smilebox.com. This is a photo sharing scrapbook that is free! You can email your online scrapbook to friends and family, or post it to your blog. Smilebox makes scrapbooking fun and easy! You can also share birthdays, holidays, special occasions, vacations, family time and more in their many wonderful designs. I thought that the Fall season with pictures of Halloween would be a perfect addition to a coffee table. Choose from hundreds of online scrapbook layouts from leading designers. Just add your photos, words, music, even videos, to make an online scrapbook. Scrapbooking just became easier!

Image by smilebox.com

A Salt Solution

Here's a gardening tip I found at householdhintsandtips.com that can come in hand when dealing with that unwanted grass in sidewalk cracks. So unsightly! The solution is an easy one. Pour a good amount of regular table salt directly on the areas and the grass will eventually die off.

Want To Go To The Petstore?

I haven't posted for a couple of days...been kinda busy but I had this post in my head. So here's just a small post. This last Saturday for lunch, we went out to eat and while we were sitting there, my grandson turned to my husband with those big brown eyes, out of the blue, and with a tilted head and a big smile said, "Wanna go to the petstore?". The way he said it was so priceless and adorable! He remembered the guinea pigs and puppies "getting a bath". Who could've resisted such a request. I sure couldn't!

Photo by http://freedigitalphoto.net

Frugality At The Mall-With A Toddler!

You would think that going to a mall would be expense. Well, it can be if you're going to do some shopping on your own and without anyone else. Think toddler!

At my mall, I have found ways to make the mall experience inexpensive and still have a good time while doing so with a toddler in tow. If you have a small child here are some ideas for you and your little one to do at the mall that won't cost you a dime!

Inside the mall there is a play area where kids (usually of the smaller type) can play on various objects such as animals, slides, blocks, etc. While watching the children play and getting their energy out of their little systems, the parents can sit back and relax. It also is helpful to go there with the idea of "wearing them out" just before nap time.

You can taste a sample of a restaurant's food in the food court. They are usually standing by their restaurant enticing people to eat at their restaurant with their tidbits of food. Just go around to each of the restaurants you like, graciously accept the samples and fill up! Never having to buy anything if you don't want.

Then it's off to dessert time. Inside a See's Candy shop, they always have a free sample of mouth-watering chocolates to choose from. Just ask them for a sample. I am usually satisfied with this small bit of chocolate-free, although the aroma makes me want more. Children always want candy too. It's a win-win situation.

And lastly, usually at night, there is a band, a clown presentation, a school group, etc. playing in the courtyard outside that you can listen to for free. Though after the play area, we don't make it to the evening presentations. The toddler I'm with is ready for nap... And so am I!

Photos: http://seescandies.com/

Mothering At A Distance-A Care Package Timeline

My son has been serving a church mission for the last two years and will be returning home November 7th. So to honor his last days I will be sending him a care package, but not jut any care package, a birthday care package since his birthday is in October. While I'm not a pro by any means, I've sent out a few in my lifetime (having sent out a few to my husband in Taiwan 30 years ago), I do have a thing or two to tell you about the timeline. Thankfully, sending care packages now is much faster than it was 30 years ago.

1. I usually start with a target date to send, marking that down in my calendar. I then know that I have a certain amount of time to start gathering things or making food items, such as cookies, to put inside the care package.


2. I like to have a theme. It makes it easier for shopping. For example, this time the care package will be centered around a birthday-his birthday.


3. Make sure that when you send the care package, to send it so it arrives around the birthday. It would be very sad that something does not arrive near or on a birthday.

So with a birthday theme in mind, this year I've planned on making my son a Rice Krispie Pizza. I saw this recipe and thought that he would love it. One thing I need to do is find some cardboard that is round, or make it myself.

Then I will need to buy the "pizza toppings" , aka candy, and the other ingredients. I will look for sales about a week prior to this so that I can maximize my money. I know that sending a care package is not cheap, but definitely worth it!

About a day before I get ready to send the care package, I will make the Rice Krispie Pizza. After refrigerating the "pizza", the next day I will prepare it for packing. Add more fun items if you want. I will add a birthday card as well.

The last thing I will do is go to either a UPS store or another shipping facility and send the care package, and pray that is makes it to its destination on time, and in tact. I get a tracking number so that I can at least know when it has arrived and not have to hold my breath one day more. UPS guy...the clock is ticking!

I will take a picture of the results the night before I pack this Rice Krispie Birthday Pizza so you'll know how it turned out. I will post it on one of my recipe posting days. Stay tuned...

Photo: http://freedigitalphotos.net/

Freebies As Of 09-22-08

Here are some freebies I've found this week:




Mobile Cell Phone Strap:

Ringtone Hall is offering for a limited time only their $3.99 Mobile Cell Phone Strap free of charge. Click HERE to request a free Ringtone Hall Cell Phone Strap. I thought this was cute so I requested one for a Christmas gift.


Home Made Simple Coupon Book:

Click Here for you free Home Made Simple Coupon Book with Over $27 in Savings + Sign up for the Home Made Simple® newsletter and find out about special offers, samples, coupons and sweepstakes.


Free Tote Bag:

Cost Plus World Market has a tote bag - Click Here Print out the coupon and take it to any Cost Plus World Market store to receive a Free cotton tote bag.

Free Pizza:

On Friday, Sept 26th, 2008 at participating Peter Piper locations, sample Gourmet Pizza while your kids eat their cheese/pepperoni pizza. Go to http://www.peterpiperpizza.com/ for your invitation. Enjoy.....

Decorating With Gourds

When I think of Fall, I think of its warm rich colors of red, orange, yellow and brown. It's no mystery where the classic earthy colors of the season come from; just look out the window at the natural world around you. Leaves are changing color to intense reds, oranges and yellows become vivid, to more subdued browns.

The produce of the season crops up in all kinds of rich tones as well; the deep orange of the pumpkin, lively apple reds and greens, gourds and squash in all sorts of shades and patterns of deep greens and buttery neutrals. Go to any farmer's market and you'll find decorative Indian corn with its pale yellow and dark red, brown, and black kernels. Simply adding a variety of any of these items to the interior as well as the exterior of your home will immediately give it a splash of Fall.



Wicker or paper mache cornucopias are just a couple of items that may be used for decorations around the home as well. Some of these even look like the real thing! You can group them in three's of varying sizes or simply place one here and there around the house for a splash of color. You can find real gourds at the grocery store or at a vegetable/farmer's market. The decoration possibilities are endless.


Let’s not forget the pumpkin. It is a kind of gourd but more traditional. Pumpkins are, perhaps, the stars of Fall decor with their orange flair. Here are some ideas: Simply adding various sizes of pumpkins to a window sill can provide seasonal appeal. From jack-o-lanterns to hollowed-out pumpkins filled with potpourri, pumpkins are a simple way to add Autumn accents to any room of the home as well as the patio and porch. Trade your regular planters for a few iron plant cages; fill them with small pumpkins and colorful ornamental gourds for a great new look beside the front door.

Put large pumpkins in flower beds or along side them. Buy more than 1 pumpkin and arrange them along the driveway or around the front porch. You don't have to carve them, just place them outside. Why not “plant” your Fall flowers in a pumpkin? Just clean out the pumpkin, place a potted Fall flower arrangement inside the pumpkin. This looks so cute.

Any way you choose to use your gourd, they are sure to add that touch of Fall to your outside decorations as well as for your inside decor.



Image of gourds:
url:http://www.umassvegetable.org/images/soils_crops_pest_mgt/crop/pumpkin1.jpg


Image of pumpkin:
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wait, How Much?

There are things that can be done to entertain the little ones. Some can be activities that don't cost anything to activities and events that can be costly. Such is the last statement this weekend. While it didn't hardly cost much to get in, I would say it was made up around lunch time. There was a kids fair in which my daughter and I took my grandson Jameson to. We arrived right at the opening of the doors to the coliseum.

There were vendors selling their wares at booths and booths to promote the good of the community such as child protection. Jameson spotted a booth that he wanted to check out. Here he is inside jumping around with other kids until we decided that kids would enevitably get hurt 'cause there were too many of them at one time. That's him in the plaid shorts.

While there were many, many booths to see, way at the back of the coliseum were carnival rides. Jameson spotted a ride that he really wanted to go on. The Airplanes. So I stood in line to purchase additional tickets for that one plus I got more for any other he spotted. He was so proud of himself "flying" that big ole' plane!

I had only enough tickets for 1 more ride for him to go on, by himself, 'cause that would've cost more, believe me! So we waited and waited in that line what seemed like an hour, until it was time for Jameson to ride the swings. He was so cute on them wasn't he?

After lunch (I guess you could call it that) consisting of a hot dog each,which was outrageously priced, and a small drink each, I figured out that I just spent equivalent to the price of admission just for lunch. No frugality here. I had forgotten how ridiculously overpriced food was at public places. Yikes! Next time, we'll sneak in our own lunch and drinks.

After a few hours and a much needed nap, we finally were heading towards the exit when Jameson discovered Cookie Monster. Now who could resist a cute picture with a Sesame Street character to tease him with when he's 16? I had to get it. So darn cute I tell you!

After trekking our way back to our car with a few weary family members, no longer had we been out of the parking lot and we looked back in his car seat and he was out! Out as in asleep! Fighting the crowds, a 2 1/2 year old, and let's just say lack of decent food, I was ready to be knocked out as well. Even though I had spent more than I had anticipated, it made up for it 'cause I think that Jameson had more fun that his Mom and I put together. Way more!!

Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Oh my goodness! I've found a recipe from Safeway that I want to try. This teriyaki chicken recipe never had it so good. Go ahead, you know you also want to try it.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 pound dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/3 cup toasted and sliced almonds
12 leaves of lettuce

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger and chicken and saute until cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, teriyaki sauce and honey until mixed together. Add chicken mixture, cherries, carrot, green onion and almonds; toss together.

Serve by spooning a little of the chicken/cherry mixture onto the center of each lettuce leaf; roll up leaf around filling and serve.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Serves: 6

How I Made $250 In Less Than 30 Minutes

The other day, I noticed an advertisement in the paper about a new bank that just opened up in the neighborhood. They were giving away free money just to open up a checking account. On top of that, with each and every service attached to that account, the bank will deposit $25 extra dollars into that account. That was a deal that was too good to pass up.

I quickly went down and proceeded with the opening of my account. I put $25 in to start it ( I would have put it into the family account anyway, might as well put it to good use and get a return on that money).

I have the intention of taking that money that the bank will deposit and using it to help out with Christmas this year. I have to keep that in there for 90 days, exactly 2 weeks before Christmas, which works out perfect! I then can cancel after that.

After receiving my new checkbook, I only spent about 30 minutes inside the bank. I left knowing that I've got a great return on my own money I deposited. I feel a little more at ease with the struggling economy in knowing that I will have at least $250 to spend this Christmas.

Now that's how I made $250 in less than 30 minutes. Now that's a nice chunk of change.

Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3 Ways to Use Apples

We've all heard how an "apple a day keeps the doctor away", well, with the arrival of apple season, it's hard to stick to the one-a-day rule. Having had my apple cravings this month, here are three ways I've come across to use apples.

Use in Food:

Apple pie comes to mind. Need I say more?

Also Caramel Apples are a favorite this time of year. These are one of my favorites. Yum!!

Use in Activities:

Bobbing for apples can be a fun activity especially around Halloween. Take a bunch of apples and place in a container full of water. Without using your hands try and get an apple out of the container. This is a fun activity!

Have a Johnny Appleseed Birthday Party (born 9/26/1774) with apple snacks, such as applesauce, apple slices, dried apple rings, apple cookies, apple cake, apple pie, apple juice. Consider going to an orchard and picking your own apples then making your own treats. Plant some apple seeds and observe.

Make applesauce with the kids. Children can use plastic knives to chop up the apples. They will love this.

Make prints, cards or wrapping paper. Turn apples into decorative stamps by slicing the fruit horizontally, exposing the inside star shape. Or create more elaborate designs -- hearts, moons, Hitchcock's profile -- with a small knife. Then stick a fork in the rounded side of the fruit, dip it in paint and press the stamp on paper. Sounds fun!

Use in Beauty:

Whip up a facial mask. Treat your skin to an apple mask.

Combine one grated apple with honey, smooth the mixture on your face, then rinse it off after 10 minutes. For a pastier consistency, add some uncooked oatmeal.

Photos: courtesy by cardcow.com and kaboose.com

National Coupon Month

September is National Coupon Month.

Clipping and organizing coupons for as little as 20 minutes per week can save 20% off your grocery bill. Over the course of a year, this can add up -- with $1000 extra dollars in your pocket you can off-set rising food and gasoline prices.

Here are some interesting 2007 coupon facts according to the PMA Coupon Council:

• 89% of the United States population uses coupons.
  
• Shoppers saved approximately $2.6 billion last year by using coupons.
  
• The typical coupon was worth $1.25 savings in 2007.
  
• Coupon users report an average of 7% savings on their grocery bill with coupons.
  
• The typical family saves between $5.20 and $9.60 per week using coupons.
  
• Manufacturers offered more than approximately $350 billion in coupon savings in 2007.
  

Since January, I've been tracking my grocery spending totals. I've spent over $3,000 on groceries and saved just under $2,000. That's a savings of 61%. If you break it down even further, that's spending only $83.00 per week for just 2 people. Can't beat that kind of savings!

Don't make just September be National Coupon Month. You can have that kind of savings last all year long!

70+ Uses For Vinegar

Did you know that there are over 70 uses for vinegar besides cooking? Yes, the vinegar that we all have in our cupboards. Along with using vinegar for cleaning or cooking, I will point out a few under each category, sparing you the other 65+ for now.



For Cleaning:

• Cleans glass- Mixed with water or simply sprayed full-strength on glass and mirrors, vinegar does a great job quickly and easily. Simply wipe windows dry with crumpled-up newspapers . Your windows sparkle!


• Clean and deodorize a garbage disposal -Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through. Vinegar ice cubes? Be careful not to offer your guests a drink with those ice cubes.

For Hair and Bath:

• Cracked, dry skin- Smooth a little vinegar on dried skin to help it heal.


• Bathwater-Add ½ cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing and get double benefits... softer skin and a cleaner bathtub with less work!

For Food and Cooking:

• Fluffier meringues- Add 1 teaspoon vinegar for every three egg whites and you'll have fluffier meringues.


• Boiling eggs -Add a bit of white vinegar to the water you're boiling your eggs in, and the shells won't crack.

For Gardening and Yard:

• Kills grass-Undiluted vinegar will kill grass between bricks and sidewalk cracks.


• Keep cats away- Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping, or scratching on. This one would be interesting.
  

For Health:

• Mosquito bites- Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Heinz Vinegar straight from the bottle.


• Sinus infections and head colds- Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.

For Pets:

• Fish bowl cleaner- Eliminate that ugly deposit in the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.


• Pet's drinking water- Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your pet's drinking water to encourage a shinier coat, and reduce odor. Haven't tried this one for fear of the cat killing over.

A Partnership With Nature

When a man plants a seed, nature proceeds to complete the work. So as a seed is dropped into the soil, if often lies for a long time. But with a dose of water, sunshine, and soil, the seed sprouts and pushes forward into the maturity it was meant to be. So it is with our children. When we raise them to hopefully become respectable, mature adults, with love and respect, in essence we've planted that seed.

And so it is with nature ...

These are my small bell peppers that are just now maturing after about 4 months. They've been through a lot with the Arizona summer, the monsoon season, and not to mention getting hit with a ball. They've seamed to be pulling through unscathed.

Autumn Casserole

I'm starting to gather up recipes for the upcoming holiday seasons and came across this Fall recipe from Taste of Home. Instead of making this for a holiday, I thought it looked delicious to make anytime of the year. Can you tell from Saturday's post about the Autumn Handprint Wreath that I'm awaiting the arrival of Fall?

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced unpeeled tart apples
3 cups sliced carrots, cooked
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup orange juice

Directions:

Place half the apples in a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover with half the carrots.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly; sprinkle half over apples and carrots. Repeat layers. Pour orange juice over all.

Bake uncovered at 350° for 30-35 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings.

Autumn Handprint Wreath

I was looking for an activity to do with my grandson to keep him entertained this weekend and came across this one by DLTK.com. I think I may have found the perfect age appropriate activity. It's one that is sure to be a hit.


Materials needed:

• glue
  
• scissors
  
• yellow, orange, and red construction paper.
  

Directions:

There are two ways to do this craft.

1. Ttrace the child's hand onto paper and cut out the prints


OR



2. Make paint handprints on the paper and cut those out.
   
   

Make nine handprints (3 of each color). Cut out the prints and glue to form a wreath.

You can decorate the wreath further with pictures (like leaves, pumpkins or corn, or candy corn). Some of these decorations can be stickers, hand drawn artwork by the children, pictures from coloring books or magazines.

Frugal Grocery Shopping Tips

When shopping for groceries or for other items, there are a few tips that you should remember:

• Avoid buying non-food items such as detergent, toothpaste, shampoo, napkins, and facial tissues at the grocery store, unless there is a really good deal. Usually you can get these items much cheaper at your discount or warehouse stores.



• Always do your grocery shopping alone. Keep the husband and the kids home. This way you will spend less money.



• If you have storage space, stock up on staples when they are on sale. You can then "shop" in your own "general store" when you run out.



• Plan your meals in advance and try not to go to the grocery store without a shopping list.



• Don't trust the register scanners at the check-outs. They have been known to make mistakes. Trust me, I know. When possible, know the price of what you're buying, and watch it scan.



• You can also save money on mileage as well as your time by picking one day a week to do all of your shopping. You can plan out your most gas saving route by doing this.

Photo by grocerylists.org

5 Things To Do With A Library Card-Check It Out

Celebrate September by signing up for a free library card. September is National Library Card Sign Up Month. What better way to celebrate libraries than to do just that? There are many things you can do with your own library card. Take a look below.

Check out books:

This month has been an interesting one with the hurricanes and the presidential campaigning underway. If this is what you want to learn about, look for books about weather or hurricanes. If you want to learn about Government at the local and national levels, why not check out a book about just that. There are so many books to read and just as many subjects to learn about. If you're anything like me, I could spend hours in a library just wandering through the vast aisles of information.

Activities:

A public library has activities for the very young up to the elderly alike. Some of the these activities include baby storytimes, toddler and school-aged programs. There are game nights, crafts that you can do with your children or for yourself, films to watch, and musical performance groups to listen to. Check with your local library to view their activities for the month.

Computer Access:

Having access to a computer can be valuable if you don't have one at home. Children can do their homework at the library and if they need to look for reference books, etc., they can do so right there without having to drive back to the library. Adults too can have access to a computer at the library.

Movies & DVD's:

Have you every watched a movie or DVD from your local library? You can while saving money at the same time. It doesn't cost anything to check out any movies or DVD's. They usually have quite a selection to choose from. Think of all the money you saved instead of renting them from a nationally recognized store.

Workshops & Lectures:

Learning something new is always a good thing, even presented at the library. There are local and sometimes even national speakers that you can listen to for free. These classes are educational and informative as well. There are book discussion groups and also, book authors sometimes have book signings at the library.

So take the time this month to sign up for your library card if you havent' done so. Take advantage of this wonderful service that is provided to you. You never know what you might read, watch, have fun doing, or listen to. You might even learn something. Check it out!

Freebies: Week of September 8th, 2008

Here's a couple of freebies that I've found for this week.







Buddy Brush Coloring Book

There is a Milk Matters campaign going on designed to teach parents, children, and the health care providers about the importance of calcium for children and teens. It is a 14-page coloring book for children ages 4-8 explaining why calcium is critical not only to good health, but also to healthy teeth, through the eyes (or bristles) of Buddy Brush. It outlines how to take good care of your teeth. Go this this website to order: www.nichd.nih.gov/publication. If you have any questions about publications, or if you need to order quantities greater than the online order limits will allow, please contact the NICHD Information Resource Center at:

Phone: 1-800-370-2943TTY: 1-888-320-6942Fax: (866) 760-5947Mail: P.O. Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847E-mail: NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov






Quaker Simple Harvest Granola Bars


Simple and easy. Just fill out your name and address and a free sample will be mailed to you, while supplies last. Go to this website: www.startsampling.com. to look for these delicious granola bars for the Fall.

Another Use for Dove Candy

The other day I was looking for something chocolate to go over my ice cream. And we all know ladies, that chocolate is a craving that will not go away! I proceeded to find the chocolate syrup that I thought I had in the house. I was out! It was Sunday and I didn't want to go to the store so the only alternative was to make it myself out of something else. But what? I saw that I had a bag of Dove chocolate candy and went to work.



I opened up all of the chocolate pieces and put them in a bowl so that I could melt them in the microwave for about 1 minute, stirring until melted. That'll do the trick! It worked. Yeah...



After all the chocolates have melted, I drizzled it over my ice cream. Oh my goodness, gracious me!! It was sooo delicious! Because the chocolate was now this hot and yummy sweetness, it became hardened and crackled almost instantly when drizzled on the cold ice cream. It's amazing what you can come up with in a chocolate emergency plus also without spending more money at the store.

PC Family Management

Do you know where each of your family members needs to be at a certain time each day, every day? If not you suffer from a case of famnesia. I found a website called Cozi.com that will take care of all the little details of life for free! It's designed especially for busy families to be accessed from any PC or mobile phone anywhere, anytime, and the best part is - it's free!







Keep track of everyone’s appointments in one place. Color-coded by family member, you can look at an individual’s page or get a quick overview of what the whole family is up to with the calendar feature.





Say goodbye to pieces of paper laying around the house or sticky notes stuck everywhere and say hello to this nifty feature. Organize your grocery lists, shopping lists, to-dos, and more. Even paste ingredients from online recipes to streamline your family meal planning. Need to stop by the grocery store on your way home? This will keep your shopping list handy.





Do you have all those digital photos piling up on your PC? There is a featured screen saver download to keep track of your pictures. It even has appointment reminders built in. What could be more practical and easy?



So check out Cozi.com to learn more. I wish that this was around when I was raising my children 'cause I was the one who had all the sticky notes and piles of lists laying around. Was mind you. Not good back then.

Walnut-Crusted Tilapia With Maple Sauce

I guess the Fall season is upon us because for some reason I have had a craving for all things maple-flavored or apple-flavored. I found a recipe this week that has can satisfy at least my maple craving. With this recipe it calls for Tilapia, but I have Bass in the freezer from when my husband went fishing a while back. So I will use that instead of Tilapia, even though he says that they are basically the same flavor. This sounds divine!

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

2 tilapia fillets (or bass fish) about 6 ounces each, thawed, if frozen

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a small baking sheet. Beat egg in a shallow bowl. Place walnuts in a resealable plastic bag, seal and use something heavy to finely crush walnuts. Empty nuts onto a plate, add bread crumbs and stir to combine. Rinse and pat dry fish fillets. Dip fish in beaten egg, coat with walnut mixture and place on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine syrup and melted butter. Drizzle over fish before serving.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Photo courtesy by AZCentral.com

Saturday Night At the Park

Having spent the day with my grandson and my daughter, doing the usual thing when she comes over like going to the mall, it was kind of nice to just go to the neighborhood school playground near the end of the day. The mall is starting to get a little boring every weekend, although my grandson likes to play in the play area. We arrived at the playground just before dark so as to not be too warm outside. I just couldn't resist some cute pictures of him playing. Above is a picture of him and my daughter swinging.





This picture shows a true kid at heart. Can you tell which one? My husband and grandson were going to go down a big slide before this one was taken.





My grandson thinks he is just as big and wanted to go down the big slide by himself. I thought that this picture was the cutest!



It is always fun going to the local playground and watch my grandson play and have fun. I can think of no other activity that is both cheap and entertaining and that he likes to do.

Used Book Stores

Do you love to read but can't stand to pay full price for new book? Try a used book store. Not only can you buy books, CD's, DVD's, magazines, comic books, etc., you can even sell your used items to them. That's right. Need some extra cash? I went around the house and gathered up books that I no longer need or want, dusted them off, went to a used bookstore to have them buy them from me and voila! Instant cash! Now mind you , it's not all that much but enough, say maybe... lunch with the hubby or for some other use...another book? We all know that we can always find uses for extra cash. There's always some treasure when I shop at a used book store. Selling to them can be addicting too. Try it, you may get hooked!

Reasons to Celebrate Grandparents Day

There is a day celebrated every year called Grandparents Day. It is an annual observance that honors grandparents and other seniors, seeking to strengthen relationships between the generations. I don't have any living Grandparents anymore but I will try and honor them by remembering them and the heritage they left. They have a lot to offer us and we can learn from them. Below is the history about Grandparents Day and ways to honor them:

When is Grandparents Day?

Grandparents Day is celebrated each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day, although the specific day changes from year to year. This year it is on September 7th, 2008.

How did Grandparents Day begin?

It began in 1970 by Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, a mother of 15 children as a way to honor her Grandparents. After much campaigning and attracting the support of businesses, churches and political leaders, National Grandparents Day was created by then President Jimmy Carter in 1978, after passing Congress.

Why was Grandparents Day created?

According to an excerpt from the National Grandparents Day Proclamation:
"As we seek to strengthen the enduring values of the family, it is appropriate that we honor our grandparents. They are our continuing tie to the near, the past, to the events and beliefs and experiences that so strongly affect our lives and the world around us...our senior generation also provides our society a link to our national heritage and traditions."

What is the purpose of Grandparents Day?

1. To honor our grandparents
2. To give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children.
3. To help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance elderly people can offer.

What ways can you honor your Grandparents?

You can show them your love by visiting them wherever they may be. In nursing homes, their own homes, putting flowers on their grave site, reading their journals, reading family histories, just spending time talking to them, writing them a special note or letter, or buying them a special gift. Also family reunions are a great way to remember our Grandparents. Our family will be doing this not on Grandparents Day but in November when most of us can be together at one time. There is a website I've found for buying special gifts. It is at personalizationmall.com . We all need to remember where we came from and honor our Grandparents in our own special way.

Freebies-Week of September 1st, 2008

Here are some items I've found free for this week:





In All Things Scrapbooking.com, a featured artist, Lucie B. is giving away a beautiful scrapbooking page called Summer In Monet's Garden. You can download it for free! Above is a sample of what it looks like.


Participating FTD Florists are celebrating Good Neighbor Day on Sept. 3rd by giving out free flowers. You can read more about this Freebie Event at "Deal"ectible Mommies.


When you enter Dress for the Sevens Sweeps you will receive a sample of Tide Total Care from P&G. Thanks goes to Mommy Helper for sharing this sample. When a sweeps offers a free sample just for entering, I think it's worth taking the time to fill out an entry, don't you? You should receive your sample in 6 to 8 weeks.


Walmart is offering a new sample of John Frieda Luxurious Volume hair care products. It sounds like the sample is for the Full Splendor shampoo and conditioner, and includes a coupon for a Luxurious Volume product. Enjoy trying your new hair care products!

Many Uses For...

I found some interesting items around the house that can be used for other uses besides what they were intended for. For example, did you know that there are a million (well, maybe not a million) uses for baby wipes? Check out my other finds.



Baby wipes have their typical use but did you know that they are especially good for carpet stains? Rub a baby wipe on a stain and see the results!



How about Kool Aid? Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint. You can also put Kool Aid in some plain yogurt and make finger paint with your kids. Swirl in different flavors. Use a cookie sheet to let them experiment with this new paint. Your kids will love it! I think I'll have to try this one with my grandson.



Kool Aid also can be used to make a tie dyed t-shirt. Cool huh? Just mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the t-shirt and soak until it is the shade you want.



Toothpaste can be used to fill nail holes in walls instead of using the expensive wall patch. I've tried it and it works.



How about body paint made out of Crisco? Crisco mixed with food coloring can be used as body paint. Who knew? Heat the Crisco in the microwave (be very careful here), pour into an empty container (a film container works good) and mix with the food color your choice. Let this cool down. I'm thinking this could be used for Halloween face painting.



Broken crayons can be recycled into fun different shapes by sorting by color, melting in an old can, then pouring into molds that come with Jello gigglers. Then kids have new crayons in all sorts of shapes. How fun is that?



And speaking of old crayons. Why not make a crayon suncatcher? Just use a pencil sharpener and shave crayons onto a sheet of wax paper. Fold the wax paper in half, covering all the shavings. Press with a warm iron until the crayon shavings melt. You can cut the wax paper into a shape when cool, then thread string through the top of the wax paper and hang in a window. If I can remember doing this in grade school (and that has been ions ago), imagine what your kids will remember if you do this with them at home.

Raspberry No-Bake Cupcakes

While I was searching for a dessert recipe I came across one that just simply looked heavenly! The directions for this are very simple and it looks like this would be fun to make as well. These are like mini no-bake cheesecakes. A delightful favorite with everyone. This would make a wonderful ending to a long hot summer!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup fresh raspberries, crushed
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
10 1/2 fluid ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS:
Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper cup liners. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, crushed pecans and melted margarine, mixing well to blend. Spoon mixture evenly into a 12 cup muffin pan lined with paper cup liners. Press mixture with a spoon to firm bottom. Puree raspberries and set aside.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk and 1/2 cup of the raspberry puree and mix until well blended. Fold in whipped topping.

Spoon evenly into baking cups. Freeze for at least 5 hours. When ready to serve, remove paper liners. Invert cakes onto individual serving plates. Drizzle remaining raspberry puree over cakes. Garnish with a few whole raspberries. Serve frozen.

Frozen raspberries can also be used. When thawed, drain some of liquid and use in the raspberry puree.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ready in: 5 hours/15 minutes

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Photo by: Muffinmom

Boyce Thompson State Park

While looking at pictures this morning, I had forgotten about this little spur-of-the-moment activity my husband and I did. About three years ago this week, we took our son up to his first year of college at Eastern Arizona College. My time flies! Anyway, on the way back down to the valley, my husband had this hair-brained idea to suddenly stop off at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park which is located near the historic copper mining town of Superior, roughly about 55 miles east of Phoenix. I wasn't happy about going there after helping move my son into his dorm(I was tired)and mainly 'cause it was really hot and humid out. Oh well, he won out. While we've never been there it actually was a nice experience to take our own personal tour without tour guides despite almost dying of thirst and killing over! The area was peaceful and quiet with beautiful plants, flowers and trees. So here's some pictures that we took while we were there.

Above is a picture of me on a bridge crossing a dry creek (how I wish there was water in it, I would have jumped in). Above on my main page there is a picture of some of the trees in the Arboretum. They were absolutely beautiful! To the right is a picture of my husband in the Cactus Garden. With a living collection of over 800 kinds of cacti, the Arboretum has become a center for the study of this family of desert plants. Most of the 800 species are displayed in the Cactus Garden. No, we didn't tour all of the 800 species thank goodness. Cacti are inseparably linked with the Sonoran Desert landscape; their many sizes and bizarre shapes may go far beyond our mental image of a typical cactus. There are skyscraper saguaros; paddle-shaped prickly pears; twisted, tree-like chollas; diminutive pincushions; globular barrels; and squat, branched hedgehogs. The Boyce Thompson hedgehog cactus was first identified at the Arboretum.

Now that I look back on these pictures, I'm glad that we did go to the Arboretum because in reality, we probably wouldn't have come here otherwise. If you want more information on this beautiful state park click here: arboretum.ag.arizona.edu

A Recipe For A Perfect Day

I was reading a section today out of a book titled "How To Help Your Missionary" by Raymond E. Beckham about having a perfect day. All of us experience days where everything was perfect, life went well, life was wonderful. Those days stand out in our minds. Here's a bakers dozen of basic ingredients that will guarantee a perfect day, every day, if they are applied. While my son is serving a church mission, these "ingredients" can be applied to everyone in our everyday lives, no matter what your religion or beliefs. That is why I tweaked this a little.

1. Today I will adjust myself to what is and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my challenges and adjust myself accordingly.


2. Today I will strengthen my mind. I will study or read as I have time for. I will learn something new and useful.


3. Today I will solve today's problems and will not tackle my whole life's problems at once or worry about those of yesterday. Good one!


4. Today I will be happy. Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." I will make up my mind to be happy and will not let anything interfere with it.


5. Today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, and I will not abuse or neglect it.


6. Today I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn and not let him know about it; I will do at least two things I do not want to do but that I should do; and I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt.


7. Today I will be agreeable. I will look as nice as I can, dress as smartly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be flattering to others, criticize no one and find fault with no one.


8. Today I will have a plan and will follow it. I will set down realistic goals and priorities, and I will accomplish every one of them.


9. Today I will spend a few moments in meditation and will pray at least morning and night.


10. Today I will be unafraid. I will have courage as I go about my activities.


11. Today I will forget myself and will do things for others. I will enjoy the spirit of sacrifice and service.


12. Today I will have a positive mental attitude. I will not be discouraged. I will look for the good in everything and goodness rather than be a reflection of the moods of others.

Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net