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Come See What the Fuss Is All About (Or How the Surprise Was On Me!)

Friday, January 18th, 2013

Well, it’s official, The Good Life For Less is out in the world now! I have been so enjoying all of the photos that people have been tagging me in on Facebook with their copies of it! Can you believe all these amazing celebrities that are posing with my book? I can’t believe it myself!

I loved seeing these pictures being posted and then the comment threads that followed that got other people out there buying the book. That is truly the power of social media! I can’t imagine what it would be like to write a book and not get to see my friends with their copies of the book. It has been making my whole life.

My favorite siting yet was from two of my favorite bloggers, Claire & Lauren, over at TX M.I.L.K. It turns out even Willie Nelson likes my book… now I know that I have arrived.

The reviews have been rolling in on the book, which is so awesome to see!  I get so excited when I see the reviews being shared on Amazon & GoodReads from readers and my blogger friends have all been so generous to share about this book. Here are some of my favorite reviews so far!

Simplifying Meal Time (@ Dine & Dish)

The Good Life for Less Review (Hoosier Homemade)

Taking a Page Out of the Good Life for Less (Extraordinary Mommy)

Book Review: The Good Life for Less (This Full House)

The Good Life for Less (The Centsible Life)

The Good Life for Less (The Simple Moms)

The Good Life for Less (Beth’s Book-Nook Blog)

Review: The Good Life for Less (Northern Cheapskate)

The Good Life for Less: A Happiness Upgrade (Baby Toolkit)

The Good Life for Less (Hormone-Colored Days)

Review: The Good Life for Less (Mom’s Favorite Stuff)

Must Read: The Good Life for Less (Mom Generations)

I was over the moon with happiness and life was so darn good…and then I got the world’s worst stomach flu. I have not been this sick in years. Flat on my back, so dehydrated your eyes feel like sandpaper sick, the I’m cold, now I’m hot, now I’m shivering again sick. SO SICK. For an entire week.

I was dying and my husband was in a sheer panic about my sickness, but couldn’t let on how worried he was. Unbeknownst to me, he had been working for seven months with my best friend on the surprise party of all surprise parties to celebrate the launch of my first book and my 35th birthday.

We had a double date planned with my best friend and her husband for, what I believed to be, a silent auction. As my husband pushed me into the room, he whispered, “This is how much I love you.” Standing in the room were over 40 of our closest friends and family there to celebrate.

I have never had a celebration like that ever in my whole life. They rented a room at Legends for the big night, who catered all of the food for the event. He had been working with my publicist to have posters of my book made up for the evening, and the night of surprises wasn’t over.

1.)  He flew my brother in to be with me for the evening from New Orleans. I hadn’t seen him since last spring and I was beside myself with joy to have him there. This was a gift, not just for me, but for our entire family because we have missed him so much. He’s currently living out in New Orleans pursuing his dreams in the art world, and it was so special to have him there.

If you are into art or happen to live in New Orleans, please check out his Facebook page to find out how to commission a piece of art! It’s the Dark & Twisty Art of John Allen.

2) He managed to get my two childhood best friends to come in for the party. We are three busy women and it takes a near miracle to get the three of us together. I almost fell over when I saw them both there for the evening. Not many people can say that they have been friends since they were ten years-old and are still friends. These were my two best friends from church camp and we spent many a summer together that I will forever treasure in my heart.

3) Perhaps, the most amazing gift and demonstration of love ever given to me, my husband had been working since June, to teach himself how to DJ so he could be the DJ for my party.

We have been together since high school and I was infamous for making him a million mix tapes of songs for him and “ghetto mixes” once I became too “hood” for a traditional mix. Those mixed tapes were the inspiration for him to surprise me.

Ryan took all the music and those memories and managed to make that into the ultimate mix for me for my birthday, for a night of dancing with my girlfriends. It might sound a little corny to you, but I fell in love with him all over again. When you have been together since you were kids, it becomes hard to surprise each other anymore. To pull off three surprises? Unheard of.

In lieu of gifts, my friends remembered how important the Faith Mission Homeless Shelter was to our family. If you recall, a few years ago, we hosted a Big Give for the shelter. A wish list from the director of the shelter was given, and everyone worked on gathering donations to share with the women & children of that shelter. This was one of my favorite surprises of the night since caring for the homeless is such an important thing to our family. I can’t tell you how happy these gifts made me!

Behind every good man is a good woman. My best friend had been working tirelessly on throwing this amazing party for me with my husband. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have a friend like that and I try to never take it for granted. I am still shocked she could keep this a secret from me for that long when we talk for hours on the phone daily. She is my other “sister,” and I can’t imagine my life without her.

Of course, my friends wanted to spoil me a little bit and all had pitched in for a gift that I had been dreaming about for years and years. I now have the most beautiful and epic sounding record player and they gathered a record collection to get me started. The morning after the party, I sat in my favorite chair and listened to my Simon & Garfunkel record…weeping uncontrollably.

In the words of my mom, most people never know what they mean to people. It is usually at their funerals, that they say what a special person you are or what you have meant to them. Few people get such a demonstration during their life while they are still around.  

I remember when my husband’s grandma passed away and the way my mother-in-law’s friends orchestrated this amazing feast for all of us and took care of her in such a difficult time. As we climbed in the car to head home that day, I cried and said how happy I was that she had friends like that. The kind of friends that would just drop everything for you and take care of you like that. What would that even be like?

I know now. God put the perfect people in my life and gave me the most incredible friends in the world. They know and understand my heart, they have no jealousy for these major career milestones, they are so proud of what I do, and they are the first to say, “What do you need? What can we do to help?” when things go wrong.

More importantly, I am reminded how loved I am by my husband and by our family. I had stars in my eyes all night for my husband and what he did for me.

I am the luckiest girl in the whole world.

Tomorrow I have my first book signing at the Mishawaka Barnes & Noble. I’m so excited that my friends are even coming in from Chicago & Indy for this special day. I hope you will accept my heartfelt invitation to join me at this signing. I want to hug and thank every single person that has supported us over the years. It would mean so much to have you there! I hope I see you tomorrow from 2-4PM at Barnes & Noble in UP Mall (Mishawaka, IN).

As you can see, life has gotten a bit chaotic. I promise to try to get back in the swing of things soon, but in the meantime, I hope you will pick up my book to read our family’s story and get inspired to get your finances back on track! I know you are missing some features here so I wanted to update you and let you know that I am just having a little trouble juggling it all by myself. I hope this helps explain things a bit more.

Thank you for your love and support!!

(Party Photography: Brittani Renee Photography. Party Dress: Flourish Boutique)

 

 

 

 

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The Good Life For Less #GNO Twitter Party (Tuesday 01/08)

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

I am so excited to get to be participating in my first Twitter Party with Mom It Forward to promote my new book, “The Good Life For Less.” As you can see, I am not happy about it  at all (ahem).

This virtual party will be hosted on January 8th from 9-10 PM ET and will give you the chance to participate in a great chat on frugality and how to truly achieve the good life for less with CELEBRITIES. Yes, I said it, the celebrities in my life happen to be the superstars in the frugal world.

I was asked to pick a few friends to help assist me with my talk. It wasn’t hard to think up a fantastic dream team panel, but to expect them to spend a Tuesday night on Twitter with me seemed impossible. Of course, you know you have awesome friends when they agree to do this for you to help promote your project. I want to give each of them a shout-out because ALL of their blogs should be on your must-read lists!

Savings Lifestyle (Andrea Deckard)

With a motto like, “Save on what you need. Spend on what you want,” you know that you are in for a real treat! Stay up-to-date on coupons, savings at the grocery store, take advantage of great freebies, and learn to achieve a beautiful life for less. Andrea is an all-around fantastic person and I am so lucky to call her my friend!

Hoosier Homemade (Liz Latham)

If you aren’t following the Hoosier Homemade you are missing out on a real treat..and I mean treat. She is famous for her cupcake skills, but is also an all around jack-of-all-trades when it comes to making a beautiful home for less. You will absolutely love this site and did I mention that she is a fellow Hoosier girl?

Deal Seeking Mom (Tara Kuczykowski)

If you coupon, you know my friend, Tara! Tara has a fantastic coupon site filled with just about every deal on the internet. It is a site I reference frequently when making my purchases and I highly recommend you do too. The best part? She is one of the sweetest people I know.

Frugal Upstate (Jenn Fowler)

If you are looking for a blog that truly gets back to the basics of frugality and achieving the good life for your family for less, you will definitely want to visit Jenn’s blog. It has everything you need from menu planning advice, great recipes to share around the table, and fantastic DIY projects. Jenn knows a lot about a frugality and is a trusted frugal resource for me!

The Happy Housewife (Toni Anderson)

If you want to know anything about anything, than I am sure you are familiar with my friend Toni and her site, “The Happy Housewife.” This website has everything from how to manage your home, how to manage your family budget,  how to feed your family, how to score the best deals at the grocery store, and even advice on homeschooling your kids. I guarantee that once you start browsing this site, that you will lose many hours in your day just soaking all of that knowledge in. I adore Toni and am so thankful to call her my friend!

Party Topic

Join Amy Allen Clark (that’s me!)  who is the author of The Good Life for Less, @MomItForward, and our panel of experts as we chat about frugal living. The party will be held on Tuesday, January 8 from 9-10 p.m. ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.

Party Details

Jot down some questions that you would like to ask us and be prepared for a fun night on frugality. I am so excited to be giving away more books and also would love to acquaint you with our new Book Landing Page where you can grab all the information you need about my book, sign up for our new newsletter, and find out where I am headed for book signings! 

I’m also excited to share that Mom It Forwardwill be covering ideas from, “The Good Life for Less,” in a four part series! How cool is that? Visit the site to learn more about our frugal journey and what you will find in the book!

I never made it out of my pajamas yesterday because I just sat at my computer in complete awe at the stir that all of you created with this book. Pictures were being posted all over IG and Facebook of you running out to buy your copies at your local bookstores, the shares from my family’s big day at the bookstore went completely viral, and the words from people who had already read it… There are just no words to how overwhelmed with emotion we were.I am just a gal, in a small town in Indiana, preaching a little message about simple living and I never dreamed that we would be experiencing a moment like this. Thank you all for your love and support of this project! I could not do it without you! The Amazon sales rocked my world yesterday as well as all of those beautiful pictures of you heading to your stores to make my dreams come true! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Looking forward to chatting more at the Twitter party!

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Our Top 12 Posts of 2012

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013

What a wonderful year 2012 was for our site and our family. MomAdvice continues to grow & I can’t wait to share with your our best posts of this year.  Today I wanted to highlight our top 12 posts from 2012.

Do I thank you enough around here? I never feel like my thanks is sufficient enough for all of your love and support for us. 

Thank you for sharing our site with others.

Thank you for your continued support.

Thank you for your comments.

I can’t tell you what they mean to me.

Here are the top 12 posts that happened on MomAdvice this year:

1. How to Dye A Faded Pair Of Jeans

Our top post this year, by a LONG shot, was my tutorial on how to dye your old jeans. With over 205,000 views, this one went viral and that box of Rit fabric dye was, perhaps, the best purchase of the entire year! Not only did I get a “new” pair of jeans, but this post grabbed the attention of a lot of new readers that were looking for some ways to freshen up a few tired pieces in their closet. This tutorial explains a variety of methods of dying your clothing and the comment stream continues to grow as readers share their own success stories with fabric dying.

2. How To Be a Pinterest Superstar

I am so excited to see that my guidance on growing your blogs through Pinterest proved to be valuable information to other bloggers. In this article, I share everything I have learned about getting your content and readership to grow through Pinterest. If your New Year’s goal is to harness the power of Pinterest, I can’t recommend this article enough for growing your audience. 

3. Rainbow Cake in a Jar With Cloud Frosting

Anything in a jar, to me, is absolutely delightful and delicious. For the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, I share a recipe for making beautiful little rainbow cakes in a jar and my recipe for a perfectly fluffy cloud of frosting to top these festive little cakes. The best part is that  these can be made from items you already have lurking in your pantry!

4. The Good Life For Less

Well, the excitement around here must be contagious because our 4th most popular page this year is for my first book, “The Good Life For Less.” I’m so excited to share that it is now available on store shelves! I would be, of course, be honored if you bought a copy and I am so excited that this was one of your top destinations this year on the site!

5. How to Ditch Your Cable Bill

Oh, we were a radical bunch this year as we said goodbye to our family’s astronomical satellite television bill. Apparently, I’m not the only one who wanted to say goodbye to it because this was a frequently visited article for many of our readers. After a year without cable, I can’t tell you how much happier we are. We are especially enjoying the savings we are experiencing by changing the way we watch television.

6. The World’s Greatest Homemade Bubbles Recipe

If there is one thing my kid’s love, it is this homemade bubble recipe. Neighbor kids flock to our home in awe of their super awesomeness and moms will be begging for your secret. This super easy recipe was a popular one on the site and replicated in many a home!

7. Slow Cooker Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

This recipe was created and has been devoured in my home weekly since its development. If you crave a thick & hearty soup filled with brown rice, veggies, and a tomato broth, then this soup is the one for you! This was a popular one for many of our readers with food allergies and I am excited that we were able to cater to that need a bit this year.

8. How To Make Glow-In-The-Dark JELL-O Jars

Science project plus edible treat? This is a win-win situation, people! This post got so much love that JELL-O even featured it on their site (which thrilled me to no end!) My kids got a kick out of making this treat for Halloween and we loved sharing the science behind their spooky glow.

9. The Best Books Read in 2012

 

I absolutely love sharing my reading lists each year and I can’t wait to continue sharing book reviews with you in the upcoming year. I take this list so seriously that it keeps me up at night the night before, worrying that I made the wrong picks for you guys. I have been getting oodles of messages though, from many of you, sharing how much you have already been enjoying off of this reading list. I am already tackling the next round of books, as we speak, for another “best of” list for next year!

10. Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Who wants to buy stuff you can make? That is why you come here, of course! My homemade enchilada sauce recipe is one of my favorite DIY creations in the kitchen. Once you make this enchilada sauce, you will never buy that jarred stuff again!  If you haven’t tried this recipe yet, I highly recommend it!

11. How to Knit Great Chemo Caps for Charity

I have, sadly, knitted far more chemo caps for people I know than I would have ever wanted to this year. If you are a knitter and looking for some tips on making really great chemo caps (that will actually be worn) than this post is just the post you will need to get started. I share everything I have learned from selecting the right yarns, to selecting the right patterns, to adding a little “sparkle” to your hats. I am so happy to see that this was a post that you have been referencing!

12. How to Make a Homeless Care Package

 

Last, but certainly not least, our Homeless Care Package post was our final top post of the year. We were so excited to be able to create these homeless care packages for those in need in our area and we shared a free printable list of supplies as well as a local resources sheet that other families could use to replicate our giving this year. Our family made giving to charity one of our top priorities this year and we look forward to giving back more to those in need in 2013.

 

What would you like to see featured in 2013 on our site? I would love to hear your ideas for posts as I begin planning my editorial calendar for the year!

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The Good Life For Less Hits Store Shelves

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

I can think of no better way to start the New Year than to see your very own book sitting on a bookshelf. We made a family field trip over to our local Barnes & Noble to take a peek at my book on the shelves. It is both exciting and completely surreal at the same time. In all my life, I never imagined this moment would ever happen. We are simply OVER THE MOON with excitement.

We created enough of a scene with our shutter happiness that another couple headed to the checkout counter with one of my books in their hand and tracked me down to sign their book.

Chad & Angie, if you happen to see this picture, know that this made the moment even more special for our family.

One of us may have been a little confused about what exactly we were celebrating. Emily insisted on wearing her fabulous NYE accessories for our outing. I felt like I was with a real life Ramona Quimby as she stomped her feet and tooted her New Year’s horn all through the Barnes & Noble parking lot and screamed…

“MY MOMMY’S AN AUTHOR!!!!!”

Who could ever refuse a joyful noise like that?

Many more details soon on some exciting booking signings and events happening (maybe in your area!) Be sure to head over to this week’s giveaway where we are giving away 5 signed copies of THE GOOD LIFE FOR LESS.

 

 

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Giveaway Closed: 5 Autographed Copies of, “The Good Life For Less!”

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

Sorry! This giveaway is now closed! We would like to congratulate our five winners!  Sheri (#128), Elaine (#41), Renee (#148), Carrie (#201), &  Michelle (#32) on winning these books! Thank you again for entering and your love & support for this book!

 

This is a big week for our family as my book, “The Good Life for Less,” will be hitting bookstore shelves on January 2nd. I have waited so many years for this book of my words to be printed and I can think of no better way to start the year than with this big moment in our life.

I know my readers are very frugal (that is why you are here, after all!) so I wanted to share with you a little bit about why this book would be a great investment for your bookshelf and also offer you the opportunity to win a copy of it to save your family the expense of buying it!

 

Photo Credit: Nancy Lary Studios

Here is a little bit more background on what my book and family is all about:

THE GOOD LIFE FOR LESS is about thrifty homemaking with heart. As a Walmart Mom and spokesperson for companies like Kenmore and Minute Maid, I am sharing the tricks and tips our family has adopted to help other families create a quality life while being able to stay within budget. Filled with clever ideas for families living on a budget, THE GOOD LIFE FOR LESS provides guidance, tools, and inspiration to run happy households, such as:

  • Create a family budget book to track what money goes where, and utilize one of the free financial programs out there, such as Mint.com, to find spending leaks, or try out your spending habits by adopting the envelope system or a cash-only approach to spending. One way to jump-start your savings is by paying for everything with bills, and accumulating the change into a savings account.
  • Take advantage of online freebies such as Ebates.com and Swagbucks.com to find discounts and bonuses for shopping for necessities.
  • Delicious and affordable recipes such as rosemary ranch chicken kabobs, baked blueberry donuts with a lemon glaze, Italian veggie and pasta soup, and parmesan crusted pork chops that stretch every cent and utilize the efficient tools in your kitchen, such as the slow-cooker, to enable you more time with your kids instead of behind the stove.
  • Many people take advantage of the layaway programs featured at retailers, but also try to buy in bulk, shop off-season, and subscribe to daily deal sites, so your budget won’t take such a hit around the holidays. Buying in bulk lets you save money and pay less than at the grocery store, especially for meat, which you can divide up into 1 or 2 pound packages and freeze.
  • Take a look at your bills and utilities; be sure there is no double billing (perhaps a credit card got swiped twice at a register). If everyone in your house has a cell phone, do you really need a traditional landline plan, or could you switch to a nearly free provider like Vonage. Know what your appliances cost; one easy way to save on gas bills is to do your laundry with cold water, which cuts between 50-90% off a load of wash using hot water.

THE GOOD LIFE FOR LESS will give you this and more information, tools, and inspiration to maximize every cent of the family paycheck.

By living leaner, you and your family will gain financial stability, and as I state in my book, “living frugally has made me so much more aware of our family’s every blessing, great and small. It’s a richness that money can’t buy.” Empowering your family with the knowledge to make the best financial decisions will only bring you closer together, and give you even more enjoyment out of the time you spend together.

Photo Credit: Nancy Lary Studios

Today I want to share with you the opportunity to win a signed copy of my book. I will be giving away 5 copies this week in celebration of my book launch and to thank you all for your love and support of us over the last nine years. 

To enter to win a signed copy of, “The Good Life For Less“:

• First Entry: Leave a comment and tell me why you need this book in your life!

• Additional Entry: Let us know you are a fan of MomAdvice and join the MomAdvice Facebook Community.

• Additional Entry: Follow me on Twitter and stay up-to-date on current book promotions, giveaways, and advice on living a frugal life.

• Additional Entry: Fan my Author Profile on GoodReads or add my book to your to-be-read pile.

Five winners, chosen at random, will receive a signed copy of my first book.  Please submit your entries by Tuesday (01/08) at 8PM EST. Our winner will be drawn at random. Good luck, everyone! We are so thankful for each of you!

 

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National Blogging Day of Remembrance

Monday, December 17th, 2012

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The Good Life for Less Book Update

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

There are no words to explain seeing and holding your book for the first time. Last week a box arrived on my doorstep from Penguin and, with shaky hands, I opened the book and drank it all in. The only thing that even comes close to this experience is the birth of my children.

Last week I received an email that nearly brought me to my knees. My editor emailed to let me know that we had already sold the first print run of the book and they had to reprint it.  I can’t even begin to wrap my head around that, can you? 

The big question I am always asked is how you even begin the process of writing a book. My experience getting published was a unique one because it came through a truly unique opportunity for our family. Several years ago, I had replied to a media inquiry for a magazine that was looking for families that choose to live a life without credit cards. I submitted our family as an example and shared that we also had celebrated paying off our credit cards with our kids by throwing a debt-free party with them. They loved this unique spin on debt-free living and sent a team out to my house to photograph me for Redbook and wrote a feature on us. It was, perhaps, the most glamorous day of my life and I couldn’t believe all of these people were in our little house in Granger.

That magazine somehow landed in the hands of a literary agent who reached out to me and asked if I had ever considered writing a book.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Photo Credit: Nancy Lary Studios

 
Of course, the process of going from a blog and freelance article writer to a book writer was a difficult one. The entire process took me three years, mainly due to my own obstacles with running my site and running after small children.  When we finally sold the book, I had only gone over the first hurdle. You see, with nonfiction books, you sell your proposal before you sell a book.  Writing the proposal is writing the blueprint for what you envision the book will look like. It sets up the skeleton of how it will all look, but it is not the book.

Once that was sold, I still had a book to write.

I remember talking to another author about how I had never realized what a process this all would be and he shared with me that it isn’t really about how talented of a writer you are, it is just if you have the endurance to get through the process of publishing a book. I now understand.

When I finally received a copy of my book in my hands after all that writing, it was a big girl’s little girl dream come true. I don’t know if I ever will get over how incredibly incredible it all is.  You see, even as a child, I wanted to be a writer and to write my very own book.

I remember sitting and listening to my teachers read to me and rolling around words and phrases in my head and mouth because I loved them so much. I wished that I could have that power with words that my words would someday get stuck in their heads the way they did in mine.

One of my favorite authors was Beverly Cleary and now that I am rereading her books with my daughter, it brings even more joy to me as I roll the words around in my mouth again and her stories bring new meaning to me as an adult.

When I was a kid,  I used to type furiously on an old typewriter in my parent’s basement, writing my own little books of stories of my own imagination. My mother can also attest to the elaborate storytelling (that’s how I like to think of it) and my power at embellishing every story I told. I wanted more than anything to be a writer.

Photo Credit: Nancy Lary Studios

 
When my husband suggested I start a blog for my ideas, it turned out to be a fantastic outlet for me when I first became a stay-at-home mom and has fed that creative part of my brain so well over the years. I could be a “published author,” simply by hitting a button to post my words. Granted, it was publishing that anyone can do, but I have always treated it like my life’s work to write words and have people read them. More empowering is when someone reads your words and then they share with you how you have changed their lives through them.

If you have followed me over the years, you have seen the evolution of the blog, the words, and the found love for creating beautiful images with those words. If there is one thing I have learned it is that there is always the potential to do and be better. I am still evolving.

I hope you will be able to pick up my book and read more about our family’s journey out of debt and unemployment and into a life far richer than we could have ever imagined…in all the important ways.

The book will be out on bookstore shelves on January 2nd (a slight shift in dates due to our reprinting), but is now available for pre-order.  Here are some options for great places to order it! I also encourage you to hit your local bookstore to pick it up! 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Walmart

Powell’s

Indiebound

My first book signing will be on January 19th from 2-4 PM at the Mishawaka Barnes & Noble Store in the University Park Mall.  Feel free to accept my invitation to join me on that day. I will admit, I am SUPER nervous about that. I can just picture me and my mom sitting at a table alone.

To crickets. 

You don’t want that do you? I would be so honored to meet you all and please forgive me ahead of time about  knowing everyone’s name. I know Facebook faces, Twitter profile handles, and can recognize you on IG… BUT I tend to have an old lady brain and can’t always remember actual names! That is the other part I am nervous about so I thought I would say that in advance!

Thank you all for your continued love and support for me through this project.  I find myself randomly bursting into tears when I think of how kind everyone has been to us through this process and the genuine excitement from our friends about all of it.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

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Sponsor Spotlight: Flourish Boutique (Coupon Code)

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Today I just wanted to say thank you to one of our advertising sponsors that has been so good to me over the years. Flourish Boutique is known for not only helping women find outfits and accessories to make them feel special, but also for being a unique but affordable places to shop. Most items run from around $30-$100 for their customers.

Boutique shopping may seem out of the budget, but what I think makes Flourish special is their  great sales and a Steal of the Day program too; where a new inventory item is guaranteed to be $9.99 or less! If you happen to be a local, they also offer a fun Overstock room upstairs where I have been able to score many great deals for a fraction of the price and an annual sale where you can shop at truly deep discounts.

I get a lot of great compliments on the clothing I wear and it is through my partnership with Flourish that I get to look so great. I like to stand out at conferences and feel confident in the clothing I wear. Here are some examples of beautiful things I have worn this year from our sponsor!

I love clothing that is very feminine, ladylike, and I love pretty ruffles and embellishments to my outfits. As you can see, the store offers just that with those little details that I love. The only hard thing is that the clothing is so darn memorable that people remember when I wore the outfits last so I have to keep adding to my outfits to switch them up.

I never wear something from the store and not get stopped or complimented. Even when we spent the day in Chicago, people would stop me on the street and ask where I got my necklace or dress. It got to the point that my husband claimed, he was just “an accessory to the Amy show.”

True story!

The store offers online shopping so if you don’t live around here, you can still partake of all of the amazing deals and steals that the store offers on their website. MomAdvice customers receive a 25% discount code. Just enter WEB25 when you checkout!

Thank you again to Flourish for being a valued supporter of MomAdvice.

My husband thanks you too!

 

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It’s Another 100 Days of Summer Pinterest Board!!!

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

I had the best time last summer creating our very first 100 days of summer activities board for our family to do and share with you. We had over 6,000 followers to that board and heard from many of you that the board inspired you to tackle fun projects with your kids.

Since that time I have been getting emails and comments requesting that we do another 100 days of summer list with you again! How could we turn away your cries of longing for cool stuff to do with your kids, sweet treats to share with them, and great craftiness on a dime?

I am so excited to share with you the 100 days of summer (’12) edition where you can get another amazing round-up of 100 ideas to inspire your summer bucket list. As I was gathering these ideas, I began to get more and more excited about the summer ahead and what we could do together.

This list has everything from making homemade butterbeer drinks for those Harry Potter enthusiasts, to making homemade shrinky dinks, to getting back to the basics with great dinner discussions with great family conversation starters.

There is something for everyone on here- boys and girls of all ages and craft levels. The best part is that they are ALL budget-friendly and will cost you very little in supplies.

I am looking forward to tackling our own summer list and will be documenting our projects through mobile pictures.You can catch me on Instagram, fellow iPhone and Droid users, where I am documenting our summer.  Just search for the username momadvice. Just as a side note, I try to always answer all the comments on my pictures if I can. If you have questions about projects we are doing or just want to say hello, I will do my best to respond! 

I still will be sharing our apron full of giveaways and our notebook of inspiration each week. I will also have fresh content through my freelance writing jobs with Snackpicks, Kenmore, Goodwill, Glad, & Walmart that will keep our site fully loaded with great ideas for your summer. Best of all, a weekly meal planner will be available to you to help you plan your summer menus.

On Tuesdays though, I will be sharing what we are working on from our summer list through mobile pictures and quick notes on what fun activities we are doing at our house. I am hoping it will be an inspiration to you to get out and enjoy the summer with your children. I can’t say we will tackle a hundred activities, but I will be awfully proud if we do one cool activity a week.

I hope you will enjoy our laid-back inspiration this summer!  I want to enjoy every moment I have with these two kids- my time with them is so fleeting and precious to me. I plan to soak up every moment with them that I can.

Cheers to an amazing summer with your families!

If you’d like, you can follow all of my Pinterest Boards here!

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Posted in Announcements, Kids Crafts | 14 Comments »

Easy Cake Batter Ice Cream

Monday, May 14th, 2012


Last summer I got an ice cream maker for $20 at our local ALDI store. I was excited to try making homemade ice cream, but wasn’t willing to make an investment into my dream Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker until I figured out if ice cream making was something we would actually enjoy doing together. I am happy to say our little $20 purchase paid for itself over and over again since we enjoyed several fun varieties of ice cream.

Last week we had a new reason to break out our ice cream maker. We finally turned in the manuscript for, “The Good Life for Less,” to my Editor. My day has felt so divided between all of my client’s projects, my children and all of their school projects/activities, the book, and the blog. We all agreed that a party would be in order for this momentous family occasion. It is bringing a small fraction of my day back to me.

This cake batter ice cream is, by far, my favorite recipe for ice cream. There is no cooking of ingredients required, I usually have all of the ingredients on hand in my refrigerator, and the cake mix can be your own favorite variety or a cake mix that you need to use up in your cupboard. It is so rich and creamy and tastes just like your favorite ice cream shop, without the hefty price tag!

Top this ice cream with a few of your favorite sprinkles and find a reason to celebrate something in your family. Perhaps, it is the beginning of summer, a great report card, or just celebrating how awesome and amazing your child is. Party hats are optional, but sprinkles are not!

Easy Cake Batter Ice Cream
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Amy Allen Clark
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 5
Choose any variety of cake mix or even a brownie mix to add to this deliciously rich ice cream. Top with your favorite toppings for a fun sundae party at home!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup skim milk, well chilled
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup cake mix (you can use any variety of cake mix or brownie mix)
Instructions
  1. Place freezer bowl of ice cream maker into the freezer. Chill the freezer bowl for a minimum of 24 hours.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.
  4. Whisk in cake mix, making sure there are no lumps.
  5. Pour mixture into the freezer bowl and let mix until it has thickened (about 25-30 minutes). Remove ice cream from freezer bowl and place into a separate freezer-safe container.
  6. Place freezer bowl and the ice cream into the freezer to further harden (at least three hours).
  7. Serve with your favorite sundae toppings.

 

 

Here are a few pictures of our Manuscript Done, Party for Four….

My hubby ran to the grocery store and picked up some party hats for us. My best friend contributed a bottle of bubbly grape juice for our little party. For our celebration dinner, I made my favorite Chicken Lo Mein, baked brown rice, steamed edamame, and this delicious ice cream. We finished our party, as all good parties should, with a little karaoke on our Craigslist-purchased Xbox. It was the perfect party with the perfect people!

You can always follow our family through Instagram! It is a fun little photo app for your iPhone or Droid. I am momadvice and would love to be friends with you on there!

 

Have you made homemade ice cream before? Have any recipes, techniques, or tools you use to make your family’s favorite summer treat?

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Posted in Announcements, Desserts, Kid Eats, My Work | 10 Comments »

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