Archive for the ‘Blogging’ Category

FAQ For Amy

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

Q: I want to start a blog or find a work-at-home job, but I don’t know how. How can I start learning about blogging and working from home?

A: I have a post here that addresses the questions on working from home. I also posted awhile back on how to gain a readership, and how to track that traffic. I hope these help!

Q: Will you be discussing the economy slump?

A: I will be honest and say that I am not what I would consider a personal finance blogger. I write about frugal measures that our family takes, but am not as educated on specific topics of personal finance. I will continue to share how we save money, address the personal finance issues I feel confident on addressing, and will try to lead by example through my blog. I am more of a tightwad blogger than a personal finance blogger. What I learn though, I always will share- I promise! I am working on some new material to add to address these issues and am researching blog ideas to share more on this topic though, but it might be a bit on the “light” side for the hardcore PF bloggers.

Q: Can I add you to my blogroll? How do I get added to yours?

Absolutely, we love being added to blogrolls. In fact, I will say that this is one of the easiest ways to find great blogs for me to read is through your referral links. I periodically check referral links and try to send a thank you for referencing my posts. One of the ways we thank people back is by featuring them here through the notebook entries and I try to reciprocate as much as I can through a blog entry format. Another way to get on our site is to join the Frugal Hacks network and then you are automatically added to the blogroll through my handy Frugal Hacks button that you will see to the side.

Q: Are you going to do the spring cleaning series anymore?

A: I actually got really overwhelmed with it and now that it is nice out, I haven’t been spending a lot of time indoors. I hope to do more printables in the future, but I have been trying to still devote one hour weekly towards working on some little tasks to tidy the home. I can start posting those in the interim and share what I am working on, but the printables might be on hold until the nice weather is over. My kids want to play outside and I love to be outside with them. With all of the regular writing engagements I have, I am struggling with some of the necessary work for my site. I promise to continue to inspire you in your home though and hope to always have new ideas and recipes to share to get things tidy.

Q: Are you going to do more Aldi menu planners?

A:
I hope to put more of these together in the future. Frankly, we ran out of recipes and so I have been taking a little break. I still try to do a new recipe each week, but we eat some of the same things each week too. If I build up enough new recipes to do another planner, I promise to do my best to put another one together. In the meantime, Aldi has their own recipes now and you can put together menus from their very own site. They are not Amy-tested and kid-approved recipes, but it is a great start towards adding some variety in your mealtime.

Q: I have an Aldi complaint. Can I just send it to you to forward my feedback on to the company?

A: Um, no. Please don’t send me your Aldi complaints. I don’t work for Aldi and, as of yet, have not gotten a paycheck from them for all my lovely product endorsing. I don’t have a contact there for you so you will have to take your product in to your local store and request a refund there.

Q: What kind of camera do you use and are you happy with your new camera?

A:
I bought my camera after I had asked our reader’s opinions on the cameras that they use and the success they had with them. The camera I use is a Canon PowerShot S5. I would have loved to have gotten a Rebel, but the practical side of me won out and I am so glad I got this one. It is FABULOUS and I couldn’t be any happier. I have been having so much fun playing around with it and it has made my blogging a ton easier. My other camera needed a steady hand all of the time and I seem to have a shaky hand so this has been a wonderful investment for me. No more missed photo opportunities of my children. I paid roughly $320 for this camera and it has been worth every penny.

Q: I emailed you and you never wrote me back? Why?

A: I apologize if you have emailed me and I haven’t responded. I receive anywhere between sixty to a hundred messages each day. I try to respond to as many as I can, but please know that I read ALL of your messages and have appreciated everything you guys send. I love each of you and appreciate your thoughtfulness!!

Sound Off: Have a question for me- here is your opportunity! I will answer any question you have- personal, cleaning questions, homemaking questions, money questions, stuff about your kids… whatever!

Mommy Interview: Kathy Kaehler

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

The Hanes team contacted us to see if we would be interested in interviewing some of their moms from their spokesperson team. They have created a fun resource for parents and picked some amazing parents to represent their brand.

Kathy Kaehler, mom, celebrity trainer, author and spokesperson has devoted her life to helping people live happy, productive and healthy lives. Beyond imparting the latest in fitness workouts, this lifestyle expert has tackled such subjects as multi-tasking, stress management, nutrition, how to get a good night’s sleep and how to get kids of the couch and onto their feet.

As a mother of eleven year old twins and a seven year old (all boys!), Kaehler is committed to keeping her kids and all children fit. Kathy shares a few tips for how to get our kids off of the couch… and ourselves!


We are all trying to raise healthy children, but it is evident that we are falling short when it comes to exercise. How much physical activity should our children be getting each day?

I think our kids need to be doing something physical everyday for 30-60 minutes a day. It does not have to be all at once but if you break up that time into ten minute romps it really adds up. Kids don’t mind exercise as long as it’s fun! Don’t just sign your kid up for a class or a sport – find out what they really enjoy. It’s important to keep in mind that fitness isn’t always what we think of in the traditional sense – Frisbee, mini golf, bowling – these are all ways to get different parts of your kids’ bodies moving! You can find some of my ideas on hanes.com/kids of fun activities you can do with your kids, such as going for an adventure hike in the backyard or at the local park (don’t forget to pack healthy snacks and water); throwing a ball or water balloons at a target; creating a music mix for a dance party. Play with your kids and show them how fun it is to be active!

For families that suffer through long winters or are not able to get outside as often, what are some fun indoor activities that you can do with your children?

There are many things that you can do inside while the weather is cold, but don’t forget kids love to get out and play in snow and rain. Just make sure they are bundled up. For indoor fun try family challenges like one minute of jumping jacks, walking up and down the stairs, try to see many rooms can you walk in and out of in one minute, etc. “Balloon Flight” is a great game that I get my kids to play. Blow up a med size balloon and the object is to not let the balloon touch the ground and you can’t touch the balloon twice in a row. Lots of laughter and action with this one! Create a whole schedule of activities around the house and you and the kids will be surprised how fast time will fly by.

At what age should you begin exercising with your child?

The most important thing to remember is that we parents are the best role models at creating an active environment for our kids and this can never start too early. I showed my kids how to start using their muscles as soon as they started to walk. Even in the stroller you can begin to tell them that you are exercising and that they are helping you. I also began asking my boys at an early age what they did that day that helped their bodies – whether it was eating their vegetables, walking the dog, etc. The kids would think about it all day and couldn’t wait to tell me (and show up their brothers) later that night. I found that this type of thinking helped create a foundation for an active lifestyle that will hopefully stay with them for years to come.

With video games and television taking our children away from healthy activity, what are some ways that parents can make exercise as appealing to them as these things seem to be?

First off, make sure your kids are comfortable when they’re out and about! My guys will only wear tagless tees from Hanes – they can’t stand the itching and chafing from tags when they’re running around – and they practically live in Hanes’ super soft hoodies. If your kids are in comfortable gear, they’ll play longer. If they’re not, they’ll just come right back and plop on the comfy couch.

Encourage your kids to be happy and have fun. As I mentioned before, kids don’t mind exercise as long as they’re having a good time. Instead of forcing a sport or activity on your child, take the time to figure out what he or she enjoys doing. This can be bowling, ultimate Frisbee, jazz class or in the more traditional sense, soccer, tennis, lacrosse. If kids start off with a positive attitude towards their chosen form of exercise, there is a better chance they’ll stick with it.

If you can’t win over the video games, and chances are you will lose this battle at some point, at least make them play active ones. They really can be a workout!

Last resort: you can also bribe. I know how that sounds, but in my house, and probably in most houses, we have to compromise and some things are trade offs. It’s reality that kids want to play video games and watch TV. If the kids say they have to play a game or have to watch this show, then they have to go out on the trampoline and jump so many times beforehand.

As busy moms, how can we make exercise a priority in our schedule? How often should we be exercising?

We need to be exercising most days of the week. In order to be on top of everything going on in the house, you have to feel good about yourself and the best way to do that is to get in a workout. You will be a happier mom, more organized and have the energy to do it all. This doesn’t mean you need to be at the gym every day of the week. You can take a class, and you can also take dog to the park or go on a walk with your girlfriends. I also suggest my “Take Five” workout. Every morning and every night take just five minutes to do some jumping jacks, squats and/or side-to-side hops. These five minute blasts will get your heart rate and energy level up and it’s only ten minutes a day!

What can moms do when they get stuck in an exercising rut?

My advice is to sit down to think about new goals and map out your plan of attack. Remember to be realistic in what your schedule and body can take when creating these new goals. I also suggest getting your mom, or friends or co-worker on board to help you stay motivated and explore different ways to stay in shape – whether it’s a walk for a charity one weekend, training for a mini marathon, going on a bike ride or taking some tennis lessons. Mixing it up and changing your surroundings when working out will keep you from getting bored or stuck.

Sound Off: Do you engage in exercise regularly? How do you make this a priority for your children?

Another Season of Gift Giving

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

It seems that the summer is our crazy season for gift-giving. Between high school graduations, weddings, new babies, and the regular birthdays, we can spend a lot of money on our gifts.

I am sure I am not alone so I wanted to share some links to frugal ideas for buying and wrapping your gifts this year!

Gift Giving:

Elegant Photo Albums– Would make an excellent Mother’s Day gift!
Bubbly Magnets– A great addition to a college student’s gift or Mother’s Day gift!
Sugar & Spice Nuts– Would make a fabulous Father’s Day gift
A His & Hers Gift to Remember
Frugal Wedding Gifts
Housewarming Gift Ideas
How to Make a Diaper Cake
Thrifty Graduation Gifts
Frugal Graduation Gifts
Painted Mugs– Great for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or for a special babysitter who might be off to college
Restaurant.com Gift Certificates– Great for any occasion
Give the Gift of Magazines Frugally
Starbucks Banana Pound Cake– Paired with a pound of coffee, it would make a lovely gift for Father’s Day

Gift Wraping:

Gift Wrapping Made Easy
Be a Wrap Superstar: Use What You Have
Be a Wrap Superstar: Tailor Your Gift
Be a Wrap Superstar: Wallpaper That Gift
Simplifying Gift Giving
Introducing You to the Gift Closet

Sound Off:
Do you have a favorite baby, housewarming, wedding, or graduation gift that is always a hit?

MomAdvice Weekly Recap 04.25.08

Friday, April 25th, 2008

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:

How Our Garden Grows –Welcome to my little garden. After my earnest attempts last year, I realized that the place I had planted in was far too shady for any good growth. After much thought and careful consideration in my yard, I decided to plant our garden alongside our patio. It is a sunny location that is close to the house, so it will make it easier on me to maintain it and water it throughout the summer Continue Reading

At the Car Wash Keeping little ones entertained during the summer doesn’t have to be a challenge. Check out our fun and crazy car wash that we did this week….Continue Reading

Earth Day Reflections We had a great day together, celebrating Earth Day yesterday. To celebrate we spent the entire day outside and I made sure we had lots of stuff to do while we were out there. I gathered all of our supplies together and grabbed two water bottles for the kids to keep them hydrated while we were outside. Apparently, Ethan had been discussing Earth Day with his teachers because he looked at me and said, “That bottle is not a 7, right? 7’s are BAD and I can’t drink from them.”…Continue Reading

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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).

It is time for another bloggy giveaway carnival and I am going take the plunge and participate again. Because I am oh-so-unoriginal and always think you shouldn’t mess with a good thing, I am sponsoring the same exact giveaway as I did last time.. $25 Starbucks Gift Card! The last contest was such a roaring success that I want to replicate that again. Yeah, I know…boring and unoriginal. To enter, please tell me one issue you struggle with when it comes to your family finances. I will use your questions as material for my site. It can be anything, anything at all. The more original the better. ENTER HERE BY 8PM TONIGHT!!

New Real Mom Reviews:

Todd English GreenPan

Phosphate-Free eco+ Dishwasher Detergent

Kraft 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese

Featured Recipe of the Week:

Vanilla Scented Granola

Forum Discussions:

What kind of things do you do for your children’s bedtime routines? Have you adapted them over time? About how long does the routine last? …Join the Discussion

Boo Hoo. I had to buy gas this morning and it’s 3.89 a gallon…the lowest price I could find here. I swear I almost had a panic attack when I saw the price… Join the Discussion

Play it Again, Momma!

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

Going Without Prescription Coverage: A Self Discovery

Use eBay & Save

Hospital Hospitality

Good Cheap Fun- BUNCO!!

Not enough of me yet?

WSBT: Affordable Birthday Parties

Frugal Hacks: Celebrating Earth Day

Blissfully Domestic: Weeding Through Your Childs Artwork Creatively

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

Kenmore: Make Meal Planning Easier

Carnival of the Recipes (@ Wow! You are Really Lucky…)

Carnival of Personal Finances (@ The Happy Rock-We made the Editor’s Pick!!!)

Make It From Scratch (@ Stop the Ride)

Carnival of Debt Reduction (@ No Debt Plan– We made the Editor’s Pick!!)

Festival of Frugality (On Financial Success)

MomAdvice Weekly Recap: 04.18.08

Friday, April 18th, 2008

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:

Do you live green? Use eco-friendly cleaning products? I found this website…Join the Discussion

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

You Can Find Me Here Too!

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

This week on Blissfully Domestic I am sharing a few tips for dressing your kid like a celebrity…or die trying! You can see a picture of Ethan in his favorite, “Rock Star” t-shirt!

Over at Frugal Hacks I am sharing how we plan to beat the bad weather days this summer and am opening the floor up to see how you keep your little ones entertained when you are stuck indoors.

On WSBT this morning, I shared tips for keeping those birthday parties fun & frugal! We are all about making our celebrations affordable and I share a ton of ideas to make your next birthday party a heck of a lot cheaper!

Tired of me yet? I sure am!

MomAdvice Weekly Recap 04.11.08

Friday, April 11th, 2008


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:

Its been awhile since I have been on. I fell off of the frugal homemaking bandwagon. *sigh* I’m back though, and I’m still so uncertain of what I’m doing. A sales flyer has whole fryers on sale for 78 cents a pound. Is that good? I have never in my life cooked a whole chicken. I’ve read that typically its cheaper to buy it this way though, and I was wanting to give it a shot. I just have no idea when cheap is cheap though. Any help would be great…Join the Discussion

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

I Am Tapped Out

Monday, April 7th, 2008

I am feeling very tapped out these days. I thought that I could do all of this and I am starting to question why I signed up for all of this stuff. Does anyone else feel like this?

I need to come up with daily entries for the blog, conduct a giveaway and a few reviews each month for the product reviews, I should be updating the Aldi blog (although I haven’t in awhile), and I am trying to come up with a well-researched article monthly to add to our content.

I guest blog for two blogs, I write monthly for a print publication, I represent Kenmore and help them put together a monthly entry for that and promote whatever it is going on, I film four-five segments each month for our local news… and I am tired.

I don’t have any new material and I feel at a loss this month for what I can do. Can you guys please help me and tell me what would be some good topics to cover? I just have nothing in me and I feel like I am doing the same tired tap dance over and over again. I am human and I know it is normal to feel like this at times, I just seem to be in a funk and can’t get out of it. I would appreciate any help you can offer!

MomAdvice Weekly Recap 03.28.08

Friday, March 28th, 2008

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 notContinue Reading

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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

Kenmore: Make Family Meal Planning Easier

Friday, March 28th, 2008

I promised I would share when my first article was up on the Kenmore site and it is finally on there! You can read my tips for making family meal planning easier on their website. I hope that you will find some helpful tips in there for your family!

Next month, I will be sharing tips for green cleaning in the home!

Do you have a question for the make-it-simple team or tips and ideas to share? Send them to makeitsimple@searshc.com. Each month, our experts will respond to select questions and we’ll post select user tips and ideas. If we respond to your question or post your tip, you may receive a $10 Sears gift card. Send yours today!