Progress Report: Day Five in the Bathroom

March 21st, 2008

My second bathroom is all clean and tidy. I washed the floors, cleaned the baseboards, cleared items from the ledge (a catch-all for a lot of stuff), recycled the old magazines, and swiped everything down.


The sink is all clean and tidy and I put a fresh hand towel out for our guests. My parents are coming over for the day so I wanted to get this done before their visit.


Can anyone guess where I shoved all those extra towels from my upstairs linen closet? Not necessarily ideal, but I can’t part with perfectly good towels. I figured they would be nice and safe in here until we need them. These will be a great back-up if I get behind on our laundry!

Target- How Do I Love Thee?

March 21st, 2008


It is cold and dark outside so I have to use my flash for these pictures which makes them hideous looking, but bear with me! When I went to Target, I happened upon these sweet little things. Aren’t they so cute? They are about the size of a wallet and have pretty Target trees on them with little birds. They are super compact and I can fit three of them easily in my purse.


Unzip and unfold… behold their glory! A full size grocery bag. Say what? How cool is that? Did I mention that three of these will easily fit in my purse.

And…let’s say that you went on a trip and you didn’t want to carry a purse, but you had some unmentionable items that you had to carry with you. You could tuck these inside with it all folded up and no one would be the wiser (just remember to remove the stuff before grocery shopping). Oh, and did I mention that these are $.99? Heaven!


Let’s just say that you are one of THOSE KINDS OF PEOPLE, and you like everything to be all matchy-matchy in your life. Maybe you thought to yourself that carrying these cute grocery bags would look super cute with your red shoes?

And then you thought about that amazing red coat you purchased with the amazing lining that would match perfectly with your red Target bags and you were like, “OH MY GOSH! How cute am I going to look with all my matchy-match stuff!” And your husband and family totally didn’t get it AT ALL, but you knew someone out there in the internet world thought, “Wow, won’t that look cute with her red shoes and red coat!” And you happened to pat yourself on the back because you knew you had such great girlfriends who would understand.


I also found over in the housewares section, they had these cute placemats for $.99 for TWO placemats. They wipe off and they look so cute and modern in my kitchen. I have a thing for red these days and these make me happy. I got six of them for my kitchen table (less than $3 in all!) I just love this print!

And then I thought how cute these would look with a basket of red apples with just a few green in there to bring out the green in the placement. And then I thought, “Wouldn’t it look just like a pretty portrait if I sat in a chair and ate my red apples with the hint of green that I removed from my cute red bag and sat down at that table with the cute placemat and kicked up my red shoes with my red coat draped behind me?” I think that sounds like a portrait, don’t you?

Or am I taking this too far? Maybe I need a label on my blog for dork moments? Hmm…

Freebie Friday: March 21, 2008

March 21st, 2008

A big thank you to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, who helped supply our list of freebies this week. She does such an amazing job keeping everyone up-to-date on the latest freebies. Check her site regularly to access all the latest freebies!

Health & Beauty
Colgate Total toothpaste (Walmart sample)
Redken (for those with curly hair)
Degree deodorant (free sample with sweepstakes entry)
Dexatrim Max2O (Walmart sample)
Ultra XCID Antacid (Walmart sample)
Men’s Rogaine Foam

Dial Antibacterial Soap

Free antibotics from Publix (thank you to our reader, Colleen, for sending me that one!)

Food
Entertainment
Drop Everything And Read Day Kit (from Beverly Cleary)
John Adams Greeting Card (customize w/photos, includes 2-way postage)
Bridal Guide Magazine (1 free issue from StartSampling)
CosmoGirl and Seventeen magazines (3 free issues from StartSampling)

Free admission to Adventures in Travel Expo (Enter promo Code: NGFREE. This is at the Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C from 3/29/08-3/30/08)

Two Free Tickets to a March 22nd New Jersey Nets Game or a March 26th Chicago Bulls Game (you will want to pick the tickets up to guarantee your seat)

$5 Amazon Gift Card for TiVo Subscribers- With your TiVo remote Press the TiVo button
Then scroll down to “Showcases & TV Guide” and select “Corolla the X”
Then select “Get a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card” TiVo members can opt in to receive a $5 Amazon.com gift card via email within 2 weeks. This offer will be available to the first 5,000 viewers, who respond to this offer, beginning March 20 thru March 26, and available to the next 5,000 viewers, who respond to this offer, from March 27 thru April 2. Limit one gift card per household. To get your gift card, your TiVo must be activated and subscribed to the TiVo service and must also be hooked up to either an active phone line or your broadband network.

Michigan Guide & Travel Maps

Pet Care

PetPlace.com eCourses (“5 Habits of Highly Effective Dog Owners” and “10 Habits of Cat Crazy People”

Mark your calendars!! YMCA Healthy Kids Day on April 12

Mark your calendars!! Receive a one-on-one beauty makeover from ULTA’s beauty consultants and learn how to get the latest looks with some of the best brands. Plus, you’ll receive deluxe samples from participating brands* to help you start off the season in style. Book your appointment now.
March 28 • Smashbox & NeoStrata
March 29 • Bare Escentuals, MD Formulations & Murad
March 30 • Stila & Fusion Beauty

Mark your calendars!! Starting March 4, 2008, bring the April 2008 cover of Seventeen or a printout of the seventeen.com home page to any Aéropostale store to receive one (1) “Miss Save the World” tank top (approximate retail value: $19.50 each). Forty thousand (40,000) will be given away. One per person. Giveaway ends April 8, 2008. While supplies last.

Mark your calendars!! Free ink refills will be available at Walgreens on April 2, 2008. They do not refill any Epson or Canon cartridges, but they do fill a number of Lexmark, HP, and Dell. Call your local Walgreens to find out if they fill your c
artridge. You get 1 color OR black free refill per person so if you need two cartridges filled, bring a friend or you have to pay for the second one. Also, this deal is VERY popular, so don’t go in on free day thinking you’ll get your cartridge back soon. It’s usually returned to you later that day, even up to 24 hours-3+ days for busier stores. (Thank you My Coupons)

Here’s to the Heroes!!
Complimentary admission for active duty military representing all five service branches, active members of a reserve or National Guard unit, and/or up to three direct dependants. Valid for one complimentary single-day admission per person, per year, to one of the following Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks:
o SeaWorld Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio
o Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Williamsburg
o Sesame Place
o Aquatica
o Adventure Island
o Water Country USA
Offer valid between 1/1/2008 and 12/31/2008. Operating days and hours vary by park.
Please check with specific park for current operating schedule. Visit their site for more details!
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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!

MomAdvice Weekly Recap: 03.20.08

March 21st, 2008


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

Progress Report: Day Four in the Bathroom

March 20th, 2008


Today I worked on the finishing touches in our upstairs bathroom. I washed and ironed our shower curtain (a new one because I accidentally got hair color on our old one) and replaced our shower liner with a new one.

I wiped down the bathroom and deep cleaned my floors. The magazines have been recycled and new magazines were added to a basket next to the toilet. I threw in a couple of rolls of toilet paper while I was over in that corner. The bathroom trash was emptied and swiped down. Baseboards were wiped as well as the outside of our cabinet.

Just a few weeks ago, I had put fresh caulk on the tub and that is why I had included it in our activities. It just made my tub looks so new and so fresh- what an economical solution for making something look nice again Right now my vinegar is doing some action on my fixtures- I will pull these off in the morning.

I put out a fresh bar of soap for our guests and I stuck the toothbrush holder in the dishwasher for a deep cleaning. I stuck the toothbrushes in my creamer dish and I actually think they look pretty cute in there. If I don’t get the toothbrush holder as clean as I would like, I might just keep them in that!

Of all the work I did in the bathroom though, the linen closet is my shining glory! I have to hold myself back from opening and standing in front of it for a good five minutes. It has brought me a lot of pleasure to see this area in my home all neat and organized.

I will share pictures from my other bathroom tomorrow! I am really pleased with my progress in our upstairs bathroom. This is my least favorite room in the house because I need to rip out the wallpaper and paint, but at least it can be clean until I can accomplish that home improvement project!

Amy’s Notebook 03.20.08

March 20th, 2008


These knitted Easter eggs are so cute (@ The Purl Bee)

Aren’t these secret pocket Easter eggs precious? (@ Sew, Mama, Sew!)

I love this printable CVS planning sheet (@ The Sparrow’s Nest)

I will have to make this pecan pie for my dad (@ Shelterrific)

Here are some great Easter hacks for the kids (@ Parent Hacks)

I love this spice label craft that you can do with your kids (@ Plum Pudding)

This monthly photo idea is so amazing (@ Ohdeedoh)

I want to remove our popcorn ceiling (@ DIY Maven)

I love these extension cord holders (@ Apartment Therapy)

I forgot about this fresh bread color coding(@ Frugal for Life)

I feel even more green now that I have been spring cleaning & decluttering (@ Unclutterer)

This carrot bundt cake looks delicious (@ Baking Bites)

I love these ideas for what to do with tea towels (@ Apartment Therapy)

This looks like another great Easter round-up (@ The Felt Mouse)

Even more fun Easter egg ideas (@ Crafty Daisies)

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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!

Spring Cleaning: Week Two, Days 4-6

March 19th, 2008

Here are the next three days of activities for spring cleaning our bathrooms. I have made a lot of progress towards organizing the bathroom and these last three days focus more on the cleaning aspect for this space (which my bathroom desperately needs). This will wrap up our time in the bathroom so we can work on other projects.

I was thinking we could focus on our living room/playroom space after this! Let me know what you think!

Today’s Printables:

Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom Day Four

Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom Day Five

Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom Day Six

In Case You Missed It (Previous Printables):

Spring Cleaning Introductory Page

Spring Cleaning Recipes

Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen Day One

Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen Day Two

Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen Day Three

Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen Day Four

Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen Day Five

Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen Day Six (newly updated with cabinet instructions)

Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom Day One

Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom Day Two

Spring Cleaning Your Bathroom Day Three

Progress Report: Day Three in the Bathroom

March 19th, 2008


I have no pictures from my weeding out day because all of the items already got dropped off to Goodwill! Whoohoo! We were able to unload a lot and downsized the amount of items in our bathroom.

I am behind on putting together our printables for these next three days, but I promise to put something up by this evening. I am running a little ragged from a head cold and a day of work for Kenmore yesterday.

They brought their whole team in to their headquarters (in Chicago) and we all had tables set up with things that represented our specialties on advice. I got to share about our spring cleaning challenge and making your own cleaners for your house. People seemed to really love it and I hope we will have lots of new visitors to our site since I handed out over a hundred business cards to the folks that stopped by my table. One hour spring cleaning challenges seemed to appeal to people so I hope we will have lots of new guests to join us in our mission to organize.

ReadyMade Magazine

March 19th, 2008

Sign up for a free 2 year subscription to ReadyMade Magazine! This is one of those magazines that I would love to get, but don’t want to pay for a subscription to! I can’t wait to enjoy this magazine for free!

Hat tip to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for sending this to me today! Don’t you just love her? Gotta love a woman who can appreciate a good freebie! She thought it would fit well with our spring cleaning feature that we have been doing here.

Incomplete Projects- The Grocery Game & Sewing Classes

March 19th, 2008

I have a couple little loose ends to wrap on a couple of blog projects that I was sharing on. I did manage to complete four sewing classes and this is my finished apron pictured here. I decided not to continue taking more classes because of the expense and the limited time that I have available. The good news is that I learned how to use my sewing machine and I can (sort of) sewing a straight line. My mother-in-law has offered additional classes for me (free of charge) and we plan to make a field trip to the fabric store so I can get over being intimidated by what types of fabrics I can use or what fabrics I shouldn’t use for certain projects.

The other project I had been working on was The Grocery Game and how much I could save my family using it.

Here is what I learned:

– My area had a limited amount of grocery stores listed and, honestly, they only offered one store near me that I was interested in really shopping at for the membership (our local Meijer)

– I found that I shopped more often and was spending more money than I typically would on my grocery budget. While I was able to score some great deals, I felt pressured to shop more than my typical bi-weekly or monthly shopping schedule.

– I did not see a big savings compared to my regular Aldi shopping and typical stockpiling of discounted items at stores. This is not to say that the savings weren’t there, but for someone who does make almost everything we eat and rarely buys convenience foods, the deals weren’t as great for what I needed and rarely beat the great prices at Aldi.

Despite not wanting to continue with the program, I will say that I am more aware of the coupons and am focusing more on my flier research and pricing. I had not been doing that as often and trying this grocery program helped me to get more focused on how much I was spending on foods and helped me get my price book up-to-date.

All in all, both were fun experiences and challenged me as a homemaker! I wouldn’t say I failed at the experiments, but I think my limited time really has started shedding light on where I really want to spend my time and focus my energies on.