And the winner is...

 Mari....I'm so excited for you!  You get a free e-book of That Works for Me!

Mari, I will be sending your email address to the girls, and they will send you the link for your free copy!

Remember, if you didn't win, you can still save $2 off the normal purchase price of $8 by using the coupon code:  SUMMERSALE.  

Happy Friday!

WFMW and a GIVEAWAY!

 

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you've probably come across a post or two with WFMW in the title.

What's WFMW you ask?

WFMW stands for Works For Me Wednesday.   Every Wednesday Kristen over at We Are THAT Family would host a little blog carnival.  People would submit their helpful tips/hints and share them with everyone else.  I submitted several "tips" but LOVED reading what others posted.  I can honestly say, that there are some really smart and creative people out there in blog land...but I already knew that!  Wink!

Anyway, a while back I was informed that Kristen and Jen where writing a book with all the helpful tips they received and they wanted to included one of  my tips in their book.  WOW!

The book came out earlier this spring and there I am, number 195.

Here's the link to my contribution to the book!  Isn't that super exciting...okay,  maybe just a little exciting! 

But the MOST exciting part is that they are allowing me to give one of my readers a free e-book!

If you happen to not be the winner, you can buy your own copy of the e-book by clicking here:
You can save $2 off the normal purchase price of $8 by using the coupon code:  SUMMERSALE

The book includes over 800 tips, in so many different categories to help you in your everyday life.... organization, cleaning, crafts, decor, baby and SO much more.  You really have to check it out!

If you'd like to have a chance to win a free e-book, please leave a comment on this post!  A winner will be picked on Friday morning.

Good Luck!

WFMW - Art Wall

So....this is one of those problems that I think we all can relate to.

You know ALL the beautiful art work your kids make that is so fabulous it has to be displayed somewhere, but you really don't want another piece of paper hanging off the side of your fridge.....what are you to do?

You create the "Art Wall!"


Ours happens to be in the garage....where everyone can see it!

And just for the record....only the BEST of the BEST get to be on the "Art Wall!"

(oh, and we take down and clear out every once in a while....just to make room for new masterpieces!)

The kids are happy and I am thrilled to NOT have it in my kitchen!

BTW, this is a GREAT idea for grandparents as well.....display all the art work your grandkids give you....so when they come to your house, they can see that you really thought their work was special!

It works for us....find more WFMW tips over at We are THAT family!

WFMW - The coffee pot!

This might seem a bit obvious to some, but for some reason I just figured this out.

Like many, I like to have a little bit of coffee in the morning. Nothing fancy...just plain ol' Folgers (breakfast blend) with fat-free french vanilla Coffee-Mate creamer.

And with all the fancy new coffee pots out there, I find that I'm totally content with my Mr. Coffee. It suits me just fine.

Our mornings are pretty calm around here. I know that will all change next year when Max has to be at school in the morning too, but for now my girl has the routine down. She even makes time to read in the morning...just so she won't have to do it after school.

Anyway, my point is that even with the calmness of our morning, I have started to get my coffee pot ready at night. Usually when I get finished with the dinner dishes, I take a few extra seconds to get the coffee pot ready for the morning.

Then the most amazing thing happens. When I get up and get downstairs to the kitchen, all I have to do is press the button. I could program it (I think) but something about pressing that button makes me feel good. (remember I'm a control freak!)

So there you have it...my brilliant idea. Get your coffee pot ready the night before. It will be a great start in your day!

Need some more great tips? Head on over to We are THAT family!


(I'm also sending out a great big birthday hug to my SIL, Jodi! Have a great girlie! Did you know you share a birthday with Ellen DeGeneres! Happy Birthday Ellen! I *heart* your show!)

WFMW - Photo Christmas Cards

My late mother-in-law taught me this nifty trick...so I totally can't take all the credit for it. Every year after Christmas, I take all the beautiful photo Christmas cards that we get and turn them into this little piece of art work.

Okay, it's just a cheap cork board hanging on the wall inside the door of our computer/craft room...but what I love about it is that I get to look at all your pretty faces all year long.

Do you recognize anyone you know?

Can't find your picture? A few lucky pictures made it onto a special frame on the fridge this year...I think I might have to get another cork board next year!

Check out more Works for me Wednesday over at We are THAT family!

WFMW - Summertime "Mom" Time!

One thing I've learned over the past few years is to take time for myself. It's not always easy, but I have found that it's the magic key to helping me be a better mom.

When school is in session, it's a little easier to find a few hours of "me" time, but with summer here, and the kids bickering at each other ALL the time, I have found that summertime is when I need that "me" time the most.

A few years ago, I started hiring a teenage girl (usually one from church) to come and watch the kids for a few hours. Honestly, it was just so that I could go to the grocery store by myself, in peace and quiet. Nothing is more frustrating that trying to get your groceries with whiny kiddos. We've all been there.

But this year, I'm trying something a little different.

Yes, I've hired another teenager from church (Thanks again Hannah...you really don't know how much I appreciate you doing this for me!) I have a set day. Friday mornings from 9-1. My kids are at a perfect age for a young babysitter...they really don't need a lot of care. They don't need diapers changed or to be fed a bottle. They are pretty much self sufficient. They just need someone here to make sure they don't run with scissors or eat too many fruit snacks.

I pack their lunch before I leave....just one less thing for my young babysitter to do. I also have asked my young babysitter to bring her lunch. Now, that isn't because I don't want her to eat my food, but because I don't want her to starve searching for something in my house.

She gets paid a certain amount and she knows that every Friday morning she will get that amount. (She just might be saving for something like a laptop or something, she might even have a nice spreadsheet that she might be recording her earnings into.....oh, wait....that was me...years ago when I was babysitting!)

The different part, that I'm trying this year is that I'm trying NOT to do errands. I'm trying to do something for myself. Like going to TJMaxx or Marshalls without anyone saying, "when are we done?" or "can we buy this?" Using this time to actually look at stuff.

Now, I'm not completing wasting my time...browsing. I do run into a few places...and get some errands done. But it's just so nice to know that I can do those errands without everyone having to get in and out of the car each and every time. It's heavenly!

So Friday is on it's way...and this week I'm off to get a massage and maybe just reading my book while I sit in the park.

I'm sure it's not too late for you to start taking some time for yourself. Find yourself a young babysitter and start your own summertime "mom" time!

It works for me....checkout more Works For Me Wednesday tips over at We Are That Family!

WFMW! - What to do with all those photo Christmas cards!

My late mother-in-law taught me this nifty trick...so I totally can't take all the credit for it. Every year after Christmas, I take all the beautiful photo Christmas cards that we get and turn them into this little piece of art work.


Okay, it's just a cheap cork board hanging on the wall inside the door of our computer/craft room...but what I love about it is that I get to look at all your pretty faces all year long.

Do you recognize anyone you know?

Can't find your picture? A few lucky pictures made it onto a special frame on the fridge this year...I think I might have to get another cork board next year!

Check out more Works for me Wednesday over at We are THAT family!

Lunch-time GIVEAWAY!

Since today is WFMW and the topic of choice is online shopping tips, I thought I would put in my two cents about eBay!

I used to be a huge eBay shopper and still occasionally shop there. You can find some awesome deals if you look often and are patient. A lot of sellers now offer free shipping which can make eBaying even better. Watch for deals, make sure to read the sellers feedback and ask the seller questions. Don't be afraid to ask...it's better to ask than to be disappointed because you didn't.

While I was getting in my get-ready-for-school mode, I came across these sweet little lunch totes on eBay for my kids. I was looking for something that would be easier for me to clean. The kids each had lunch bags similar to this, but they were a pain in the you-know-what to wipe clean. I never felt as if I actually got all lunch time left-over-crumb-gunk out.

I LOVE these new bags. They are sturdy, they are made of canvas and have a nice wide handle. It is big enough for an adult size lunch, they are even large enough to hold a 6-pack of soda, with enough room to set a sandwich on top. Oh yeah, and they are super cute. The inside cooler lining is even made with recycled materials which makes me feel like I'm doing a little something for the earth. Oh, and they are super easy to wipe clean!


I LOVE this bag so much that I am even thinking for ordering one for me. Since I have to keep my medication refrigerated, I thought this would be a great bag to have for when we travel. It would hold all of my paraphernalia and keep the medication cold at the same time. Its a win-win!

Now, on to the GIVEAWAY part...I know you are eager for me to stop rambling. I have been in contact with the sweet girl who sells these great little lunch totes and together we are doing a little giveaway. Go here and check out all the cutie colors and fonts she has, and then come back and leave me a comment. Let me know who you would get your tote for: your kid, grand kid, yourself, your dog, whoever...then let me know what color you like! If you are the winner, I will contact you, so that your tote will be exactly what you want.

If you don't have a blog...please still enter in the giveaway...just please make sure to leave your name and email address in your comment. I want to make sure I can contact you if you are the winner. (Tammy G.....make sure you write your name....you are good at forgetting that!)

US residents only please! I will leave the giveaway open till Monday @ 12:00, noon CST, this will give you plenty of time to comment!

Now go on...leave a comment, get in on the giveaway and make sure to check out We are THAT family for more online shopping tips!

WFMW - Summer Tips!

Even though my summer tip is more of an organizing/get ready for school tip, I do it in the summer, which therefore justifies it appearance in the summer tip category.

My yearly calendar!

Oh, it's a wonderful thing!

I started using a collegiate planner (AT-A-GLANCE 70-CP06 to be exact!) a few years ago when Maggie started preschool. I LOVE to get the entire school years worth of events all into one calendar. All the "no school" days, PTO meetings, vacations, 1/2 days...being able to put it all in one calendar before the school year even starts is so helpful for me.

My planner starts in July 2009 and goes to July 2010. It is a monthly calendar that offers a big square for each date, and it is of course, ruled! (lines keep my boxes much neater and I gotta have that!) Since I have a girl and a boy, I use a pink/blue highlighter to highlight the kids different events...just open it up and take a quick glance! LOVE IT!


The other very helpful thing I do is this. I made a Word Document to make labels for all the special birthdays/events that needed to be in my calendar every year. I used the Avery Return Address Mailing Labels (#18167) to make the labels, so every year I just revise the list, print it and stick the labels in my calendar. It saves a lot of writing time!

It is also very helpful for me to do the "calendar-switch-over" during the summer, when I think I have a little more time. Doing it after Christmas stresses me out...cause you know you have a ton of other things to be doing at that time too!

The only thing that I do not love, is that my calendar isn't the super cute ones that I see all around. So if you have any connections with the AT-A-GLANCE people, can you pass the word on that they need to make my planner a little bit more cutie! I would totally LOVE it then! But honestly, it Works For Me, whether it's cute or not!

Go on over to We are THAT family to get more summer tip!

WFMW - Super Easy Mexican Dip!

What day is today? Is it really only Wednesday? Every year this happens to me, I'm always "off" a day the week of VBS. Since it starts on Sunday, I always think we are closer to the end than we really are. So it really is only Wednesday...okay...fair enough...now on to our topic of the day!

It's WFMW! Works for Me Wednesday - Summer recipe edition. This recipe isn't necessarily summerish, but it's super easy, with no oven required and is oh so yummy! I always get so many compliments on this dip and it is always gone very quickly.

Easy Mexican Dip

• 8 oz cream cheese

• 1 small can Hormel chili - no beans (I think it's 10.5 oz can - oh and I've tried to Wal-mart brand too...it's just as good)

• mild banana peppers (or HOT peppers if you know everyone will like the hot!)

• shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby-jack, Mexican blend, whatever suits your fancy)
  

In a pie plate/shallow dish spread your cream cheese over the bottom of your dish (have your cream cheese @ room temp, it makes this process a lot easier)

Next, add your can of chili, top with banana peppers (I put a lot of peppers on), then top with shredded cheese.

That's it....pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, till it's hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips! If I'm taking this dip somewhere, I wait and heat it up when I get there, it's best when it's right out of the microwave/oven.

Oh, and let me just say, it's not the most beautiful dip...in fact, it's kinda yucky looking, but try it, I promise...you'll LOVE it!

Oh, and to be totally fair....I stole this recipe from my darling sister-in-law, but I'm pretty sure she stole it from someone else too! So here's to the person she stole it from! Thank you, whoever you are for this oh so yummy dip!

Want some more summertime recipes? Head on over to We are THAT family for a ton of them!

WFMW - family calendar

At this time of year, a lot of people get a new year calendar, start filling in the dates of family and friends birthdays, doctor appointments, school/church functions, etc. It's just a part of the new year.

However, I have found a new solution that works for me. Being that this was the first year to have a child in school, I bought a school-year calendar. It's the "At-A-Glance" Collegiate Planner #70-CP06 to be exact. I LOVE it. It runs from July 08/July 09. I was able to put all the school year in one calendar. Also, my main circle at church also runs on a school-year calendar due to the fact we are mostly moms. Having this calendar also made it easy to get all the church dates in. This calendar isn't a small one where it would fit nicely in your purse,(plus it might get bent, heaven forbid.) And it isn't pretty or super cute, but I love how it shows the entire month...I need to see it all! It is spiral bound and has a rather big square for each date with lines. (the lined version is a must for me...it keeps it neat and I'm all about that!) However it is pretty thin, so it fits well in my bag when I head off the church or other activities. It seems to me that with all the happenings going on after the holidays and the first few days/weeks of the new year, we don't need another thing added to our list of "things-to-do" and that July would be an easier time to try and fill out a new calendar too. I can leisurely sit outside while the kids play and drink some lemonade, all while filling out my new calendar. Oh, that sounds so nice right now.

One more helpful hint. I have found that if I use a different colored highlighter for each person's events it makes it much easier to scan quickly.

So if you are a mom with school-aged kids, this might work for you and if you still have wee ones and not doing the school thing yet...keep this in mind when you do. Check out all the other helpful ideas at Rocks in my Dryer! Happy Wednesday!

WFMW - A warm bed!

Okay girls, if you live in any part of the country where the temperatures gets cold, you are going to want to read this. Living here in the Midwest, it gets pretty chilly cold and I hate getting into a cold bed. About a month ago, I purchased a heated mattress pad from Kohl's. It wasn't the top of the line, and it wasn't the bottom of the barrel either...I bought one that had duel controllers, since I knew my hubby (the heater!) wouldn't normally use it on "his side." But I also wanted to give him the option, in case he had a cold/flu or something like that.

Let me just tell you, I LOVE it!

I usually turn the bed on when I'm upstairs putting the kiddos to bed. I'll come downstairs and hang out with my hubby for a few hours/watch t.v./blog/etc. and then when I go up to bed.... it is all toasty and warm. It's almost as if the bed totally just sucks you in. It is pure heaven girls, I'm tellin' ya! It totally makes the end of the day something to look forward to.

I have even called home on a few occasions when I have been out with the girls or at a church meeting to ask Andy to turn my bed on....he now knows and when I call, he'll say," I've already turned it on!" What a great guy I have!

Lately, I have felt Andy's cold feet sliding over on to my side of the bed more often....he's trying to get his feet all toasty too!

Anyway, this works for me and I know that if you live where it is cold...this will work for you too! Check out all the other great tips over at Rocks in my Dryer!

WFMW - Christmas budget!

With the economy so uncertain these days, I have been thinking a lot about Christmas and cutting back on what we give. With only two children, it's so easy to get wrapped up in getting them everything they want on their list, to a certain degree. They are still little and don't usually have super expensive items on their lists, but that will change as they get bigger, and so I'd like to prepare for that now.

We have a lot of family that buy for our kids, grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. So they ALWAYS end up with a ton of stuff. I want my kids to understand the real meaning of Christmas, and to know that it isn't just about presents!

So, a friend of mine (with 5 kids) uses this idea and I LOVE it. Each of her kids get 3 gifts. She once told me, "If three gifts were good enough for Jesus, then three gift will be good enough for my kids!"

The kids will still get plenty of "stuff" and our budget will be better off....we may even be able to do more charitable giving this year which is what we should be doing in the first place.

WFMW - Zingo game!

I found this game last year and got it for my kids for Christmas. They LOVED it! And they still do! It's called Zingo! My kids play this game a lot, and it's really great for pre-school age children, up thru grade school. You don't have to be able to read to play this game. It says age 4 and up, but if your child can match, he/she can play this game!

Here's how one website describes the game:

"Bingo with a Zing! ZINGO is a fast-paced variation of bingo. Players try to fill their ZINGO Cards with matching Picture Tiles from the ZINGO Zinger. The first player to fill his or her card wins! Two-sided ZINGO Cards allow for more or less competitive game play. ZINGO teaches shape and pattern recognition, and improves observation and short term memory skills."

As I was getting a link, it looks like they even have a Spanish version now too! I'm sure you can find it many places, I just happened to link to Target because that is where I bought it.

Hope this helps with your holiday shopping! Check out all the other toys/games at Rocks in my Dryer! Only 49 days till Christmas!

WFMW - Candy Witch!

For the past few years now, on Halloween night, after the kiddos are tucked into bed, the Candy Witch comes. She is a kind and "pretty" witch with a great big sweet tooth. The kids get to pick out 10 of their most favorite candies to keep and we put the rest in a bag for the Candy Witch. We place the bag at our front door and go to bed. She is very quite when she comes, in fact, we don't even hear her at all.

She takes all the candy (and drops it off at my hubby's work) and leaves the kids a surprise that they get the next morning. They have gotten play dough, coloring books, flash cards and more. Just a little "something" gets them very excited.

This is a great way to get the candy out of your house and the kids get something that they can actually use.

Head on over to Rocks in my Dryer for more helpful hints!