Korker Hair Bows

I know I have been a bad blogger friend lately and I am not promising that I will be getting any better, especially with Summer getting into full swing, but I did come across this tutorial that was just too good not to pass along. This tutorial on Korker bows comes from the Funky Polkadot Giraffe's website, which I found following a link on Red, White & Blue pipe cleaner rings/hair bows, which were just adorable as well. But I specifically wanted to pass on this particular tutorial because of one special step, the cereal box holder! She claims it to be "the best use of a cereal box EVAH!" and I challenge you to disprove that. Those little Korkers are very slippery and tend to boing themselves in every which way. But her cereal box holder invention is AMAZING!

So, follow this link and start making Super Puffy, Super Easy Korker Hair Bows today.

Father's Day Gift

My oldest Son is so thoughtful and kind, he never ceases to amaze me. He wants to get his Dad a gun for fathers day, but he doesn't want just any old gun, he wants to find a specific gun that he can paint and customize. He wants to paint it orange & purple, I guess those are his Dad's favorite colors. Maybe we can find a nice barska scope for it too. He's not sure if he wants a rifle or a BB gun. I think he's leaning towards a BB gun however. How cute is he?!?

Promise vs. Engagement Rings

I am not sure that I understand this whole thing. You have promise rings, engagement ring and wedding rings. I get the impression that they are all different and I understand the engagement ring, it's to symbolize that you are engaged to be married. The wedding ring is to symbolize that you are married. But what is the promise ring? What are you promising? I just don't get it... And another thing, what is the promise ring etiquette? At what age is it appropriate to give a promise ring? How much should you spend? I just don't quite know what to think about this...

Naturally Healthy

Detox, botox, pills and potions. Preservatives and chemicals, foods that never spoil. The world spins faster and faster and we have less and less time. And our bodies suffer the most. So is there really a good way to fix it? How can you be healthy in a world where food is not allowed on a grocery store shelf without preservatives and chemicals in it, where cows are given hormones so they will produce more milk to keep up with the demand and the only solutions to the problems we are causing ourselves are invasive procedures and more chemicals?

We are bombarded on a daily basis with ads for the newest detox diet drink or the latest and greatest colon cleanse treatment and the endless list of diet drug, oh my! I can't keep up! But what about water? Water is supposed to be good for you, healthy and pure. But oh! Wait! The cities are now adding fluoride to our water and chlorine to clean it. Is there anything left without chemicals?!? Am I the only one frustrated with it?

Save Money with Coupons

I just have to say, I love couponing. It takes a little more effort than I usually put into grocery shopping, but it saves me SO much money that in the end, it is definitely worth it! But I have a few time saving tips to help you out.

1. www.grocerysmarts.com: I love this website! They do all the work for me. All I need to do is find what deals I want, clip the coupons and head to the store. You'll need a passport to sign in, mine is G84CTW and you are welcome to use it.

2. File Folders: When you pull your coupons out of the Sunday paper, slip all of them into a file folder and write the date on top. Then when it says you need the Pillsbury coupon out of the Super Saver ad from May 1st, you can quickly go to that file, pull out your Super Saver ads and clip the coupons you need.

3. Wal-Mart: This is my favorite "dirty little secret"! Wal-Mart will match most competitors sale prices. So here's how you save the time of jumping store to store. Search www.grocerysmarts.com and find the products you want. Then grab a small pad of sticky notes, write down the name of the product, the store that has it on sale and their sale price. Do that for each of the products you want. Then clip your coupons and take them, along with your sticky notes to Wal-Mart. When you pick up an item from your list, stick the sticky note to it and then when you are checking out, explain to the cashier that you are price matching other stores and what the information on the sticky notes is. The cashiers can then very quickly and easily ring you up and process the price match. Hand them your coupons and enjoy amazing savings!

Lovin' Life!

I just have to say, right now I LOVE MY JOB! We are currently in our busy season and the commissions are amazing! My paycheck was the best yet. I had to go have a "me day". I went out to dinner with a dear friend and we talked and laughed all night. We went shopping at the mall and I found a darling sweater and 5 cute, cute shirts on sale and afterwards we went to Red Lobster for their chocolate wave cake. If you have not had it yet, boy are you missing out! It is to-die-for good!

At the moment I feel completely spoiled. My job offers me the best benefits anywhere (who else can you work for that gives you free vacations and pays you vacation pay while your gone?), pays me amazingly well and I actually enjoy getting up and going to most mornings! Man, I love my life!

Essential Oils, Essential for skin care.

Essential oils have been a staple in personal care since biblical times and even with our "advances" in science and medicine, they should be an essential now. After all, in biblical times, they were living much, much longer than we are now, that body had to last! I wanted to share with you some of my favorite essential oils and their healing properties.

Tea Tree Oil: It is great for soothing blotchy skin and I have heard it works for Rosacea, although I have never tried it for that. Tea Tree oil makes a great cleanser with antibiotic properties. It will cleans your skin and kill the bacteria that causes blemishes.

Clary Sage: This is a new one to me, so take this advice with caution. I was told that Clary Sage mimics human hormones and can be converted into what ever your skin currently needs. Clary Sage would be helpful when hormone imbalances are a factor, as they are in teenagers and menopausal women.

Lemon: A kitchen favorite for disinfecting everything from the sink to the cutting board, Lemon essential oils are also great for clearing up your skin. One of the quickest acting acne treatment, a dab of Lemon oil on a blemish will clear it up almost overnight. But beware, the citric acid in Lemon oil will weaken your skin and make it more prone to damage, especially from the sun, for up to 72 hours after application. So remember your sunscreen!

Eucalyptus: With a wonderful calming scent, Eucalyptus oil works great as a cleanser, clearing away blackheads and blemishes and working to smooth the skin. Add a very small amount of spearmint for a firming effect and you have the perfect de-stress, before bed facial treatment.

Sandalwood: A light, semi-masculine scented oil has been around since ancient times as a healer and moisturizer. Sandalwood oil is perfect for smoothing out wrinkles, firming skin and softening scars.

Please remember to test your skin for allergies to any of these by first testing on a small, soft spot that is not always visible and as with anything you put on your face, keep it out of your eyes, nose and mouth, use small amounts and caution.

No Early Morning for me on Black Friday

When the turkey was gone and the dishes cleared, I plopped myself down on the couch and I scoured the ads, just like everyone else. I found some amazing deals! Some I just couldn't pass up. Then I saw the temperature outside. Ouch! No huge amount of savings or awesome coupons are going to get me to stand in any line in 15 degree weather. Sorry, not going to happen!

Instead, I decided to sleep in late, 8am anyway, and head out after the insanity. Toys R Us, not happening! They had been open since 10pm the night before and the checkout line still wrapped around the store. Thanks anyway. Next stop, Target. Much better. They were not as busy and they were only sold out of two of the items I wanted. Plus I got Levis for Little Man for only $6, Levis for Big C for $8, a DVD player for $20 and the best part was the Easy Bake I got for Ladybug was only $19! I had not seen any of those in the ad. Sweet deals!

After Target, I met up with my Mother and we headed over to big lots for my family gifts and stocking stuffers. I don't know why, but that has never been one of my favorite stores, but I got what I wanted and we headed to Ross. Yeah, that cost me, but then Ross Dress for Less always does. We finished up our shopping, stopped at ihop for breakfast and headed for home.

I picked up a few last minute items online before starting dinner. We rushed through dinner and zoomed down to the theater to catch Tangled in 3D. When we got there, there were still seats left for the next show time, but not together, so we opted to wait for the next one. We drove over to Denny's to get some hot cocoa while we waited and found Mindy and Chris having dinner. Of course, we crashed their dinner! It was great to see them and spend some time with them.

We stopped at the mall to kill a little more time and ended up in Radio Shack where I was introduced to a new phenomenon called Tea Cup Piggys. Wow. What to say about Tea Cup Piggys.... I got nothing, sorry. But Baby loves them! Unfortunately all the kids were with me so I had to shoo them out of the store so I could pick up the "essentials" I needed there.

Shopping done, it was back to the movies to get some treats and into our seats before the show started. It was such a cute show and watching my little ones reaching out as things floated by them was adorable. I loved spending time with my family. All in all, this was one of the best Black Fridays ever.

My babies are growing up...

Being a young mother tends to form a very strong bond between you and your newborn baby. Suddenly you can no longer be the child and you have to protect this helpless little, completely adorable phenomenon. That bond seems to last a very long time. Here I am, nearly 15 years later and my sweet angel baby is now an amazing young man. I get to watch him play football and I still get to wipe his tears, but only when girl troubles arise. Every day I am amazed at how grown up he is getting, but never so much as when I am buying him clothes. Gone are the days of shopping for darling little footie pajamas and striped and collard shirt sets. Now he wears men's clothing, huge shoes and fedora hats. He has his own, unique style and his clothes are expensive, but much nicer. He wants to look good, he wants to be in fashion, he wants his hair long and he wants me to be less involved. This makes me feel sad and proud, excited and weary. It's bitter sweet watching him grow, learn and become a man in his own right.

Traveling in 2011

2010 is nearly gone and 2011 is much closer that we would like to admit. Bring on the New Year's Resolutions and promises to ourselves and families. A common New Year's Resolution is travel. "I'm going to take my family on an amazing vacation this year!" The trick to that has been the economy these last few years. Lost jobs, cuts in pay and benefits have caused consumers to spend less and budget more. This kind of "protecting ourselves" actually hurts us in the long run by forcing companies to raise prices on the things that we require to survive as well as on leisure products.

Here's the good news! Some analyst somewhere has said that the recession is ending! We can again pull out our wallets and start having fun! Whoa... Just a minute there. Before you go spending your life savings, use some of that frugality you learned during this recent depression and spend, but spend wisely my friend.

When it comes to vacationing, it can be fun, elegant, relaxing and memorable without breaking the bank! Don't believe me? Check out Cruising! The price to spend 7 sun soaked days and 6 fun filled nights on a Caribbean cruise will most likely cost you less than a 5-day pass to Disneyland! Now we are talking amazing food, beautiful beaches, exotic destinations and fun for the whole family, all wrapped up in to one nice little package, often times with gratuities already included! Leave your wallet in your stateroom and head to the pool, the restaurant or the beach. You'll only need it when you dock at some of the most exotic destinations and the fun and flavor of the islands overwhelm you and you find shopping and bargains, the likes of which you would never find on the mainland! Try it. Once you've cruised, you'll never forget it!

Acai Berry Benefits or Scam?

You know I am a huge fan of natural remedies. I love what you can do for your body without the aid of chemicals and preservatives. I honestly believe that what we do to our food is killing us, creating disease, lowering our energy levels and generally desecrating our bodies. However, some companies will latch onto something that is pure and naturally healthful and "enhance" it. They will chemically alter it, add unhealthy preservatives and other things that can harm your body. Then they bill it under the natural name. The Acai Berry is no different. Watch out for acai scams, read the ingredients list and how it is processed. Heat treating anything, will almost always render it's antioxidants non-existant and breakdown all healthy properties it ever had. Adding chemicals or chemically altering a product, may make it perform better, but what is performing? The natural agent or the chemicals? What do you want in your body? Beware of products claiming to be natural remedies.

Loving San Diego!

What an amazing place to vacation! San Diego has the best of everything, beautiful sunsets, tropical flora & fauna, hip downtown districts, fabelous shopping, amazing food and georgeous views. There are not any appetite suppressors known to man that can help you here! The fresh fruit, simmering meats and decedant desserts are heavenly. San Diego is the perfect place to plan a weekend get away or even to spend a couple of days winding down after a high energy, exciting Disneyland vacation. But no matter how you play it, romantic weekend, bff get away or family fun, San Diego has something for everyone!

Christmas' A'coming!: Getting Ready

If you do a little pre-planning, the holidays do not have to be as stressful as everyone makes them out to be. I am going to create a weekly list of ideas to help you get through the holidays with the least amount of stress possible.

Here goes the planning part:

1. Make a list of everyone that you need to buy for and assign them an amout that you are willing to spend on them. Remember to list office parties and family parties that include the "$5 gift clause". This will help you know how much money you will need and help you not to forget anyone.

2. Look for bargains and shop simply for friends and family. Gift Certificates really do make great gifts. Especially when paired with a nice fruit basket or bottle of sparkling cider. Look for discount coupon sites like Citydeals.com, LivingSocial.com and Groupon.com.

3. Thanksgiving is the next big holiday. Use it to feel out your family members. What are their hobbies, interests, even favorite color. This will help alot in the gift buying process.

4. Think personal. Most of the people on your list are people that care about you. Most people love getting pictures as Christmas gifts, especially grandparents, aunts and uncles. Get family pictures done now. Black Bird Photography still has openings, has great prices and offers a different kind of photography. This will definately not be your typical "everyone smile" kind of portrait.

5. Vacation. Think about giving the gift of a vacation this holiday. Heaven knows that you could use a few days to relax after everything is said and done. A San Diego vacation can be very inexpensive for families and offers you a Hawaiian vacation without the 6 hour flight. Call Stephanie @ Get Away Today Vacations (1-800-523-6116) to get the best prices!

Get a Jump Start on Christmas Gifts

I am sure you have read my posts on Cigar Purses and know how simple, cute and inexpensive they can be, but I just want to touch on it again. I have recently found that Romeo cigars boxes are among my favorite to work with! I don't even worry about covering them sometimes because the boxes are brightly colored, clasps are very easy to attach and they are very sturdy. Just something to think about next time you visit your local cigar shop to pick up boxes. Happy Crafting!

My Flatscreen Woes

Speaking of the flatscreen I bought in June, does anyone have any suggestions on stands? I would really like to mount it to the wall and I am not particular as to it moving, tilting or swinging. I just want something sturdy. I have looked at literally hundreds of tv stands and wall mounts and I am just as befuddled as I was before I started looking. They all claim to be sturdy, of course they do! Some offer warranties, others offer price back guarantees, but this is a HUGE investment, (the TV, not necessarily the mount), and I do not want to hang an expensive TV on something that is going to drop it while I'm at work. I have kids for that! Does anyone have any suggestions on brands that they really like?

Birthday Girl

Well, my Ladybug is officially another year older. Wow, what a joy this birthday has been. She got a trip to Disneyland with her little sister and her Grandfather, and Momma of course! Plus she got an ipod touch along with some little filler things. She is thrilled. Momma is thrilled, now that it's over. I had a heck of a time deciding on what to get her. She really wanted an ipod nano, like mine, but they just don't make them anymore. I looked at digital cameras, Nintendo dsi's and even portable DVD players, but kept coming back to the ipod. My mother finally found a an ipod touch at Best Buy at a great price and we had some great discounts to be applied from buying the huge flatscreen we bought this June. So ipod touch it was and it ended up being exactly what she wanted and great for her because not only does she want the music, she is also having a great time playing all the games and reading the books that can be downloaded. There's an app for that!

Buying a new car

I am not sure that I am ready for this. I was not planning on purchasing a new car until February, but when my mini van blew a head gasket, I decided it was time to find something else. Then to make matters worse, my husbands carpool decided he wanted to go to the gym after work so my husband needs a car too! Wow! Not quite what I had planned on.

I have done alot of research and decided that I really like the Chrysler Pacifica and Subaru B9 Tribeca. I checked into the car insurance and it will only increase by about $60 to add another car for my husband and the Chrysler for me. Now the fun part... getting financing. Yipee.... NOT!

Vacation in style without breaking the bank!

Sunshine. Sandy Beaches. Ocean Breezes. Sounds ideal... until you see the bill! Especially if you are traveling with a large family or friends. But it doesn't have to be expensive. Nor do you have to stay in a dive to save a few bucks. Carolina Designs Realty offers Outer Banks rental properties that are a perfect alternative for larger groups traveling to North Carolina. The Seahawk in Duck, NC offers 2 King beds, 2 Twin beds, 1 Queen, 1 Futon and one set of bunk beds. Along with your own private pool and hot tub, 10 TVs, a wet bar, pool table and game room, this is the ultimate in comfort and style. You have the convenience of a fully stocked kitchen for meals and fully furnished living areas and the mood setting sounds of the nearby ocean. The views of the ocean are unbeatable from this quiet Duck neighborhood and the ocean and parks are walking distance. The home itself is steeped in Southern charm with all the modern amenities.

This is the perfect place for my family to stay. With the seven of us, we seldom travel without my parents and this house would give my family the convenience of comfortable and affordable accommodations along with the money saving amenities of a full kitchen and patio grill. We can make our own meals and save tons on eating out. To wake up to the sound of the waves lapping the sandy shores and the seagulls out for their morning meal, taking a sunset walk along the beach with my husband, reconnecting, while the kids play xbox or just sitting down to a wonderful meal in the beautiful kitchen, overlooking the ocean, this is my kind of vacation and one that I desperately need.

If an oceanside get away sounds like something you need too, take it easy and take advantage of the great rates available on the Seahawk in Duck, NC for your next vacation.

Going Green

All sorts of ideas are popping up to help save the planet. Everything from electric cars to recycling and reusable grocery bags. But this was a concept that I had not heard or thought about. " green shopping". But if you think about it, it really makes alot of sense. The concept behind it is limiting vehicle emissions by purchasing online. Think about it! If three people visit their local hardware store, make their purchase and head for home, they each made two trips. One to the store, one home, for a total of 6 trips. If they all lived in the same neighborhood and the round trip was 50 miles, the total mileage would be 150 miles.

On the other hand, if they all bought online, the delivery truck picks up in one location and drives to their homes. One trip, less mileage!