Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy

Menu Planning Central!

2011-10-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

Stop Feeding Your Family Junk!

If you had a choice between grabbing fat-laden fast food yet again or serving your family a balanced, home-cooked meal, which would you pick?

What if I told you that you can prepare that home-cooked meal and save time and money over the so called "Fast Food" option? Menu Planning allows you to do just that. It ensures that you have the ingredients you need in the house to whip up a delicious and nutritious meal in less time than it takes you to decide which drive-thru or takeout restaurant to visit and then wait in line for your food.

But who has time to sit down to find recipes, make a menu plan and the grocery list to go along with it? The Menu Mom Does!

Hi, my name is Christine Steendahl, and I am known as "The Menu Mom". I sat down and came up with not one, but 4 different types of menus for the entire month. Each of these menus comes complete with recipes and categorized grocerylists that make grocery shopping fast and simple.

Family Friendly Menu
4 weekly menus that everyone in the family is sure to love.
Not only do you receive 7 dinner recipes complete with side dishes, but also 2 weekend brunch recipes and 2 dessert recipes. Each menu comes complete with the recipes for each dish and a weekly grocery list.
Healthy Menu
Whether you're watching your weight, are dealing with a health issue that requires you to eat healthy, or just want to feel better, this healthy menu is just what you've been looking for. You get 4 weeks worth of healthy dinner ideas along with healthy sides. Of course recipes and weekly grocery lists are included.
Vegetarian Menu Does your family stick to a vegetarian diet, or you just like to have a few vegetarian dishes in your menu each week? Then this menu mailer is for you with 4 weeks worth of vegetarian recipes and of course a categorized grocery list for each week.
Frugal MenuAre you on a tight budget? Our frugal menus help you feed your family for less, as you keep your grocery bill in check. Included are 4 weeks worth of frugal menus along with the corresponding grocery lists.

I would like to offer you 4 weekly menus of each of these four options. That's a total of 16 weekly menus complete with recipes and shopping lists.

But that's not all...

Make Your Own Custom Menus With The Click Of A Button

Allergic to Peanuts or Wheat?
Don't like Spinach or Mushrooms?
Eating Kosher or Vegan?
Can't get your child to touch Asparagus?

No Problem!

Because your family is unique I created an easy to use solution that allows you tocustom make your own menus using both the recipes in the 16 weekly menus (just pick and choose) and by entering your family's favorite dishes. You can even include breakfast and lunch recipes in your custom menu if you would like.

Just imagine having a menu that you know everyone in your family will love! No more complaining or whining when it's time to sit down for dinner. Instead you get to enjoy your family's happy faces as they devour what you cooked.

Use it for 30 days to create menus that are specifically catered to your families needs including allergies, picky eaters and any cultural restrictions you may have with the click of a button.

Check out Menu Planning Central today!!!!

Help Vermont Get Back On Their Feet

2011-09-02T09:52:00.000-04:00

First, I want to say yes, I live in Vermont, Starksboro Vermont that is. I am proud to be a Vermonter, we do all we can to help others. 6 years ago, I packed food and clothes in boxes to send to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. My heart went out to those people in Louisiana and I didn't have much money, but I gave what I could. Now, my home state has been devastated by Hurricane Irene, and I have nothing to give. I want to so badly help volunteer or do something, but I have 3 little boys that I need to take care of now. I did manage to come up with $10 to donate to the Vermont Food Bank (which $10 provides 25 meals). Something is better than nothing!

I am a lucky one. My town was not effected by Irene much, some down trees and that's it. We still had our power through the whole thing. unfortunately this is not true for places that are not to far from me. I actually stayed at my parents house that night, We live in a mobile home, so I was a little nervous about that, so I figured because of the heavy winds I'd be safer at my parents house that is about 8 miles away from mine.

I was wrong. Everything was okay actually until around noon time on Sunday I went out back of their house and saw this...

Not bad, just a small branch that landed on the back of my mom's clothes line. The rain just kept coming down, and I was getting a little nervous. Mainly because my parents live across a river. This river flooded the year I was born in 1976 (which I don't remember), then it flooded in 1998 which was very scary. Luckily no damages to any of our neighbor houses but the roads got beat up. Here is a pic of the bridge from my parents house that was destroyed in 1998...

Fortunetelling this did not happen this time. The water got pretty high, but no damage on our end. Thank god. Here is a video clip from that Sunday evening...

We lost power around 6pm Sunday night. We went to bed early and everything was fine...at least that's what I thought. The next morning we still had no power, and we knew that the road out of Lincoln was closed so I decided to leave going the alternate route. It was sunny and nice....then I went home. I got on to the computer and login on Facebook...my mouth dropped. Pictures every where of roads gone!

So the next day I went back to Lincoln. My mom and I walked down the road about 2 miles and saw this...

Of course this is minor compared to some places in Vermont! To see more pictures check out the Facebook Page: Pictures of Damaged In Vermont.

Also, if you can give $10 to the Vermont Food Bank that would be great, remember $10 will provide 25 meals!

HURRY...Take Advantage From Menu Planning Central...Short Time!

2011-07-21T20:50:00.000-04:00

" Special Summer Ebook Bundle"(Back by Popular Demand)

Summer is upon us, and I have set up a super hot summer bundle! I know everyone is busy during the summer, so I'll make this quick! We have set up this bundle to help you spend more time with your family and less time planning in the kitchen!

Included in the bundle are the following:

- Kid Approved Meals (www.kidapprovedmeals.com) (Sells for $14.95)
13 weeks of breakfast & lunch menus with grocery shopping lists that are kid tested and approved.

- Entertaining Made Easy(www.menuplanningcentral.com/entertaining.html) (Sells for $16.97)
Company is coming! I don't have time to clean, plan, AND Cook! We can help! We have created six complete Entertaining Menus (with shopping lists) to make your entertaining meal preparation a snap. Now you can just enjoy your company!

- Weekend Family Brunch Recipes (Valued at $10.95)
Enjoy delicious meals with the entire family on the weekend. This mini recipe book features 50 brunch recipes you are sure to love.

- Fun With Food E-book (Valued at $9.95)
Featuring enough edible play-dough recipes to keep you busy for months! Along with additional lunch recipes and craft ideas your kids will go crazy for.

- A Year of Snacks (Valued at $7.95)
Never be at a loss for snack ideas again! We've got you covered with ideas for an entire year!

- Summer Time Smoothie Recipes (Valued at $6.95)
Smoothies are a great way to cool off with nutrition on the go! Kids of all ages love them! We have compiled forty of our favorite smoothie recipesin this ebook.

- Easy Breakfast Ideas & Recipes (Valued at $10.95)
Breakfast doesn't have to be complicated. We'll help you with some creative ideas and 30 of our favorite breakfast recipes.

- Summer Stress Relief Pack (Valued at $8.95)
Our Summer Stress Relief Pack Helps keep moms sane during summer vacation. This pack features Kid Summer Activity Ideas, Family Friendly Summer Recipes & Summer Exercise Tips for Mom.

- My Favorite Forms & Checklists (Valued at $12.95)
I will share with you some of my very favorite forms and checklists for recipe organization, menu planning, grocery shopping etc.

Total Value: $100.57
How does 90% off sound?

Everything listed above is included in the Summer Bundle for one low price of $10.00!

Click HERE!

Hurry offer ends July 26, 2011!

How can I Gain from Empire & Allies Secrets?

2011-07-16T21:13:00.001-04:00

The latest game on Facebook launched by Zynga, Empire & Allies, had been described by game analysts and experts as CitiVille meeting Risk meeting Advance Wars. It is a turn-based strategy game. In this intriguing game, you’ve to build a powerful fighting force of army, air, and sea units and manage this units to overcome the ‘Dark Alliance’ You’ve to marshal your resources with keen insight and wisdom to generate adequate funds to build this powerful force. I am individual with relatively higher knowledge in the latest generation of all the social networking website games like CityVille, FarmVille, FrontierVille, PyramidVille, Monster Galaxy, Army Attack, Zuma Blitz, Bubble Saga, etc.

Hence, I was surprised when guides to play Empire & Allies started cropping up widely on the Internet. People are going to need guides to play games like Mafia Wars and CityVille but Empire & Allies? I was really startled. That was the time when I had not looked into this new game and naturally assumed that it is going to be quite easy to play this game. Still, I felt that I should personally try my hand at this game before I start talking about it.

Believe me; I was in for a huge surprise. Within a very short time, I ran out of coins and cash. I was not able to utilize my resources or construct buildings. Grudgingly, I admitted that there was more to this game than what I had anticipated. Even though I was able to get out of the hole into which I had landed, I was still not making much progress. That is when I decided to take a look at these Internet guides on Empire & Allies. I took a look at several guides but the one that impressed me most was Empire & Allies Secrets guide authored by Tony ‘T Dub’ Sanders. Now, I find myself as a big success story on Facebook. You can also repeat this with this terrific guide.

L.E.N.S photo challenge

2011-07-16T20:42:00.000-04:00

Jenny over at Home is Where You Start From has issued a L.E.N.S. Photo challenge. This week's topic is "You Are My Sunshine".

These are 4 of my sunshines! My nephew, niece and 2 of my sons!

Setting Goals for Kids is Important Too

2011-06-26T09:10:00.000-04:00

Ever thought about Goal Setting for Kids? Goal setting is one of the most important skills that a person can learn, and the earlier this skill is learned, the more chances there are for successful outcomes in a person’s life. Adults know that goal setting is all about planning, making progress with that plan and reaching final goals or achievements. Once a child learns how to do this, they can use this tool for more success in school and at home.

Goal setting for kids will help your children to do well on their school tests and in activities such as sports, music programs or outside academic or arts programs - even at home, and with their personal finances. Teaching your child how to be a goal setter will give them a sense that they are capable of whatever they want to do. That’s valuable!

To learn more about Goal Setting for Kids, go to:
www.4lifehappykids.com

How to help your child be a goal setting child

Goal setting for children is basically the same as for adults, with a few caveats. Because they are young, and not as emotionally or cognitively developed, goals should be smaller and more tangible. The idea with goal setting for kids is to get them started in the life-long frame of mind for thinking, planning and taking action to achieve results. The basic premises of goal setting remain the same. You can help your child learn to set goals by working through these steps with him:

Ask, “What do you want to achieve?” – Help your child describe in specific terms something he would like to do that will take some work/planning (getting an A on his next math test, earning money to purchase a certain kind of bicycle).

Ask, “How will you get there?” – Help him plan out the steps to take and the mini-goals to reach on his way to the ultimate goal.

Establish accountability – Have your child write down what he wants to achieve and what his plan for getting there is. He can read it each day to help him with personal accountability, and he can share it with you, or another trusted adult to help him stay motivated, inspired and on-track.

Achieve – Achievement is not only for the final outcome, but also for the small goals that are met along the way.

Review plan/goals/outcomes – Throughout the process and at the end as well, review with your child the plan and how it is going. Do adjustments need to be made? How does he feel about his progress and where it is leading? How was the goal setting experience for him?

If your child does not reach his ultimate goal, talk to him about what he learned on the way. He still has learned valuable lessons about planning and goal setting, and he’s probably learned about himself. Encourage him to not give up on dreams that are important to him, but that if one plan doesn’t work, he has to revise the plan and try again.

Teaching your child to be a goal-setting child is one of the best things you can do.

You will be giving him or her, a valuable gift that they will use for their entire lives, empowering them to achieve wonderful things in every area of life. Goal setting for kids is a skill that will be built on throughout an entire lifetime. For a fantastic resource about Goal Setting for kids, go to
www.4lifehappykids.com

Winsome Coutts holds a teacher’s certificate in education and has written hundreds of articles on self-development. She has studied with Bob Proctor and John Demartini, popular teachers featured on “The Secret” DVD. She is the passion behind the www.4lifehappykids.com is a parent and grandparent.

Winsome is author of “Go for Your Goals” for kids – a set of downloadable e-books that guide your child through the joyful steps of learning visualization, goal-setting and the Law of Attraction. Simple language enhanced with beautiful illustrations and worksheets make these books appealing and motivating. To learn more, visit www.4lifehappykids.com

Campraingoaway Day 1

2011-06-23T11:02:00.000-04:00

Today we started the Campraingoaway. I figure we could have a camp and do fun things on rainy days. Today my boys made water bottle sun catchers. I got this idea here.

Need Ideas Of What To Do With Your Kids This Summer?

2011-06-23T09:02:00.001-04:00

I just purchased the Summer Survival Calendar & Planner from The Confident Mom, and I can't wait to start some of the fun activities listed there! A few great ideas I saw were:

Make a kite
Create your own personalized beach towel
Make homemade ice cream
Make a flower pot wind chime

and much, much more!

For only $7.00 it is worth it. Plus links are provided for each activity!!! I highly recommend it!

Click here to head on over.

Father's Day Gift Idea!

2011-06-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

Are you racking your brain on what to give your Dad for Father's Day? Here is something, head on over to Chicago Steak Company! Aged up to 28 days for maximum flavor, these juicy steaks are carefully packaged in our attractive black and gold gift boxes and given a unique registered number. Give Dad the ultimate steak experience.

You also can get up to 51% off Filet Mignon by using the promo code CHICAGO! Hurry this offer ends June 27th!

$2 Customized T-Shirts! Hurry This Offer Ends June 17th!

2011-06-13T11:04:00.001-04:00

$2 Customized Premium T-Shirt! Choose from over a thousand designs and add your own text to make your design unique! For just $2 get access to over a thousand designs—from funny to sophisticated to adorable and more! The T-Shirts are made of 100% Pre-Shrunk cotton and are available in sizes from S to XXL and in ladies sizes. Perfect for lounging by the pool and other summertime activities, these t-shirts will add fun to any occasion! Make one for yourself or to give to a friend.

Offer only good June 13-17! Hurry!

Enter A Chance To Win A $10,000 Giveaway

2011-06-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Join Eversave Coupons & Savings to enter the $10,000 Sears sweepstakes. You'll also receive great coupons and savings delivered to your inbox. Samples from top name brands like SC Johnson, Pampers, and Dove. And Deals up to 90% off things you love to do!

Eversaver Coupon & Savings & Deals Up To 90% Off!

2011-06-13T10:56:00.000-04:00

Join Eversave Coupons & Savings and receive great coupons and savings delivered to your inbox. Samples from top name brands like SC Johnson, Pampers, and Dove, Pledge, Kellogg's, and Kraft. And deals up to 90% off things you love to do!

Looking For A Gift For Dad For Father's Day?

2011-06-09T10:59:00.000-04:00

Are you still looking for a gift for Dad for Father's Day! Check out Brilliant Store for some great Father's Day Gifts! Hurry, Father's Day is June 19!

Receive A $15 Shell Gift Card For Purchasing HP Ink!

2011-06-09T08:48:00.000-04:00

HURRY...Buy $75 worth of HP INK and receive a $15 gift card from Shell!

This promotion expires June 30, 2011!

Diapers.com - 20% Off Diapers For Three Months!

2011-06-08T21:44:00.000-04:00

Are you a new mom and need some deals on baby gear. Check out diapers.com for big savings!

Diapers.com is offer 20% off diapers for three months coupon and 10% everything else coupon for first time customers. So head on over today to check it out!

DJ Premium

2011-06-08T19:45:00.000-04:00

Spend Big, Save Bigger!

Take 15% off Any order w/code DJPJUN15;

take 25% off orders over $150 w/code DJPJUN25.

Both offers exclude Clearance items (already over 60% off!)

and the brands True Religion and 7 For All Mankind

Wordless Wednesday - Our New Bath Tub

2011-06-07T21:41:00.000-04:00

Quiznos 30th Anniversary - 4 Coupons

2011-06-06T17:40:00.001-04:00

Print out 4 Coupons from Quiznos (my favorite sub restaurant)

- Free Chip or Cookie and Regular Fountain Drink
- Free Sub or Regular Salad
- 2 Meals For $9.99
- $1 Off Regular Sub or $2 Off Large Sub

Ends 6/17/2011!

Jillian Michaels Weight Loss Program

2011-06-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

How BIG is Your Weight Loss Goal? Jillian Michaels can help you achieve it!
Three Reasons My Program Works 1. My Experience I've been helping people lose weight for 18 years. And I've struggled with my own weight issues. Trust me, I know what works. 2. No Gym Required You pick when and where you want to work out. You'll get all the tools, support, and motivation you need from my customized online program. 3. It's Customized Based on your body type, fitness level, and goals - you'll get a customized weight loss program designed for maximum results. Your first 7 days are FREE! Just $4/week after that.

Canvas People $50 Off Or Free 8x10 Just Pay Shipping

2011-06-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

CanvasPeople.com is offering a free 8 x 10 or $50 off any size canvas as a special introductory deal!
This coupon can be applied toward a larger size canvas, creative effects or beautiful frames! Remember 2 Canvas are always better than 1 and with 50% off your second canvas and 50% off shipping there’s no reason to only get one.

Make Some Extra Cash!

2011-06-06T15:38:00.000-04:00

Do you want to make some extra cash? Well you can, just by blogging or having a Facebook page! Escalate Media is looking for some bloggers or Facebook(ers) to advertise!
If you have a blog you can use the advertisers to post on your sidebar or just post a link on your Facebook about great deals that are going on. If anyone clicks on the link you will be rewarded cash! I've actually just started this not to long ago and it's going great!

Check it out today! Click on the banner to the left!

Coupon Preview For Sunday June 5, 2011

2011-06-04T13:07:00.001-04:00

There are going to be 3 coupon inserts in this weeks Sunday paper!

Here is a preview of the Red Plum Coupons...

Activa 4-Packs, 8 packs or 12 packs or tubs Save $1.00/2 (7/31)
All laundry detergent 28 loads or larger Save $1.00/1 (7/17)
Alli 90 or 120 ct. Save $10.00/1 (6/30)
Ball Park products any Save $1.00/2 (7/1)
Disney or Marvel vitamin products Save $1.00/1 (7/15)
Domino Light or amber organic agave nectar Save $1.00/1 (8/31)
8th Continent Soymilk any carton Save $1.00/1 (12/31)
Greenies canine dental chews 12oz or larger Save $3.00/1 (7/31)
Johnson’s baby or Johnson’s natural product no buddies 1oz to 4oz Save $.50/1 (8/15)
Garnier fructis any shampoo, conditioner or treatment no trial Save $1.00/1 (9/5)
Garnier Fructis style product Save $1.00/1 (9/5) ETS
Kellogg’s cereals 8.7oz or larger Save $1.00/3 (7/17)
L’Oreal Paris Skincare product Save $1.00/1 (7/31)
L’Oreal Preference Save $2.00/1 (7/31)
Met-Rx Protein Plus bar Buy One get One FREE to Save $2.39 ( 7/31)
Met-Rx Big 100 bar Buy one Get one Free up to Save $2.39 (7/31)
Millstone Coffee 10oz or larger prepack bag, 1/2 lb or more bulk or K-Cup portion packs Save $1.50/1 (8/31)
Nature Bounty vitamin or supplement Save $1.00/1 (7/19)
Nature Bounty Fle-a-min supplement Save $3.00/1 (7/19)
Nature Bounty Your Life multi supplement Save $2.00/1 (7/19)
Nestle Nesquik product ANY Save $.50/1 (8/28)
Newman’s Own Lemonade Save $.50/1 (7/30)
Newman’s Own Pasta Sauce, salsa, lemonade, marinade, popcorn or cereal Save $.50/1 (7/30)
Newman’s Own Salad dresssing Save $.75/1 (7/30)
Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Pizza Save $1.00/1 (7/30)
Nivea for men face care product or TWO shave gels (0.5 fl oz – 7 oz) Save $2.00/1 (7/30)
Nivea for men body wash (8.4 fl oz- 16.9 fl oz) Save $2.00/1 (7/30)
Organic Valley flavored or regular half & half and soy creamer Save $1.00/1 (6/30)
Perdue Frozen fully cooked product Save $1.00/1 (7/31)
Perdue refrigerated breaded product Save $.50/1 (7/31)
Pure Protein 4-pack of RTDs or Protein Powder Save $2.00/1 (7/31)
Pure Protein bar Buy one get one FREE up to Save $1.69 (7/31)
Sarna Anti-itch product Save $2.00/1 (8/31)
Scar Zone product Save $1.50/1 (7/31)
Snuggle fabric softener liquid or dryer sheets Save $.75/1 (7/17)

Click here to see more previews!

Print Out Your Coupons....

2011-06-02T20:57:00.001-04:00

Check out these printable coupons you can get right now!

Save $1.00 KRAFT DELI DELUXE on any ONE (1) KRAFT DELI DELUXE Cheese product

50¢ OFF Tropicana® Trop50® Any One (1) 59oz. Trop50® Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade or any other flavor (excluding Orange)

Save $1.00 Peace on TWO (2) Boxes of Peace Cereal

Save $1.00 Folgers® with the purchase of any Folgers® Black Silk Coffee, 10.3oz or Larger

SAVE $1.00 V8 on TWO 8 oz. 6-packs or 46 oz. bottle varieties of V8 V-Fusion® Juice

SAVE $1.00 ON TWO Big G Cereals when you buy any TWO BOXES General Mills cereals: Basic 4® • Cheerios® (any) • Chex® (any)

SAVE 35¢ BOB EVANS® OFF ANY BOB EVANS® REFRIGERATED SIDE DISH

SAVE $.55 Bagel-fuls® On any Bagel-fuls® (4ct)

Save 40¢ on SIX Yoplait when you buy SIX CUPS any variety Yoplait® Yogurt

SAVE $1.00 V8 on TWO V8® 100% vegetable juice 46 oz or larger varieties

Bags of Boulder Canyon Potato Chips

SAVE 50¢ Big G Cereals when you buy ONE BOX Original Cheerios® cereal (the one in the yellow box)

Save $1.00 Magnum off Magnum® Ice Cream “Redeem only at Shaw's'

SAVE 35¢ Gulden's on ONE Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard. Click Product Info for Simple & Delicious Gulden's recipes.

Save $30.00 Chuck E Cheese Any Game. Any Ride. Just One Token! Save with Special Offers!

Save $1.00 on 2 Spic and Span Any Spic and Span Product (Good only on Liquids, Sprays and Powders)

Save 50¢ on TWO Suddenly Salad when you buy TWO any flavor Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® Mixes

Save 75¢ on TWO Yoplait when you buy TWO any flavor Yoplait® products listed: • Yoplait® Go-GURT® Yogurt

SAVE 50¢ Big G Cereals when you buy ONE BOX Reese’s® Puffs® cereal

Have You Heard Of ThredUp? Preloved Clothes & Toys You Can Buy!

2011-06-02T14:41:00.000-04:00

I just discovered this really cool website called Thredup. What is Thredup? Well it's a website that offers budget Mommy's like me a great deal on preloved clothes and toys! It's FREE to sign up. Check it today!

Chili's B1G1 Free Burger!

2011-06-02T14:13:00.000-04:00

Join Chili's mailing list and get the latest news, offers and updates and will also get a coupon for a Buy One Burger Get One Free. US Only (States accepted: Maryland and Virginia)

Where Are Peoples Priorities?

2011-06-01T14:08:00.000-04:00

I just got done reading an article where some lady left nearly $300,000 to the Doomsday Christian Radio Station. WHAT! Then I read that the Christian Radio Station has taken in more than $18 Million in 2009 alone! I looked on their website, but could not see if those donations were donated to needy causes. I believe in God, and I don't think God would recognize a "Christian" radio station taking money for no reason at all but for profit. Now if I've read this wrong, please correct me. But if the money was used to help others, you would think they would have a page or link that would state the donations they give too. Did not see any!

People who donate money to such a cause, I just don't understand. These people said Judgement Day was May 21, 2011. We're all still here. How can people still be sending donations to such a false profit? I really wouldn't want to be in their shoes when Judgement Day does come.

The part I just can't comprehend, is if you're going to donate money, how about to cancer research, hear disease research, food shelves, natural disaster funds or all these little funds like I put together for my son for Autism. There are so many charities that could use the $18 Million dollars, why not send it to them.

Sorry, for the venting, but things like this really pee me off!

$5 Coupon For 1 Bounty!

2011-06-01T08:13:00.001-04:00

On Friday, Bounty will be giving out 5000 $5/1 Bounty Coupons to their loyal Facebook followers! They are going to be doing this every Friday in June. So be sure to head on over to Bounty's Facebook page to check it out!

Wordless Wednesday - Getting A Drink

2011-05-31T20:42:00.002-04:00

Here Are Some Pampers To Grow Points

2011-05-31T10:19:00.001-04:00

Here are some Pamper To Grow Points to take advatntage of! If you haven't used them yet that is:

4XGHB4HPE7PB7NK (10)
GTGREWARDS4MOMS (10)
pampers4momjfm1 (10)
GETSTARTEDNOW10 (10)
CONGRATS2NEWMOM (10)
GTGWELCOME10PTS (10)
pampersgtg10pts (10)
PAMPERS4MOMSOND (10)
2BEGINEARNING50 (50)
GIFTSTOGROW4MOM (50)
10PTSFREECODE4U (10)
JOINNOW4REWARDS (50)
PUNTOSPARAMI123 (10)
CAREFORNEWBORNS (10)
GTGCOUPONPOINTS (10)
WELCOME2PAMPERS (50)
WELCOME2VILLAGE (10)

Share this post with your friends so they can grab this points too!

Swagbucks Daily Polls & Trusted Surveys

2011-05-29T19:22:00.001-04:00

Have you done Swagbucks daily poll or trusted survey yet?

This is a great easy way to earn 2 points every day that can be used to get great prizes!

You can also download the Swagbucks tool bar and do searches directly from it.

If you are not a member of Swagbucks I highly suggest it! We use the points that we win to get Amazon & iTunes Gift Cards.

Swagbucks is a search engine that rewards you with points randomly for doing searches. You can also earn points for taking daily polls, watching Swagbucks TV, taking surveys and many other great ways.

The best part....It is completely FREE to join!

FREE FOR ME! Purex Complete With Zout

2011-05-29T15:09:00.002-04:00

Click Here to get your Free Sample of Purex Complete with Zout

Share this post with your friends!

Going To The Beach Checklist

2011-05-25T08:54:00.000-04:00

Summer is not to far away and it's always fun to take the family to the beach. We usually spend the whole day there, swimming and barbecuing! Always a fun time! But, we always seem to forget something. So I put together a checklist of items that you may want to print out and keep in a folder or in your beach bag so you have everything you need the next time you go to the beach!

Click on the picture to print the checklist

Use Common Sense...Don't Text & Drive!

2011-05-24T17:55:00.000-04:00

Being a mom, you are always trying to protect your children. You will do anything for them, to keep them safe and healthy. I know my children are still young, but since day one, I have been educating them from right and wrong, and I will continue to do so, in hopes they make the right choices as they become adults.

Today, I had to bring my middle son, Brayden to the doctors because his face became swollen and it scared me. So we went to the doctors, the doctor thinks he may have gotten a bite, but to keep an eye on it and if it does not get better by tomorrow to call back. So on our way back home, I was being followed by a young "COOL" girl in a black car. I noticed she sped up on me out of nowhere, then she started swerving. I looked in my real view mirror and could see she was smoking a cigarette and holding a phone on the top of her steering wheel. Yup, it was obvious that she was texting while she was driving. Then I would notice she put the phone down. a couple minutes later, she's swerving again, yup, the phone was on the steering wheel once again, so yes she was texting again. This continued for awhile. I was getting nervous having her driving behind me. I mean what if I had to stop the car quickly, she would have ran right in to the back of my car.

So here I am, making sure I watch the cars a head of me as much as I was watching her behind me. This is ridiculous Come on people and parents, teach your children how unsafe it is to drive and text. They may not hurt themselves but they may hurt another person, and for what, for a stupid text that may be asking "WHAT R U DOING 2NITE"? Come on, the question can be answered by pulling over to the side of the road, or hey wait, maybe when you get to your destination.

Share Your Post Today 5/24

2011-05-24T07:06:00.002-04:00

Lets spread the word, get your blog noticed. It's easy and it's free! Everyday I will post a linky so you can share your blog post. All I ask in return is to follow my blog on Google Friend Connect and if you could, please add the Share Your Post Today button on your blog. I would really appreciate it. The more we have following, the more views and guest visit OUR blogs!

Please use this format when adding your post link and use the url link to the blog post not to your blog -

POST TITLE - BLOG NAME

Please DO NOT add your Giveaway Post. This is just for everyday story sharing, tutorials, advice, etc posts. Not for giveaways. If you want to link up your giveaways head on over to my other blog Angie's Reviews & Giveaways where I have an Everyday Giveaway Linky where you can add your giveaway post daily!

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to come back tomorrow to add your new blog posts!

Share Your Post Today 5/23

2011-05-23T06:46:00.000-04:00

POST TITLE - BLOG NAME

Living Without Water!

2011-05-22T13:14:00.000-04:00

My family and I have run into some bad luck lately. But it's ok, I'm going to stay strong and positive, because I know things will be getting better soon. I mean really, good luck is sure to shine through soon! Anyway, last night the family was sitting down for dinner and all of a sudden we heard a loud noise in Jayden's room. Hubby looked at me and said, "What was that!"...I said I don't know, and he jumped and and ran into Jayden's room. Then he ran outside, went under the trailer and shut off the main water line. Yup, a pipe had burst. See our hot water heater is behind a wall in Jayden's room (yeah, I know, kind of dumb), and when Hubby ran into Jayden's room he heard the water running.

So now we have no water. Money has been tight lately with a $1400 car fixing $340 fuel bill due and of course all the little mickey mouse bills within the past week, we know we are not going to have running water for a few days (or more). So last night at 8pm, the whole family went up to my parents house and got about 15 gallons of water for drinking, washing and toilet flushing. Of course bathing, no big deal we'll go to may parents house to do that.

This kind of thing can happen to anyone, whether it's a pipe bursting or just no running water for some reason. So what do you do? Here are some ideas that could be useful when this time does happen...

Bathing without water or very minim can be done! How, well to start, washing your hair. With very little water, it can be very difficult to wash your hair with all the suds from the shampoo, instead use baking soda. Warm about 2-3 cups of water then add 2-3 tablespoons of BAKING SODA in a large bowl. Bend over the bowl and soak your scalp. Comb the solution through your hair. Repeat if desired than rinse with clean water.

To clean your body, purchase some baby wipes. Not exactly a shower but it they will clean you in every place you want clean.

But probably the best thing, and would recommend to keep on hand just in case you have no running water due to a pipe burst, droughts or natural disaster would be any No Rinse Products. You can stay clean without much water!

For drinking water either go to a friend or family members house and get a couple gallons of water for drinking or buy water water from a store.

Need to wash dishes, well to avoid to much dirty dishes use disposable plates, silverware when needed or you can wash them with very little water. In your sink place some baking soda on to the dishes you need clean. Add some liquid such as peroxide, vinegar or alcohol. Rub the bowl until it's thoroughly scrubbed, then rinse with little water.

Share Your Post Today 5/22

2011-05-22T07:52:00.001-04:00

POST TITLE - BLOG NAME

Share Your Post Today - 5/21

2011-05-21T08:44:00.001-04:00

POST TITLE - BLOG NAME

The Day My World Changed

2011-05-16T09:45:00.002-04:00

Over a month ago, Adam & I brought our youngest son to the Child Development Clinic to be evaluated. Jayden is 3 years old, says about 5 words and has trouble comprehending what we say to him and gets very frustrated because he can not tell us what he wants or needs. So over 2 years of not able to communicate, his doctor suggested that he'd be evaluated to see if he has Autism or not.

So we went to the meeting. We were there for 3 1/2 hours. At the end of the meeting, the 2 doctors came out and told us the Jayden does has a form a Autism. He seems to be more on the lower end of the spectrum, which is good. Plus the fact that we know what is wrong with him, he can get more services and help which will definietly be helpful for him now and for his future!

I was in awe, but he's my child and he's still the same little boy that I love with all my heart! Now it's my turn to become more educated on Autism and work with that knowledge. I have resources from home but need to purchase more to help him. With only 1 income, it's really hard to pay the bills and buy what we need to give Jayden the resources that he needs to help him.

I'm not the kind of person who asks for much, though I will beg on my knees for help for my children. So if anyone can, please make a small donation to the Jayden Autism fund as all proceedes will help Jayden with resources, toys & games that will help his disorder.

Also, if you could take a moment and spread the word. Please either share on Facebook or Twitter or even email about our need, it would be very much appreciated! You can use the following to tweets and share.

Please Help The Jayden Autism Fund Today At http://tinyurl.com/6clorqz Thank You!

My Newest Addiction!

2011-05-14T08:22:00.003-04:00

Yes, I have a new addiction. I can not help myself, and I don't think there is any help for me out there. But I don't want help, I love it, I can't stop, I, I, I need more!

What is it? Digital Scrapbooking! I discovered it a few months ago, yeah it's been around for quite awhile, but I thought it would be hard to do, so I just never really took any interest in it. But one day, I said to myself, just check it out. After I realized how easy it was, and so much cheaper and flexible it is compared to paper scrapbooking. Don't get me wrong, paper scrapbooking is still enjoyable, but I'm a kind of person who tends to start a project and leave it out on my desk are for weeks at a time. Not to good when you have company coming over or kids that tend to get in to your stuff and make even more of mess of it. This can all be avoided by doing the digital scrapbooking. Plus the elements & paper you use for digital scrapbooks, can be used over and over again! I LOVE IT!

Yes, I'm still an amateur, but all that matters to me is that I create wonder pages of memories of my family and I have LOTS of FUN doing it!

So I've decided to start Scrapbook Saturday, so we all can share our digital scrapbook pages! I'm going to use a theme for each week, and you can join too! All you have to do is add my button to your blog post that will be showing off your scrapbook page and link up here. Also, if your able to (which sometimes we can not), tell us what scrapbook kit, elements paper you used or online store your purchased your elements on. That way we can check that store out too. Great way to find more shops for all of us scrapbooking addicts!
If you don't remember where you purchase your kit, please share one of your favorite Digital Scrapbooking Shops!

This week theme - NO THEME since it's the first week.

I'm sharing one of the first pages I made. This is my second sons 3rd Birthday.

Page 1

Page 2

I don't remember where I purchased this, but one of my favorite online shops is:

GOTTA PIXEL

Please share your scrapbook page below....Next Saturdays theme will be MOTHERS DAY!

Easter Is Hopping Closer...Are You Ready?

2011-04-04T13:29:00.000-04:00

Easter will be here before we know it, are you ready? Here are some things to get you in the mood & spirit!

Buy or borrow some books about Easter to read to your children...

Easter Egg Hunt

Age Level: Baby-Preschool
You and your child read through the book as you look and feel for hidden easter eggs!

Where Are The Baby's Easter Eggs?

Age Level: Baby-Preschool
Little ones will love lifting the large, sturdy flaps in this sweet, irresistible board book to find Baby's Easter eggs. Where could they be? Children will discover colorful springtime objects under each of the six sturdy flaps until... they find Baby's Easter eggs in a fold-out finale.

Bunny's Easter Egg

Age Level: 4-8 Years

Bunny has spent a long night hiding Easter eggs, and now it's time to get some rest. But when she burrows down to sleep, something disturbs her, and everywhere else she tries to nap just isn't right.
She tries the old oak tree—too noisy!
She tries a little boat on the lily pond—too wet!
She tries the greenhouse—oh no!
Where will Bunny go?
Anne Mortimer's charming story is just right for Easter-time sharing.

Do you have your Plastic Easter Eggs for a fun Easter Egg Hunt?

How about some fillers for your Easter Eggs?

Don't forget your Easter Basket!

Still need some help? Check out these cool kits!

Valentines Day Cards - Tip Me Tuesday

2011-02-09T10:39:00.001-05:00

I get really board with those typical Valentines Day cards for the kids to send to their classmates. This year since Tristan is in Kindergarten with a whole new class and this is Brayden's first year in preschool, I'm decided to do the same thing I did last year, but better.

We made our own Valentines Day cards, and it was really simple and lots of fun! Anyone can do this, and believe me, your child will be the talk of the classroom!

First, take a picture of your child, and make sure he or she holds their fist out straight in front of them. Here are my sons doing it in front of a green screen. The green screen is optional, but if your a computer junkie like me, it's fun to play with!

The first picture with Tristan, is the way it should be done. Brayden in the second picture didn't quite get what I was asking him to do, but it worked!

Second, if your using a green screen like I did, add a background. I use free backgrounds by typing in what I want using Google images. Such free variety out there!

Now once you have your prints, make a slit using an exacto knife on the top of the hand and a slit on the bottom of the hand. Slide a lollipop through the slits and your card is done!

This is the finish project.

We all had a blast doing them and can't wait to give them away for Valentines Day!

Winners!!!

2011-02-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

Time to pick the winners for Handmade With Love Giveaway...

Winner for the Happy Easter Banner:

Congratulations Cindy!

Winner for the Where's Bugger Game:

Congratulations Dominique S!

Now for the last giveaway...

winner for the Country Home Mirror is...

Congratulations Mandy!

Emails have been sent and winners have 48 hours to respond.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Homemade With Love Winter Giveaway - 3 Giveaways - 3 Winners!

2011-02-02T00:01:00.094-05:00

It's finally here, the Handmade With Love Winter Giveaway!

First, I want to say, welcome to my blog. This is my first every Giveaway Blog Hop I have participated in. When I signed up for this blog hop, I got a little carried away looking for sponsors. This is good for you though because you have a good chance winning a great giveaway. I'm hosting 3 giveaways for this blog hop. All are homemade and awesome!

The first giveaway is from Ben and Jess Etsy shop. They specialize in Happy Birthday Banners, Party Favor Bags & Cups, Baby Shower Bunting, Holiday Bunting and Little French Dress Garlands. I got to personally review one of their birthday banners, and wow, it was so beautiful. So much better than any department store banner. Plus I can use it over and over again! You can also find them over at their BLOG, on FACEBOOK & on TWITTER!

Ben & Jess is graciously giving away a Happy Easter Bunting Banner to one of my readers...

The second giveaway is from "Where's Bugger". Where's Bugger is a twist to the game of Hide & Seek. First you or your child can paint & design Bugger. After you're done painting it and after it's dry you can start playing! One person hides Bugger while the rest of the kids (or adults) cover their eyes. Once Bugger has been hidden and the timer is set everyone goes looking for Bugger. If you can't find him, Bugger will give you a hint once the timer goes off. The first one who finds him wins! My kids had a great time playing with this game! You can also find "Where's Bugger" on Facebook & on Etsy!

One of my readers are going get a chance to win one of these cute little Buggers!

Now for my last giveaway! I got to review a beautiful huge mirror. Jon at Country Home Mirrors is graciously giving away a mirror of the winners choice of color and if the winner would like shelves or not. You should check out his site, his mirrors are so amazing! Definitely a great addition to your home decor!

Please leave a comment for each entry & if you don't have an email on your profile page please leave it in your comment, thanks!

The mandatory entry for this giveaway is to follow my blog publicly!

After you've done the mandatory entry, here are a few more entries you can do:

1 Extra Entry: Head on over to Ben and Jess, and leave a comment here of what your favorite item is

1 Extra Entry: Follow Ben and Jess on their blog publicly

1 Extra Entry: Like Ben and Jess on Facebook

1 Extra Entry: Head on over to Where's Bugger & leave a comment here on which bugger you like

1 Extra Entry: Like Where's Bugger on Facebook

1 Extra Entry: Head on over to Country Home Mirrors & leave a comment here on which one you like the most

1 Extra Entry: Like Country Home Mirrors on Facebook

Giveaway ends February 6, 2011 @ 11:59pm.

Winners will be chosen on February 7, 2011 via random.org!

I will be choosing a winner for each item listed.

L.E.N.S Photo Challenge - January 8, 2011

2011-01-08T20:14:00.003-05:00

LEarning Never Stops Photo Challenge, Weather edition.

Nothing warms you better after a day of sliding then a cup of Dunkin Donut Coffee.

ENDING TONIGHT...Happy Green Bee Giveaway

2010-12-21T21:19:00.000-05:00

Head on over NOW to My Organized Chaos to enter a chance to win 1 item from Happy Green Bee.

Giveaway ends TONIGHT at 9pm MST...hurry on over!

Looking For Sponsors: Handmade With Love Winter Giveaway

2010-12-19T11:27:00.004-05:00

I'm excited to be one of the bloggers participating in a brand new giveaway event that is coming this February called the Handmade with Love Winter Giveaway. This event will be hosted by Simply Stacie, Little Yayas, Survey Junkie & Kelly’s Lucky You. This event will run Feb 2 - Feb 6, 2011.

I am currently looking for creators of handmade products to sponsor Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy by offering handmade products, business, Etsy, Art Fire, Jewelry, Blog Design, Handbags or anything else handmade for me to review to my blog readers & a gift certificate or product as a giveaway prize in this event.

How will this help your shop? We anticipate this to be a high traffic event that will be heavily promoted so it will be awesome opportunity for you to get your shop name out there! In addition to the exposure you'll receive through the giveaway event, your shop will be featured in its' own post on my blog prior to the event.

Please email me at mycatslove@usa.com if you are interested in becoming a sponsor or have any questions.

EZ Sox Giveaway!

2010-12-18T13:08:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Giveaways & More to enter the EZ Sox Giveaway!

Giveaway ends December 19, 2010 at 11:59pm PDT

Win I Caught Santa Claus Photo - 5 Winners!

2010-12-17T09:32:00.004-05:00

What if you could stay up all night and catch Santa Claus in the act? Well now you can....

Imagine the look of wonder and surprise when a child receives a photo of Santa caught in the act in his or her very own home. icaughtsanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.

In three simple steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus and print it as proof… or share it via email, Facebook and Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making icaughtsanta.com a great gift idea even if you don't have kids yourself.

3 easy steps:

1. CAPTURE:
Take a digital picture of your Christmas tree or maybe your fireplace... it's up to you. This will be your background photo. Horizontal, high-resolution pictures work best. Save your background photo to your computer and then upload it to this site.

2. CREATE:

Pick one of our many Santa poses and magically place him into your background photo. You can adjust his size, color, brightness and position with our easy-to-use tools. Then select a festive border, preview and finalize your design.

3. SHARE:

Download, email or print your photo

You can also do photo's for the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny & Cupid!

icaughtsanta.com has graciously given me 5 codes for 5 of my lucky readers to make their own FREE I Caught Santa photo! I'll be doing my photo on Christmas Eve and surprise the kids on Christmas morning of a printed out picture of Santa next to our tree!

BUY IT: Just head on over to icaughtsanta.com and make yours today!

WIN IT: You must complete the mandatory entry before you can do any of the extra entries!
MANDATORY ENTRY - Click HERE and look at the 20 available Santa poses then come back here and leave a comment telling me which number pose you would use. Please leave your email address if it's not posted on your profile.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (1 Entry leave 1 Comment; 2 Entries leave 2 comments...etc..)

1 Entry - Follow Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy on Google Friend Connect Publicly
1 Entry - Like Making It Count on Facebook.
1 Entry - After Liking Making It Count on Facebook, leave a comment on my wall that you've entered this giveaway.
1 Entry- Like I Caught Santa Claus on Facebook
1 Entry-After Liking I Caught Santa Clause on Facebook copy & paste the following comment on their wall:

I Just Entered The I Caught Santa Photo Giveaway @Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy

3 Entries - Copy & paste the following comment on your Facebook wall (share to everyone). Leave the permalink so I can find it in your comment.

Head Over To http://tinyurl.com/38x9sgr & Enter A Chance To Win An icaughtsanta.com Photo - 5 Winners. Giveaway Ends 12/23

1 Entry - Subscribe to my email feed (email must be verified, if not your comment will be deleted).
1 Entry - Follow Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy on Network Blogs.
2 Entries - Have Making It Count Button on your blog (please leave link to your blog so I can see it).
1 Entry - Follow Making It Count on Twitter
1 Entry - Follow CatchACharacter on Twitter
1 Entry - Tweet this giveaway (1 entry per tweet, 3 tweets per day & must be an hour apart)

Head Over To http://tinyurl.com/38x9sgr & Enter To #Win An icaughtsanta.com photo 5 Winners Ends 12/23

5 Entries - Blog about this giveaway leaving a link to this giveaway post and icaughtsanta.com.

10 Entries - Sign up for Swagbucks through this link (please leave your name on the comment)

Winners will be chosen by Random.org and will be emailed. Winners has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be picked. Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST December 23, 2010.

Aloha Friday - December 17, 2010

2010-12-17T05:50:00.000-05:00

The holidays are here and boy am I excited! I love Christmas and everyday that leads to it. The music, the spirit in the air, the family bonding we do around this time of the year, it's EXCITING!

Unfortunately, things are tight this year financially, but then again it's not to unfortunate since we've been making a lot of homemade gift this year and the kids and I are having a blast with it. But you know for some reason, by making the gifts this year, I don't feel as stressed, maybe because it is so much fun making them, and not worrying about the money part of it. I'm thinking, I've got to do this more every year!

So, my question:

Did You Make Any Homemade Gifts For Your Family And/Or Friends This Holiday Season?

5 Winners Can Win A Hook On Chair From Zooper!

2010-12-16T13:06:00.001-05:00

5 people can win a Hook On Chair from Zooper!

Head on over to Thank's, Mail Carrier to enter the giveaway.

Giveaway ends January 7, 2011 @ 11:59pm CST

ALSO

5 people can win a Hook On Chair From Zooper at A Mom's Balancing Act.

Giveaway ends January 7, 2011

Win A Keurig Special Edition Brewing System!

2010-12-13T18:29:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Girl Gone Mom to enter the Keurig Special Edition Brewing System giveaway!

Giveaway Ends Tonight - December 13 @ Midnight!

Melissa & Doug Kitchen Set Giveaway!

2010-12-12T21:03:00.001-05:00

Head on over to My Wee View to enter the Melissa & Doug Kitchen set giveaway.

Giveaway ends December 17 @ 11:59pm PST

Win A Boogie Woogie Bug Gym

2010-12-11T09:17:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Piece of Me to enter the Boogie Woogie Bug Gym from Infantino Giveaway

Giveaway Ends December 15 @ 11:59pm EST.

Win A Fogless Shower Mirror!

2010-12-11T09:03:00.001-05:00

Head on over to Piece of Me to enter the Fogless Shower Mirror from Toilet Tree Products!

Giveaway Ends December 18 @ 11:59pm EST

Win A $50 Gift Certificate To Personal Creations

2010-12-11T08:50:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Piece Of Me to enter the $50 Gift Certificate to Personal Creations.

Giveaway Ends December 18 @ 11:59pm EST

Win A Kidorable Umbrella!

2010-12-11T08:28:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Piece of Me to enter the Kidorable Umbrella Giveaway!

Giveaway Ends December 18 @ 11:59pm EST

Win An Epson PictureMate Show

2010-12-11T08:10:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Piece of Me to enter the Epson PictureMate Show Giveaway!

Giveaway Ends: December 18 @ 11:59pm EST

5 Winners Can Win $100 American Express Gift Card

2010-12-10T21:55:00.000-05:00

Two of a kind, working on a full house is giving away (5) winners, $100 American Express Gift Cards each!

Giveaway ends December 17 11:59pm EST

5 Winners Can Win Quantum and JET-DRY Turbo Dry!

2010-12-09T14:13:00.000-05:00

Head on over to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves to enter the Quantum & Jet-Dry Turbo Dry!

Giveaway Ends December 10 at 11:59pm!

5 winners!

Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Shopping Cart Giveaway!

2010-12-09T12:09:00.000-05:00

Mom Spotted is hosting a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Shopping Cart giveaway to one winner from www.littletikes.com!

How To Enter:

Head on over to Mom Spotted to enter!

Contest ends December 16th at 11:59pm!

It's NOT Going To Be A Blue Christmas (I hope)

2010-12-06T21:13:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a time to be happy, spend time with your family, make new memories and give to others. I love Christmas time, it just puts a smile on my face whenever I hear someone say "Christmas". This year, it's been a struggle in some ways, but it's not going to kill me or my children's spirit.

You see, my family, for the first time is facing some really hard times, financially that is. Which makes it hard to buy presents. My boys will be getting 3 presents each this year, which I thought at first is going to be awful. But my boys are young, and I know will be happy with whatever they get, so I should feel pretty happy on that. Plus, for other family members we've been making some homemade gifts. I had some small planter pots that I bought a couple years ago at a yard sale. My oldest son, Tristan painted them, then we put some soil in them and then we took some leaves that I've been soaking to re-root and rooted them in to the pots. My son will be giving them to Grandma, Aunt Shannon & Aunt Peggy. I'm sure they'll love it! Tristan is all excited about making homemade gifts, so I also had some of the plastic mugs, that a child can color a picture and inserted it after words that I bought a few years ago, and Tristan is having fun coloring them and will be giving Grandpa, Uncle Alan and his cousins Robbie & Gabbi.

I'm making some Cinnamon stick candle holders for the women in the family. I really hope they like them! I've been trying really hard to just focus on the happiness of Christmas, but in the back of my mind I'm trying to figure out how we are going to pay the bills, and really hope we don't get evicted, of course that'll be the worse case scenioal. I pray that, we keep a float. I know if we can make it until February, we'll be fine. It's just getting through December & January. We just got our fuel delivered, and I glanced at the bottom of the slip and it was over $500.00...for fuel!!

I don't mean to vent hear I just haven't been able to talk to anyone about our troubles, so I figured I'll just write about it in my blog. Maybe someone can just tell me, it'll be fine, or you'll get through this.

My children mean the most to me, and I am so grateful, that they are not into material things (for right now that is). But I really hope I raise them to not to think Christmas equals presents. I want them to have that warm feeling like I have when you just hear the words "Merry Christmas".

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and A Great New Year!!

Winner For The BuddyTops Giveaway!

2010-12-02T21:09:00.001-05:00

We have a winner!

I want to thank everyone who came by and checked out this giveaway and entered! If you didn't win, you still can head on over to www.buddytops.com to buy theses adorable hats for your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, cousin, child you babysit and so on. These will make a cute Holiday gift!

So, without further ado, our lucky winner is:

23. Marvelous Mommy said...

Follow on Networked Blogs

November 22, 2010 3:27 PM

Congratulations!!

BuddyTops Review & Giveaway

2010-11-17T13:14:00.003-05:00

First I want to so say, "I'm Back"! There, now that I got that out of my system, I wanted to let everyone know that I have not forgotten about you or my blog. I've been so busy, that life just took over and "Mommy" hasn't had much time for herself. My blog is my sanitary and by coming home, I wanted to kick it off with an awesome giveaway!

The people over at BuddyTops has graciously sent my an adorable panda BuddyTops hat!

This BuddyTops hat is so cute and so soft! This hat fits perfectly on my toddlers head and looks so cute on him. One thing is for sure, this hat is certainly a conversation starter. When you meet some one on the street, in a store or at a relatives, your certain to hear, "oh, how adorable!" when they see the BuddyTops on your child's head.

But, not just being so cute, the BuddyTops cover your child's head and those ears and keeps them from getting cold. It's a win, win product! I also have to add, that the BuddyTops are not that expensive and are truly worth the cost! And guess what, yes, BuddyTops are giving away one of their BuddyTops to one of my lucky readers! The winner will get to choose any BuddyTops hat that like, excluding the BuddyTops Long Sets.

Don't want to wait for the giveaway, buy it now over at www.buddytops.com.

But, ah yes, there is a MANDATORY entry that you must do in order to take advantage of the other extra entries. But don't worry, it's kind of fun. For the mandatory entry, all you have to do, is head on over to BuddyTops, and look around at their cute assortment, then come back here and leave a comment on which BuddyTops you like! That's it!

After you've done the mandatory entry, go ahead and do any of the other entries listed below. Remember to please leave a comment for each entry. If an entry say's 2, leave two separate comments.

Extra Entries:

1 Entry - Follow Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy on Google Friend Connect Publicly
1 Entry - Like Making It Count on Facebook.
1 Entry - After Liking Making It Count of Facebook, leave a comment on my wall that you've entered this giveaway.
1 Entry - Like BuddyTops on Facebook.
1 Entry - Subscribe to my email feed (email must be verified, if not your comment will be deleted).
1 Entry - Follow Making It Count...Life Of A Proud Mommy on Network Blogs.
2 Entries - Have Making It Count Button on your blog (please leave link to your blog so I can see it).
1 Entry - Follow Making It Count on Twitter
1 Entry - Follow BuddyTops on Twitter
5 Entries - Blog about this giveaway leaving a link to this giveaway post and Buddy Tops.
10 Entries - Sign up for Swagbucks through this link (please leave your name on the comment)

Tweet This Giveaway - 1 Entry per Tweet - 3 Tweets per day (at least an hour apart).

Win A Buddy Tops Hat Ends 11/24 http://101.gs/edb9rg6 #Giveaway #Children #Gifts @Makinitcount

Winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be emailed. Winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be picked. Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST November 24, 2010.

Today's Giveaways...

2010-09-09T19:12:00.000-04:00

Here are some giveaways I entered today...

1. Miss Lucy's Monograms Personalized Medium Duffle Bag at Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House. Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 27th

Today's Giveaways...

2010-09-02T06:28:00.003-04:00

Here are some giveaways I entered today...

1. Head on over to Pudget for a chance to win Powerhouse Hit Cards with Timer from http://www.powerhouseperformancecoaching.com/. Giveaway ends September 9, 2010.

Today's Giveaways...

2010-08-20T20:28:00.003-04:00

Here is a list of giveaways I entered today....check them out!

1. 2 people will win an 11oz Lemon Pound Cake Village Candle over at My Wee View. Giveaway closes on September 3, 2010.

L.E.N.S Photo Challenge #2

2010-08-14T18:48:00.003-04:00

This weeks challenge is "Black & White Portrait"

This is a picture of my niece, Gabbi.

We were at the river and this picture was so

angelic. I love it!

15 Minutes At A Time...

2010-08-14T08:20:00.005-04:00

I have been following Flylady for over 2 years now, and I think she's awesome! Though, I have fallen off the wagon, I'm jumping back in when ever I can. If you don't know who Flylady is, she teaches and guides us on house cleaning. It's free and fun! There is a lot of support through the Flylady forum , the official Flylady Yahoo Group and The official Flylady Face Page.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned from Flylady, is that it only take 15 minutes at a time. So today I've decided share with you all my 15 minute accomplishments. This morning I've already got I load of laundry in the washer and the dryer. Then I decided to spend 15 minutes in my bathroom. So in 15 minutes here is the before & after....

BEFORE

AFTER

I still got about another 15 minutes of cleaning to do.

Oh, my timer is going off,

so back to work.

...15 minutes later...

So in the next 15 minutes I changed the cat litter,

emptied the trash & swept the floor.

I also like to make sure my back up of toilet paper is set.

Don't want to run out of that stuff!

And, sometimes for fun, I like to make my

toilet paper look pretty.

Weekly Weigh In - #5

2010-08-12T07:16:00.002-04:00

Week 4

Week 5

Starting Weight: 206.6

Current Weight: 203.0

Total Weight Loss: 3.6

Goal #1: Weigh 199 pounds by the end of August

Weekly Recap

My Mood:

Thursday - A little depressed b/c of weight gain

Friday - Envious & sad. Need to be thankful for what I DO have!

Saturday - Anxious, motivated & happy

Sunday - Tired

Monday - Exhausted...watched 5 kids today...I'm beat!

Tuesday - Exhausted...walked around the fair grounds for 2 hours.

Wednesday - Sick - I had a some cotton candy at the fair on Tuesday, and I don't think it agreed with me at all :(

Exercising:

Thursday - Rest Day

Friday - No

Saturday - Chasing my boys about an hour straight at family reunion...tired

Sunday - No

Monday - Does chasing kids count?

Tuesday - Walking around the fair grounds.

Wednesday - No

Counted My Points:

Thursday - No

Friday - No

Saturday - No - Went to family reunion, but didn't eat that much.

Sunday - No

Monday - Yes

Tuesday - No, and I drank a soda today...hadn't had one in weeks.

Wednesday - No

Drinking My Water:

Thursday - 0

Friday - 0

Saturday - 1

Sunday - 0

Monday - 0

Tuesday - 0

Wednesday - 2

L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge #2

2010-08-07T10:43:00.003-04:00

This weeks L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge theme is "Fun In The Sun"

This picture was taken in May 1, 2010. It was high 70's that day.

We had a snow storm a few days before. Tristan had fun, in the snow while

wearing his tank shirt and shorts! Something you don't get to do often!

Weekly Weigh In - #4

2010-08-05T05:45:00.001-04:00

I gained 0.6 pounds this week :(

Which this did depressed me, for a moment, but today starts a new week so, I going to keep my head up and be sure to keep track of my points better and drink more water!!!

Week 3

Week 4

Starting Weight: 206.6

Current Weight: 204.0

Total Weight Loss: 2.6 Pounds

Goal #1: Weigh 199 Pounds by the end of August

Weekly Recap:

Exercising

Thursday - None

Friday - None

Saturday - None

Sunday - 17 Minutes EA Sports Active (Burned 123 Calories)

Monday - 27 Minutes EA Sports Active (Burned 155.3 Calories)

Tuesday - 18 Minutes EA Sports Active (Burned 112.8 Calories)

Wednesday - Rest Day

Counted My Points

Thursday - No

Friday - No

Saturday - No

Sunday - Yes

Monday - Yes

Tuesday - No

Wednesday- No

Drink My Water

Thursday -2

Friday - 2

Saturday - 0

Sunday - 2

Monday - 4

Tuesday - 0

Wednesday - 2

Today's Giveaways...

2010-08-04T14:52:00.007-04:00

Here is a list of giveaways I entered today....check them out!

1. Head on over to Twinners Reviews & Giveaways for a chance to win a 3 month membership to Zoodles! There will be 3 winners, and the giveaway ends August 6, 2010!

2. Win a Crayola Color Wonder Prize Pack from Great Blog Giveaways. Giveaway ends August 9, 2010.

3. Win a Marble Light Up Racer at Extreme Personal Measures. Giveaway ends August 12, 2010.

4. You can also enter a chance to win The Tag A Long at The Twinners Reviews & Giveaways. Giveaway ends August 18, 2010.

5. Win your choice of a Sesame Street Character Flash Drive From She Scribes. Giveaway ends August 14, 2010.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 16

2010-08-01T19:09:00.003-04:00

Day 16 - Create Your Own Camp

This could be a week of fun for you and your children. Where to begin, first pick a name for your camp, then pick a mascot. Have the children create a camp sign for the front door, be sure to add the mascot too!

Some fun things to do:

Bug Races
Carefully find potato bugs or other creepy crawlies and set them on a starting line on a driveway or other wide area. Whose bug can get to the finish line first?

Make S’mores
Toast marshmallows over a fire until brown outside and soft and warm inside. Lay a Hershey bar on top of one graham cracker. Top with a hot marshmallow and place another graham cracker on top. Squish down slightly. The chocolate will melt a little bit and the whole concoction is a dream.

Music in Nature
Give the kids 10 minutes to go on a hunt to find things in nature that can make music when banged on, blown on and hit together. Gather back at the campsite to “play” your instruments.

Make a Daisy Chain
. . . or a buttercup chain, a dandelion chain or use whatever wildflowers you have around you. To link the flowers, make a slit in the stem, about halfway up. Thread another flower stem through it and continue the chain. When you get to the last flower, thread the flower blossom head through the last stem, creating a circle.

Play Water Games
While it's still warm outside, get out the hose and play some water games in the yard.

After dark:

Play Flashlight Tag
This is a fun game to play if you live in an area with few streetlights or city lights. Every player gets a flashlight and everyone runs around the yard, hiding from the flashlight beams while trying to spot other players with flashlights.

Ghost in the Graveyard
Choose one person to be the ghost. He hides, while all the other players go to “base” and count, “One o’clock, 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock . .” all the way to “11 o’clock, midnight!” At “midnight” players go searching for the ghost. When he’s found, the finder yells, “Ghost in the Graveyard” and all players try to make it safely back to base before the ghost tags them. Whoever is tagged is the ghost for the next round.

Flashlight Disco
Inside the tent, whip a flashlight back and forth as fast as you can, while another person dances and moves. It will have a strobe light effect.

Sparks Will Fly
Chew on a Wint-O-Green Lifesaver with your mouth open in the dark and you’ll see sparks. This is one time when it’s OK to chew with your mouth open.

Tell Not-so-Scary Stories
Kids want to love scary stories, but if you indulge them, you may end up spending the night consoling a tearful, frightened child – inside the house with the doors locked. For your night around the campfire, tell stories that start out scary but which have funny endings (you’ll need to prepare for this and rehearse it, so you don’t inadvertently scare the kids).

Around the Camp Fire
Kids will love simply sitting around the camp fire, watching the flames and talking.

Also, Flylady has some great ideas for your camp!

L.E.N.S Photo Challenge

2010-07-31T20:23:00.007-04:00

This is my first week to participate at the Home Is Where You Start L.E.N.S Photo Challenge, and this weeks challenge is "Properties Of Water". Well I had a picture in mind when I read that. We went to the river this week, and had a blast.

This is my oldest, Tristan. With a little help,

he managed to get to this rock. I never took my eyes off of him.

He sat there for a few minutes and then came

back to the shallow end. He is my fish.

Happy List

2010-07-31T08:45:00.005-04:00

My happy list for this week, well lets see. It's been a very stressed out week, at least the beginning part, but there are some things that I am happy about...

Got a lot great deals at the Three Day Stampede, like a few sets of bed sheets for our bed and the boys' beds. Got a few clothes, a new toaster, a new Rolodex and a timer, all for 20 bucks! The Three Day Stampede is an annual event hosted in our town to raise money for CF. Last year, after 19 years, they finally hit $1,000,000!!! This was a big deal, can't wait until they hit $2,000,000! We donate a lot of stuff as well as buying a lot of stuff. I go for the HUGE yard sale. My brother got a dishwasher for $30! I could go on and on about how great this event is. You can read more about it here.

I'm also happy how nice the weather was this week. Not to hot and sunny! Temps were around mid 70's and a warm breeze. Perfect in my book!

On Tuesday, my mom, sister-in-law, nephew, niece and my three boys went to the Shelburne Museum. We go every year and the kids love it!

My niece Gabbi, nephew Robbie and

my 2 older boys, Tristan & Brayden sitting

in front of the Webb Building.

Brayden looking at the light house and the ship,

wondering which one to see first!

Brayden & Tristan in jail.

The sad part is they didn't want to leave.

Then at the end of the week, the family went to swim in the river.

This was our first river swim of the year. Everyone had a blast!

Left to Right:

Brayden, Uncle Alan, Gabbi, Aunt Shannon, Robbie, Tristan & Grandma!

I'm of course the one behind the camera!

Weekly Weigh In - #3

2010-07-29T06:51:00.003-04:00

This past week I've been so stressed it's unbelievable. I've also been a little depressed because I get the feeling that people think I'm incompetent and I've been beating myself up on a lot of things. I tend to take everything to heart when I hear criticism, and I really need to just let it go. I also had a talk about how I start things and never finish them, not once, twice but three times this week. Ok I got it, I never finish what I start! That being said, I had a slight gain this week. I'm actually not that disappointed with it considering I wasn't being as careful as I should have and the stress along with it, I can't complain.

Week 2

Week 3

So, I had a 0.4 gain. Like I said not to bad.

Starting Weight: 206.6

Current Weight: 203.4

Total Weight Loss: 3.2 Pounds

Goal #1: Weigh 199 Pounds by the end of August

Muffin Tin Monday Swap

2010-07-22T07:49:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago Michelle over at Muffin Tin Mom put together a Muffin Tin Monday Swap. I love doing swaps. Not sure which I love more, receiving the swap package or buying the goodies to send to my partner. But the boys and I had a blast. unfortunately, I was delayed on shipping my package, because the week I had planned on shopping we had 90+ degree weather with high huminity. We stayed home for the whole week, just because it was just to hot to go anywhere, and I don't have AC in my car. So last minute I purchase goodies through Amazon.com, which I may add they have lots of good stuff! I really hope my partner and her children like what we sent them.

But, out partner, Lindsay, sure sent us a great package. The first thing we saw when the boys and I opened the box, were two pictures that Lindsay's children had colored for them. That right there put a big smile on my face. Then, well here is a picture of what we got...

3 cookie cutter set (car, plane & train)

Football muffin tin

Blue & white baking cups

& 1 jar of footballs & helmets confetti

Thank you so much Lindsay and thank you Michelle for putting together this swap!

Weekly Weigh In - #2

2010-07-22T06:00:00.004-04:00

I have to say, for my first week, I did really good! Lot better then I thought I would that is. With soda cut out of my daily intake and pushing only water, it definitely is proof for me, about how bad soda is to our bodies!

So let's cut to the chase,

Week 1

Week 2

Can you believe it, I lost 3.6 pounds! I still can't believe it! All I did was count my weight watchers points and drink only water, and success.

Join the blog hop:

Sunday Fun Fines

2010-07-18T06:47:00.001-04:00

Looking for some new ways to or ideas to create a menu planner. Here are some ideas that I found and wanted to share for the Sunday Fun Fines!

Val at Val Plow's Creations, created this cool reusable menu planner book.

She even offers to send her readers a copy of the pages via email!

Charity at All Thing Beautiful shows how she made a cool

meal planner menu board.

Robin at Heart Of Wisdom Blog came up with a really cool

refrigerator magnet menu planner. I really like it!

You can purchase pre-made menu planners here.

Make Money Blogging

2010-07-17T21:55:00.007-04:00

Click on this link to start making

money on your blog!!!

Flashback Friday #1

2010-07-17T08:11:00.001-04:00

Please note, this was suppose to be posted Friday, oops. Have Fun!

Welcome to the first Flashback Friday, hosted here at Making It Count! What is Flashback Friday you ask, well it's a day to go back in time and relive that moment with a picture. We have been putting pictures on disks for years now, and we still may need to do more. I'm even scanning my older pictures from my 35mm on to disk. Though Flashback Friday will be randomly picking from January 1, 2000 to present date. Share your picture and the story about that picture (if you can remember that is...lol).

First a year will be picked, then the month, then a number. For example I will post

2001

May

Picture #10

So you would show a picture that is from May 2001 the 10th picture in that file. If you don't have a picture of that date, try to pick one that is close to it.

For this week we are going to use is:

2007

January

Picture #27

This is a picture of my middle child, Brayden.

I didn't have many pictures in January,

but on the 31st of January, many pictures were taken.

Brayden Alan was born on January 31, 2007 at 6:58pm.

He weighed 7lbs 15oz and was 21 inches long.

Add your link here:

What To Eat At A McDonald's While On A Diet

2010-07-16T09:56:00.005-04:00

I know the day is coming when I'll be shopping with my mom, and as a treat, she always brings the kids to McDonald's, and of course I have to eat something. But now, I'm being very careful of what I'm eating and counting Weight Watcher points. I don't want to deprive myself, because then impulse will kick in and I'll just binge. So, I did some research today, and here are some not to high points for McDonald's.

Hamburger - 6 points

Cheeseburger - 7 points

Grilled Chicken Deluxe (without mayonnaise) - 7 points

McLean Deluxe - 7 points

McLean Deluxe with Cheese - 8 points

Chicken McNuggets 4 piece - 5 points

Chicken McNuggets 6 piece - 7 points

BBQ Sauce 1 Packet - 1 point

Honey 1 Packet - 1 point

Honey Mustard 1 packet - 1 point

Light Mayonnaise 1 packet - 1 point

Sweet & Sour Sauce 1 packet - 1 point

Small French Fries - 5 points

Grilled Chicken Salad Deluxe (without dressing) - 2 points

Garden Salad (without dressing) - 0 points

Fat Free Herb Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 1 packet - 1 point

Vanilla Reduced Fat Free Ice Cream Cone - 3 points

English Muffin - 2 points

Scrambled Eggs - 4 points

Hash Browns - 3 points

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 15

2010-07-16T08:34:00.000-04:00

Day 15 - Obstacle Course

I mention something similar to this in the Backyard Olympics, but how about setting up a backyard obstacle course for your children (& children's friends). Here are some ideas for setting up the obstacle course:

Use hula hoops to place on the ground like tires

Set up an air mattress for the children to climb over

Use big boxes for the children to climb through

Set up a balance been (not to high, a couple of inches)

Balloon Table: Kids shinny under a table hidden inside a ground-hugging cloud of balloons. Dangling from yarn taped to all sides of the table, the balloons wobble and bump as kids pass through.

Rope Swing: Hang a tight rope that is knotted. Fill a small pool with balloons/water etc. Then have the children run, grab the rope and swing over the pool.

Stand colorful foam pool noodles in gallon buckets weighted with sand (or soil or stones) and set up in a zigzag pattern. Fill a wagon with small water balloons. Kids must pull the wagon around the outside of each bucket without spilling any balloons.

Throw a ball into a basket.

Don't forget to have your stopwatch ready...and have fun!!

Weekly Weigh In - #1

2010-07-15T06:33:00.004-04:00

I can't believe I'm going to be posting my weight here, but I need all the motivation I can get. I'm starting a new day, and fingers crossed I will have success this time. My weight has gone out of control lately. I know a lot has to do with to much computer time. So I'm going to try to cut back my computer time and do other activities instead. My mom and I have decided to start walking tonight, can't wait for that! I also need to start doing my EA Sports Active. I have to say, 20 minutes of EA Sports Active makes me sweat!

I'm also going to keep track of what I eat by doing the Weight Watchers system. I have everything from joining before, so I know what to do. The only thing I won't be doing, is going to any meetings. They just gets to costly!

So here it is, my first weigh in:

Week 1 - 206.6 lbs

Wish me luck, let's hope next week the number drops! You can join the fun too at Marvelous Mommy.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 14

2010-07-14T21:14:00.004-04:00

Day 14 - Gold Digging Game

Let's do some gold digging! This could be a lot of fun with the children on any summer day! First you need to find some stones. Then paint the stones with gold paint. After the paint has dried, bury the gold stones in the kids sand box. Then when it's time to play, have the children use their sand sieve to sift through the sand and find the gold nuggets. The child with the most gold nuggets wins!

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 13

2010-07-13T16:42:00.004-04:00

Day 13 - Make A Hand print or Footprint Mold

Let's face it, it's not going to be sunny everyday in the summer, so we need something to do on those rainy days. Why not have your child make a hand print or footprint. First you'll need to make some clay.

What you'll need:

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Cup Salt

3/4 Cups Warm Water

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. If the dough is a little dry add water a little at a time.Make a ball of dough then flatten it to about a one-inch thickness in the shape of a circle.Have your child press their hand or their foot in to the dough to make an imprint.Gently lift off and back at 325 degrees F in the oven until hard, or let it air dry for a few days.After it's dry, your child can have fun painting it!

Weight Loss Challenge - Let's Begin!

2010-07-11T19:01:00.003-04:00

Why do we think we have to spend money to lose weight. How many of us have joined groups that cost a lot money, thinking this will be it, I'm going to lose weight now, especially if I'm paying for it. I know I did. I joined Weight Watchers and LA Weight loss. Nothing against them, I've seen many people have great success with both groups. Unfortunately, it got a little costly for me. Weight Watchers, I was paying $11 a week, plus they had all these cool books and gadgets that I thought I had to have, which I ended up spending more money. Then later down the road I joined LA Weightloss. Well, this one hurt me a little more, especially when I signed up. I had to write a check out for over $500! Then every week I had to buy their LA Lite Bars (which are really tasty), and got expensive. Times got harder and I couldn't afford the bars, and I stopped going. I thought that if I spent this amount of money, I would have some motivation to lose weight. WRONG! If anything, I felt guilty and felt that I did the wrong thing. If things were different, like, we had more money and I just didn't have my 3rd child, I may have continued it, but who knows.

So now I'm using the power of a blog to get me motivated to lose weight. For the past year, my weight has been increasing little by little, and now I'm at the point that I find myself disgusting looking. What am I going to do? I have no idea. The first thing I'm going to do is No More Soda and drink only water for the next 21 days. This is going to be my next 21 day challenge. Since I had such success on my last 21 day challenge, I figured why not try it by drinking water.

Water has always been very difficult for me to drink, and soda is my all time favorite drink, especially Coke. It taste so good! But for the past 2 days now, I haven't drank no soda and pushing the water regularly. I do drink 1 coffee in the morning, but thats it. So let's see how much weight I can lose just by cutting out soda and drinking only water, 19 more days to go!

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 12

2010-07-10T19:39:00.004-04:00

Day 12 - Have Your Children Plant A Garden

Now you may think this may be to much work for a child, and how are they going to have fun doing this. Well, I did this with my children this year and they loved it. You see, where we live, we aren't allowed to plant a garden on our lawn, so we used barrels (pots work too).

We filled the barrels with soil and manure that you can buy at any garden store. Then we planted our tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots, beans and even cucumbers. You can basically plant anything.

We also got them little watering cans so every day they can go outside and water their little garden. It gets really exciting once vegetables start producing. I know I can't wait! The pictures here are of my boys planting and watering their vegetable gardens.

21 Day Challenge - Washing Dishes Completed!

2010-07-01T20:52:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it! On May 30th I started the 21 day challenge to wash dishes every day. As some may remember me saying how much I hated washing dishes. So I read Donna Smallin's Book, Unlutter Your Home, and she wrote it takes 21 days to create a habit. I wasn't 100% sure if this was going to work, but, it did! Can you believe it, after 21 days (with a couple off days) of washing dishes I have created a habit! Of course, I thought once my 21 days were up, I would lose it, but here I am on day 33, my dishes are done. My sink gets filled about half full and I spend no more than 5 minutes to wash the dishes and I'm done. I may do another wash before I go to bed, but again, I don't spend no more then 5 minutes to wash them!

Oh, and guess what, I don't hate washing dishes anymore! I actually kind of like it. Knowing that I only have to spend a little time washing them and my sink is most of the time empty. It's a good feeling. Even hubby has noticed the sink always being emptied, and he likes it!

Now what will be my next 21 day challenge.....

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 11

2010-07-01T14:23:00.005-04:00

Day 11 - Be A Fire Fighter!

Have the children draw pretend fire on the side of your house or garage with colored chalk. Use water-filled squirt guns to put the fire out. As you squirt, the fire will magically disappear!

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 10

2010-06-29T09:45:00.007-04:00

Day 10 - Organize An Ice Cream Social

Oh what fun it would be to gather all the kids for an ice cream social! Especially on a hot day, this would cool everyone down and have some fun at the same time!

What you'll need:

A few Ice Cream Scoops

Variety Of Ice Cream

Ice Cream Toppings

Ice Cream Dishes & Banana Boat Containers/Dish

Ice Cream Cones

Ice Cream Spoons

Some Decorations

Play some games such as pin the cherry on the ice cream cone/sundae.

Make soda jerk hats.

For older children and adults - match Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream flavors to their names:

Banana & Strawberry Ice Creams with Walnuts, Fudge Chunks & a Fudge Swirl = Banana Split

Cherry Ice Cream with Cherries & Fudge Flakes = Cherry Garcia

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups = Peanut Butter Cup

and so on. You can find all the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream flavors HERE.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 9

2010-06-26T20:50:00.005-04:00

Day 9 - Have A Back Yard Treasure Hunt

Plan a treasure hunt for your kids. Of course you'll need a real treasure map, which you can make yourself!

Materials (paper, pen, used tea bag, paper towel, cooking oil)

Think about the map you want to make. It could be a path that uses landmarks, or it could be a verse that includes directions and distances. Make sure the start is easy to find, and the treasure is hidden somewhere where it won't be disturbed until the treasure hunters find it.
Use a piece of white paper and draw your map. Include the compass points and any verse or written clues needed by the hunters to find the treasure. Different colored inks work fine, some pencil crayons will work too.
Tear the edges off the page, to make it look like a treasure map.
When you map is finished, wipe the wet tea bag over both sides of the page. The page will turn a light brown color. The page should be soaked through by the time you are finished.
Crumple it into a ball and let dry over night.
Gently open the map, and wipe both sides with cooking oil. Blot off the excess with paper towels.

Pearl Paradise Review & Giveaway!

2010-06-25T19:46:00.005-04:00

I'm so excited that I had the opportunity to review a beautiful pair of Fresh Water Pearl Earrings from Pearl Paradise! They were the the Lavender Fresh Water Pearl Stud Earrings. Of course I love pearls, they're my favorite for jewelry! The best part with Pearl Paradise, (my opinion) is how the mark their earring 80% below retail!

Pearl Paradise is also offering to give one of my readers the exact pair of earring that I received!

To enter, please leave a comment below for each entry. There is a mandatory entry you must do before doing the other entries...

Mandatory Entry:

Go to www.pearlparidise.com and tell me which piece of jewelry you like!

Extra Entries:

1 Entry: Follow Making It Count publicly

1 Entry: Follow Pearl Paradise on Twitter

1 Entry: Follow Making It Count on Twitter

1 Entry: Like Making It Count on Facebook

1 Entry: Like Pearl Paradise on Facebook

5 Entries: Blog about this giveaway and include a link to this giveaway post and www.pearlparadise.com.

1 Entry: Tweet this giveaway (once per day)

You can use the following tweet:

Win Pair Lavender Pearl Earrings http://bit.ly/cJzRIW @makinitcount Ends 7/9/10

Giveaway ends 11:59pm Friday July 9, 2010

Open to everyone!

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 8

2010-06-23T20:58:00.003-04:00

Day 8 - Go Berry Picking

Through the summer there are a lot of different kind of berries you and your child(ren) can pick. Visit a local farm that allows you to pick your own berries, and let the kids fill a basket. Make sure you tell them how you know that the berries are ripe, so you don’t get a basket full of sour green berries.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 7

2010-06-22T19:31:00.003-04:00

Day 7 - Make Your Own Bubble Soap

What child don't like to blow bubbles or try to catch bubbles as some one else blows them?

Have you and your child(ren) make some bubble soap together. Then have fun!

Recipe For Bubble Soap:

To make 2 ¼ cups

¼ cup of liquid dishwashing detergent

2 ¼ cups of distilled water

2 tablespoons of glycerin.

You can find glycerin at Amazon, Craft Stores and Drug Stores.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 6

2010-06-21T19:45:00.002-04:00

Day 6 - Play Kick The Can

Kick the Can is kind of like hide-and-seek. The “finder” has to guard the can, and counts to 20 while the others hide. When the “finder” leaves the can to go look for the others, the “hiders” have to try to kick the can before being caught. If the “finder ” finds everyone before the can is kicked, he wins.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 5

2010-06-20T19:41:00.000-04:00

Day 5 - Make Mud Paintings

Make some mud and let the kids create artwork on the sidewalk.

Cleanup is a snap with your garden hose.

50 Fun Ideas For Your Kids To Do This Summer - Day 4

2010-06-19T20:18:00.003-04:00

Day 4 - Nature Scavenger Hunt

Give you child(ren) a list of things that you can find in nature,

then have them look in the yard for those items.

Some suggestions:

Fallon Acorn

Abandoned Nest

Leaves

Lost Feathers

Colorful Stones

Four Leaf Clover

Red Clover

Honeysuckle

Spiderweb

Frog

Wildflowers

Mushrooms

Ferns

Moss

Snail

Grasshopper

Need more information on how to plan a scavenger hunt? Click here.