My son is back to school and Spring Break has ended. We had so much fun this past week that he was very reluctant to return back to school. I think I made it a fun vacation for him and I hope that you all enjoyed your spring breaks with your kids too!

This has been a wonderful week for my family and I just want to thank you all for your sweet comments and congratulations on achieving one of our financial goals. It has meant so much to me to read those and I promise to share next week a more detailed explaination for how we were able to accomplish it.

In the meantime, there is PLENTY of stuff to read! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy some special time with your family.

Featured Article:

Goodbye, Old Friend: Asking Jealousy to Leave- I pull into the parking lot and park my beat-up car between a Hummer & a Mercedes. I let out a sigh and turn behind me to find him sitting in the backseat between my two children. “You can leave now. You aren’t wanted here,” I say. He looks back at me, absently, dismissing my request with a blank smile….. Continue Reading

Blog Entries for Fun & Discussion:

Rainy Day Survival Kit –I have been wanting to work on this project for some time, and since it was miserable weather all weekend, it seemed like the perfect time to tackle this project. I went to Goodwill and found a plain leather suitcase for $5. I gave it a good scrubbing, when I got it home, and proceeded to decorate it with some knick knacks from my craft supplies … Continue Reading

Being Busy or How Technology Takes Over Our Lives– Technology is a great thing, but it can also cause a disconnection between ourselves and the people in our lives. I will use my cell phone use as a perfect example for how it has helped my relationships grow and how it can also take away from my relationships….Continue Reading

Spring Break ’08 Cost Breakdown– We did so much over our spring break, that we took the last day off to just rest. The kids were tired and so was I, but we finished the weekend off with a yummy dinner and another free Netflix rental…”Alvin & the Chipmunks.”…Continue Reading

This American’s Dream– When the American dream consists of a McMansion, giant flat screen television, and an expensive car, I often feel like my American dream seems modest and unremarkable….Continue Reading

Our Debt-Free Party– We finally celebrated our debt-free party, after making the final payment on our credit cards today. I wanted to make sure that it was really special and that the kids would be an active participant in our joy and elation of all we did to work towards this day…..Continue Reading

Don’t miss a single entry and subscribe to my feeds! We have made it easy for you to do it- you are just a click away!

Giving Away the Mother Load!

ParentsConnect is sponsoring a fabulous giveaway on our site. They are offering gift packs with a Nickelodeon umbrella, t-shirt, and a Barnyard Book for two of our lucky readers. To enter, please submit a comment HERE and tell us one of your best parenting tips. Entries are due by April 29th (Tuesday) at 8 PM Eastern Time. I am sorry but this contest is only open to US Residents (including PR and CAN).

New Real Mom Reviews:

Phosphate-Free eco+ Dishwasher Detergent

Kraft 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese

Hane’s Childrens Clothing Line

Featured Recipe of the Week:

Key Lime Pie With a Graham Cracker & Oatmeal Crust

Forum Discussions:

Has anyone had experience with bananas leaving a stain that won’t come out? I had no idea this might happen. My daughter went a little nuts with her banana at daycare one day, and got a lot of it on her pants. She also had some dirt on her knees from crawling around outside (it was a rare nice day here in the Midwest)…. Join the Discussion


Play it Again, Momma!

Did you miss these posts the first time around? Here they are for your reading pleasure!

Taking a Look at Our Electrical History

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know

Ask For Your Discounts

Budget Friendly Ideas for Kids Rooms

Car Repair on a Budget

Disney or Bust

Not enough of me yet?

WSBT: Affordable Birthday Parties

Frugal Hacks: Preparing for Those Rainy Days

Blissfully Domestic: Dressing Your Kid Like a Celebrity…Or Die Trying

Michiana Family Magazine: Goodbye, Old Friend- Asking Jealousy to Leave

Kenmore: Make Meal Planning Easier

Featured Article:

Goodbye, Old Friend: Asking Jealousy to Leave- I pull into the parking lot and park my beat-up car between a Hummer & a Mercedes. I let out a sigh and turn behind me to find him sitting in the backseat between my two children. “You can leave now. You aren’t wanted here,” I say. He looks back at me, absently, dismissing my request with a blank smile….. Continue Reading

Blog Entries for Fun & Discussion:

InfantSEE: Free Vision Care for Your Infant – If you have an infant or even if you have a friend who has an infant, I beg you to not miss this blog post on how you can get free vision care for your infants and why it is so important for healthy development… Continue Reading

How Did I Get So Busy? (A Busy Bee Quiz)– I am exploring how I became so busy and how to stop my feelings of being run down all of the time by sharing a new book I am reading that is helping me…Continue Reading

I Am Tapped Out– I would love to get your feedback on what you would like to see on our site. I have been struggling with the day-to-day maintenance of running the site and our household and I welcome your ideas…Continue Reading

I Am Busy, But Why?– I am trying to share reasons why I have become so busy and how our busyness can be directly relate to our own self-esteem and self-worth…Continue Reading

Don’t miss a single entry and subscribe to my feeds! We have made it easy for you to do it- you are just a click away!

Giving Away the Mother Load!

We are running TWO new giveaways this week! Dr. Mindell has written a book called, “Sleep Deprived No More.” This is an autographed copy of her book sharing tips for getting pregnant mommies to sleep better and tips for early motherhood. If you would like to win a copy of this autographed book, please leave me a comment here by Friday (04/11) and I will include you in the giveaway. If you have a sleep tip you would like to include that has worked for you, please let us know!

We are so excited to be offering FIVE Kodak Sport Cameras up for grabs! This giveaway will end next Monday ( 04/14) at 8 PM. To enter, please share one of your favorite tips for getting a great picture or a description of one of the best pictures you have ever taken here! I especially love to hear tips for capturing those dreaded family photos or how to get your child to stand still for any length of time. Of course, the winners will be chosen at random, but I look forward to your responses. Good luck, everyone!

New Real Mom Reviews:

Ticklebug Changing Kit

dunkluv biscotti

Featured Recipe of the Week:

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Forum Discussions:

How do you feel about negative thoughts or “vibes” around you making things happen or not happen? For instance, a person in your life that is always grouchy, yelling and angry, how do you feel that affects the things that happen to you? Do good things happen to those with a positive attitude? And negative things happen to those with a negative attitude… Join the Discussion


Play it Again, Momma!

Did you miss these posts the first time around? Here they are for your reading pleasure!

Our Kitchen Makeover

Weekend Projects: The New Workspace

A Tutorial on Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Budget Friendly Ideas for Kids Rooms

Not enough of me yet?

WSBT: Tips for Spring Cleaning

Frugal Hacks: One Deck of Cards Equals Hours of Enjoyment

Blissfully Domestic: Creative Toy Replacements

Michiana Family Magazine: Goodbye, Old Friend- Asking Jealousy to Leave

The Daily Special: Spring Cleaning & Healthy Eating

Kenmore: Make Meal Planning Easier

Here is this week’s round-up of fun activity. There was a lot going on this week, but lots of great discussion. We talked about our gardens, our parenting woes and solutions, and are still working on all of that spring cleaning. Anyone else feel like their house is going back to square one?

I hope you will check out what we have been up to! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Featured Article:

Spring Cleaning for Today’s Mom- With spring comes all of the beauty of the changing season. We finally began to see our grass; we enjoy seeing the new buds on our trees, and the sweet smell of a good April shower. What also comes along is the dreaded ritual of spring cleaning. Maybe you went through this awful experience as a child. Your mother would be pulling all the linens, washing the drapes, deep cleaning every nook and cranny of your home and then collapse after a full day of cleaning. I don’t remember this as being a fun ritual for our family and have decided to try a different method of cleaning in our own home…. Continue Reading

Blog Entries for Fun & Discussion:

How Does Your Garden Grow? – I am looking forward to spring, as the snow piles again on the ground, and wanted to discuss gardening plans this year. I also share a list of some great posts that I have read recently on making the most of the gardening season this year… Continue Reading

A Truthful Journey & Then a Party– Next month will be the last credit card payment that I hopefully will ever have to make. I am looking for ideas for throwing a debt-free party and am opening the floor up to you…Continue Reading

Just Call Me Ticketmaster– We are trying a new reward system in our house, thanks to a great reader tip and a fabulous book that I read. We are trying to overcome our discipline problems with some good old-fashioned beatings… just kidding, some positive parenting….Continue Reading

We Need to Work on Our Letters– Ethan is really interested in reading and writing so I shared some things that have worked for us and opened the floor up to discuss what tools you have used to help your children learn to write their letters…Continue Reading

You Discuss: Are Rewards Systems a Bad Idea? – We are having an honest discussion on whether rewards systems are a good tool in parenting? Do you agree with these or not… Continue Reading

Don’t miss a single entry and subscribe to my feeds! We have made it easy for you to do it- you are just a click away!

Giving Away the Mother Load!

Another giveaway? Say it isn’t so? This time I am picking ten winners for an amazing prize from Duracell! Each winner will win a set of rechargeable batteries and a portable charger. Head over to The Mother Loot and enter today!! Be sure to read our review on their awesome product!

New Real Mom Reviews:

Ticklebug Changing Kit

dunkluv biscotti

Featured Recipe of the Week:

Better Than Pam Spray

Forum Discussions:

This is Spring Break week for my kids. We have been having fun without spending much money. A trip somewhere wasn’t an option, so we have been doing something fun here everyday… Join the Discussion

I am a first time mom and my daughter is now almost 17 months old. She is showing just about all the signs that she is ready for potty training. My dilemma is that from now until August this year we are going to be doing a lot of traveling, in the car and by plane, and I am not sure this is the best time to start. We have bought a small potty for her and have been getting her acclimated to it. She continually tries to pull her diaper off and lets us know that she is going pee pee or poo poo. She does not let us know that she has to, only when she is going. I am afraid that with all the traveling it will be too much stress on her and on us to potty train her now. She will also be starting daycare in August for socialization. She just loves other children. What do you guys think??… Join the Discussion


Play it Again, Momma!

Did you miss these posts the first time around? Here they are for your reading pleasure!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

The Poor & The Sick

Lower Your House Payment

Creative Toy Replacements

How We Accomplish a $50 Grocery Budget

Not enough of me yet?

WSBT: Planning a Cheap Getaway

Frugal Hacks: Quit Being a One Woman Show

Blissfully Domestic: Repurposing the Sandbox

The Daily Special: Spring Cleaning & Healthy Eating

Kenmore: Make Meal Planning Easier

I apologize that this was a slow week on the blogging for me. The printables, a cold, and a promotional event for Kenmore slowed down the MomAdvice.com factory a bit. I am hoping to take this weekend to get back on track and work on some other things too. I appreciate your patience and hope that you will check back next week for some more fun and discussion!

Featured Article:

Budget-Minded Easter Celebrations- Easter is one of the holidays where you just don’t need to spend a bundle to have a memorable celebration. Take a few hints from us and learn how to have a budget-minded Easter celebration, while celebrating the holiday in style… Continue Reading

Blog Entries for Fun & Discussion:

Incomplete Projects- We had a fun discussion going on The Grocery Game and my sewing lessons and I dropped the ball. I decided that neither activities, at this point, were worth the time and effort. Yup, I continue to be an Aldi shopper and a die-hard thrift sale shopper instead of making my own clothes or cutting coupons… Continue Reading

Spring Cleaning the Bathroom- We tackled our kitchens and now we are tackling another area in our home… our bathrooms! I also begin to question my own sanity on why in the world I thought doing this many printables was a good idea… Continue Reading

Don’t miss a single entry and subscribe to my feeds! We have made it easy for you to do it- you are just a click away!

Giving Away the Mother Load!

Another giveaway? Say it isn’t so? This time I am picking ten winners for an amazing prize from Duracell! Each winner will win a set of rechargeable batteries and a portable charger. Head over to The Mother Loot and enter today!! Be sure to read our review on their awesome product!

Featured Recipe of the Week:

Buttery Bread Machine Rolls

Forum Discussions:

My son’s crib must be an unusually large one because none of the crib sheets that are supposed to fit “standard sized” cribs fit his mattress. I have ripped many sheets trying to get them on. I tried buying twin sheets because I was desperate and but those are just too big. I can’t seem to find a sheet made for extra large crib mattresses. Any suggestions or advice on finding sheets that fit large cribs?… Join the Discussion

Hi ladies! What’s Easter day like at your house? What are your traditions? Do you have a special Easter dinner? Does the easter bunny come? Do you attend an Easter service?… Join the Discussion


Play it Again, Momma! (A Spring Cleaning Edition)

Did you miss these posts the first time around? Here they are for your reading pleasure!

Repurposed the Sandbox

When Do You Have the Talk?

Schedule a Day In Your Kitchen

Homeschooling on a Budget

How We Accomplish a $50 Grocery Budget

Not enough of me yet?

WSBT: Easter on a Budget

Frugal Hacks: Does Your Thriftiness Impact Entertaining?

Blissfully Domestic: Old School Momma Declares War

Blissfully Domestic: Making Books Come to Life

I am so happy to announce that I am officially a Domestic Diva and have joined the team over at Blissfully Domestic. I am honored to be working with some of my favorite writers and will get to share more tips with you, covering the topic of family/parenting. This is a great online magazine of all things domestic and they have a hopping community already going. If you haven’t visited the site, I know you will be extremely impressed with the content and design. It is wonderful!

Featured Article:

Budget-Minded Easter Celebrations- Easter is one of the holidays where you just don’t need to spend a bundle to have a memorable celebration. Take a few hints from us and learn how to have a budget-minded Easter celebration, while celebrating the holiday in style… Continue Reading

Blog Entries for Fun & Discussion:

Tooth Fairy Economics- We got a great reader letter inquiring what the going rate was for the tooth fairy these days. Come join us in a fun discussion on Tooth Fairy Economics… Continue Reading

Travel Trips from Tracy Gallagher – Tracy Gallagher, from the Travel Channel, joins us for an interview and shares some really great tips for traveling with your children. We covered everything from saving money to saving your sanity to keep your children safe… Continue Reading

Spring Cleaning the Kitchen- We are breaking the spring cleaning down into smaller and more manageable task for moms and even providing personal coaching and encouragement through free printables. Learn how to clean anything and everything in your home and check in with us daily for some motivation… Continue Reading

Thank You Writers Strike Part III- We did it. We got rid of the extended package, after our rates were raised again. Join us in a discussion on whether or not cable (or satellite television is worth it) and how you got around paying THE MAN…Continue Reading

Don’t miss a single entry and subscribe to my feeds! We have made it easy for you to do it- you are just a click away!

Giving Away the Mother Load!

The Geek Squad is offering one lucky reader a gift card for $169 to be put towards the Geek Squad helping put in a wireless network in your home! How cool is that? To enter this giveaway, please leave us a comment by March 19th at 8PM on The Motherloot. In your comment, please share one thing you would like our new resident Tech Mom to cover about computers– ANYTHING you are struggling with understanding is fair game for discussion on future features… Enter To Win!

Today is the LAST DAY to enter our Horizon Organic Milk giveaway!! Why buy milk when I could just give it to you for free? Hurry over to The MotherLoot for contest details on a giveaway for three containers of Horizon Organics Plus with DHA!

Featured Recipe of the Week:

Apple Pie Muffins

Forum Discussions:

Does anyone know of a site where there are any coupons for Crayola, my kids love the Color Wonder products but there are very expensive, Target has them on sale and I am just trying to find a way to make the deal sweeter!… Join the Discussion

I LOVE my crock pot too! Unfortunately, only after 8 years my crock pot just went on the fritz. It was a Rival, which I thought was the original…do you have a brand you like? I’m going to be buying a new one soon and could use some suggestions! It’s funny, I had my mom’s that she had received as a wedding gift for years, and it was still working after 37 years but I donated it since it was small and the crock didn’t come out. That is what I get for wanting the added convenience!… Join the Discussion


Play it Again, Momma! (A Spring Cleaning Edition)

Did you miss these posts the first time around? Here they are for your reading pleasure!

Displaying a Collection

Get Yourself Organized

How Do You Organize Your Pantry

Getting the Car Organized

Free Up Pantry Space & Make a Snack

Maximizing Space

Not enough of me yet?

WSBT: The Amazing Dishwasher

Frugal Hacks: Frugal Momma in Overdrive

Blissfully Domestic: Fun Family Game Nights