Sign up to receive an email reminder to get free samples.

Free Samples
I get an email daily to remind me to check the shop4freebies.com website and request the free samples that I am interested in receiving. If you haven't already signed up it is worth an extra email in your inbox every day. Most days I only request a few samples but today I requested the following:
1.Dunkin' Donuts coffee sample
2.Chocoalte Covered Pomogranite Seeds
3.Néctavida liquid supplement
4.A FREE GLOW STICK!
5.8 Child Safety Kits
6. free Sample of NicoDerm CQ and a $7 coupon for NicoDerm® CQ® with Smart Control
7.Bodi Heat Sample
8.New Fisher Price DVD
9.100ml sample bottle of Sabatino Tartufi Gourmet Olive Oil
10.Celebrate Urban Birds kit containing a beautiful color poster, information on urban greening, and bird identification for 16 common species.

Breastfeeding awards!

This ribbon signifies that I have spent 5 plus years of my life as a breastfeeding mamma!


I really wanted to add this ribbon to my blog as a widget thingy but I can't figure out how to do it. So I figured at least this way if/when I actually have readers, they can enjoy these cool ribbons, too! There are about 10 different colored ribbons ranging from 6 weeks breastfeeding to 5 years + breastfeeding. In our society it is a heroic act of courage, selflessness and fortitude if we manage to successfully breastfeed at all. It is sometimes near impossible to leave the house without our efforts being undermined and out right sabotaged . We rarely get a pat on the back and we certainly don't expect any rewards! Now go get yourself a ribbon! You deserve it! And if anyone can tell me how to add links to my blog without including them in a post I would be so grateful!

Free Samples!

This is a great resource for requesting free samples. You can even sign up for emails to remind you to request them. They could be great stocking stuffers if you can manage to get to the mail box before one of your kids does. ;-)

Free Samples

Fleamarket Ship and Before Desk Makeover

This ship was originally $28. It was marked down to $14 and the man selling it was not anxious to cart it back home with him so he offered it to me for $10 when he saw my son looking at it.

The desk we picked up for free a long time ago when some of the kids were enrolled in private school. I am planning to give it a makeover soon so these are the before photos.

The

Flea Market Bargains

I got the rolling pin for $5. I have been wanting one like it (all one piece) forever. And the table runner was $2! I think the jar of notions was $2.

Flea Market Finds

I should have saved these for Christmas but my little guy was with me and I gave the sorting toy to him already. It was $2. It's made by Plan Toys, I think.

The Betsy Clark doll I bought for myself because I had one just like her when I was little and I just couldn't resist. I probably paid too much though, $12.

What's Your Ecological Footprint?

I took the ecological footprint quiz and it was pretty enlightening. I think I'll actually take it again though because I didn't save my results. Arghh! Check it out.
http://www.myfootprint.org/en/visitor_information/

Little Guy Enjoying a Bath

He loves the water!

Little Guy enjoying a bath

He loves the water!

Yumm!

This mornings coffee cake.

Cage-free farm fresh eggs from Uncle Buddies chickens. No antibiotics or hormones and free! The basket was full a couple days ago. Now if I could just find a free source of gasoline!

My little guy has graduated to big boy hot cereal. MMMM...cream of wheat with beaten eggs cooked into the cereal. Quick, easy, healthy & delicious!

And isn't he doing a great job feeding himself? You should have seen him when he was finished eating. What a mess!

No new pictures! I'm so sad.

My wonderfully talented dd1 has misplaced my camera. So I can't take any new pictures for now. I'm so disappointed. Oh well, I guess that gives me more time for homeschooling, sewing, embroidery and knitting. Hurray! Chiropractor has given me the go ahead to start knitting again!!! It's been over 2 months (or is it 3?) I think it's been 2 months since I knit a preemie hat for my niece and another month or 2 before that since I had knit anything. I miss it so much! I will have to post pics after I knit something. That is, as soon as I find my camera.

I forgot about the bandanas for 10 cents each and the necklace dd4 got for 10 cents. It's the blue beaded one on the bottom. So my corrected grand total for the week is $22.84.

Simplifying and Staying Focused

I seriously need to learn some budgeting skills! I am so bad at budgeting my time and my money. I am planning (or at least trying to plan) a schedule that will bring some semblance of order to our lives and allow time for all the things that I need and want to accomplish. I can't decide if I should plan a weekly rotation, daily rotation or what? Here is my to do list:

homeschool
cooking
cleaning
household organizing
sewing & crafts
blogging & other computer stuff
dr's appointments & field trips
grocery shopping & other errands
thrift shopping & yard sales

So how do I organize it all? I am reading tips on scheduling over at http://oldfashionedhomemaking.com/
I am particularly focusing on this post right now http://oldfashionedhomemaking.com/2006/08/23/simplifying-your-life-with-unique-scheduling.aspx
Now I just have to decide which option works best for us. This is the hardest part for me I think. Argh! If I could just pick one already and then stick to it! Ask me where some of my kids get their ADD tendencies from?

Thrift Store Bargains.

I found this craft book at Goodwill for $1 and the zippers and embroidery floss at another local thrift store. The zippers were 25 cents each and the embroidery floss was 10 cents each. I bought all 6 zippers and all 6 embroidery floss. Total cost was $3.10. So that brings this weeks grand total to $22.24. Wow! That seems way too high but it's still a bargain when you consider the cost if I had purchased new full priced items.

Merino wool sweaters for $3.99 at Goodwill. And they're striped, too. I can't wait to felt them and make longies for my sleeping beauty.






Wow! All this yard sale and thrift store shopping has just worn him out.

More Yard Sale Treasures

I love this cute little shelf. I was hesitant to spend $2 on 1 item at a yard sale but it was in good condition and I really liked it. Plus, I was planning to get another shelf soon anyway.





The books were only 60 cents total. So altogether $15.15 this week, I think.

Awesome yard sale finds

Look! I got the Melissa & Doug wooden tool box toy for 25 cents! The stacking/nesting cubes were $2 but I really liked the art work and they would probably cost $10 new. Plus they are in perfect condition. The tool box is missing a few key components, namely the hammer but we already have one at home so it didn't really matter. Plus, at fifteen months old my little guy has just as much fun dumping & refilling the box anyway.






I love this beaded necklace with the butterfly's but when I tried it on I discovered that it is a choker so it will be a gift for someone. I can't stand to have anything remotely constricting around my neck. I don't even wear turtlenecks. The bright and colorful beads are a bracelet and the loose beads were a bracelet. They only cost 10 cents each so I wasn't too upset when the elastic broke. We will recycle the beads for a craft project, probably the denim purses the girls and I are working on.






These are my absolute favorite yard sale find this week! I suppose they were a bit pricey for a yard sale but I am so happy with them. I just love the vintage look they have. And the set of stoneware crocks I got for a $1. It is actually a dip cooler. You put ice in the bottom of the tall one and dip in the little one. Then the little one fits in the top of the taller one. I like it as a utensil crock for now.










This pillow and small quilt were 50 cents each. So my total was $12.55 How on earth does one stick to a $5 per week budget for thrift stores and yard sales?

New Craft Books

These are my new craft books. They just got here so I haven't had time to actually use them yet but I've been enjoying browsing through them.