Blogging from TX...

Hey howdy y'all! Ok, now that I sound like a Texan, just wanted to let everyone know I am here in TX. Hopefully flying out tomorrow at 4pm... scared of the plane ride yet again, but willing to deal with it!

Got lucky at the convention and won $500, so some serious shopping is on the agenda folks.
Now I have to get a laptop, which will be much better.

Thoughts and prayers to those in hurricane affected areas. My hotel currently has 120 FEMA staff staying here and there has been talk of Galveston/Houston residents coming inland to stay at hotels here in San Antonio. My brother Andy is under mandatory evacuation orders as of this morning where he lives in Biloxi.

Hoping my outbound flight home will not be affected, and that this whole hurricane thing goes someplace else or hits where there aren't alot of people. Or weakens by the time it makes landfall.

Anyways, if you have sent me an email or posted to my blog-I probably won't be seeing much of it until the 2nd, but will be getting back to you. Thanks so much for visiting and I can't wait to get home!

Are things really bigger in Texas????

Ok, so tomorrow at this time I will be flying to TX. Since I have always heard about Texas sized hospitality and just how much BIGGER things are in Texas-I wanna hear from you.

I will be in San Antonio, home of the Alamo, the Missions and the Riverwalk. The tourist brochures made it sound beautiful, and I am looking foward to going-just don't like the idea of getting on a plane to get there.

Now I hear Texans know how to party, and they always have something going on-whether it be a rompin', stompin' roadhouse time or fiesta time. Even the flea markets are festive, with the bigger ones having music and lotsa great stuff. And the food vendors...ah, I am gaining 10 pounds just thinking about that wonderful food. From BBQ to puffy tacos to traditional Mexican food, I just can't stand it. And yes, I will save room for a funnel cake.

I will be back very late on the 1st-with this airline delay thingy going on and Hurricane Gustav in the Gulf it could get interesting with delays. But I already told hubby-I will NOT spend the night in the airport. I would much rather take a Greyhound back to Maine than get up in the air and I already told my coworkers it just might be that they won't see me for a few more days if I go that route. I just don't see how hubby can go to Guatemala every single year and not mind the flying. That has been the main reason we haven't gone yet to meet the inlaws-so this trip is a test run to see if I can handle being up at 30,000 feet without having to breathe into a paper bag or something.

So, what'cha think? Are things really bigger in Texas?????

Stubby Stripes and Fear of Flying-

Stubby is getting really big, well-not really-to me he's still tiny. He just looks huge in this pic because I was holding the camera close to him and I snapped a pic of him as he was perched on me a couple nights ago.

He is eating and finally going to the bathroom-I was a worried mama for a while because I thought he wasn't going to thrive over here with kitten food and kitten milk, but he did.

He gets along great with Shadow, my older male kitty. Shadow is disabled-and has problems with his motor skills. But don't tell him that because he doesn't know it. He has cerebellar hypoplasia-which means he wobbles, falls, his head shakes when he is focusing on something, but he is healthy, fat and VERY happy here. When he was a little guy the vet suggested we put him down, but he wasn't suffering and wasn't in any pain-he just looked kind of crazy walking around weaving from side to side. Friends who have come over are a little shocked to see him, but once they realize he is fine, have a good laugh because he looks like a drunken kitty, weaving, falling over, unable to walk a straight line. Brujita my female cat is jealous-and I don't completely trust her just yet-and Stubby is too little to fend for himself. Tippy my other male kitty who is mostly our outdoor kitty guarding the yard (and fighting other kitties who happen into his territory) hasn't done much except come in the pet door and walk to the door of my bedroom and meow-LOUDLY-at around 2 am telling me that there was a new intruder in the house.

I am heading to San Antonio on the 27th-my dad is the designated babysitter of baby kitty. Mom is caring for the BIG 3 as I call them. It will be very interesting to say the least. I am terrified of flying (too many times watching Final Destination) and know that the minute I hit some turbulence I will probably puke or worse. I was seriously thinking liquid courage, in the form of the nearest airport bar-but not sure if even that will calm my nerves. I need to be brave, Deja is going on her first plane ride-but I have a feeling I will be smiling between clenched teeth and gripping the sides of the seat so tight my knuckles will be devoid of color by the time we touch down. And the horror! It is not a direct flight, I have to do this AGAIN in Detroit! Definitely not my cup of tea, but I will try to be brave... for my daughter's sake.

I am not sure if I will have internet access (no laptop here!) and am hoping the hotel will let me use their business center (which is probably one computer for the whole stinkin' place-I mean, this is Econo Lodge folks, not the Hilton) Now if I wasn't so cheapo and wanted to pay the $125 a nite for the Riverwalk view and the $21 a day parking fee for the garage, things would be cool and I could probably hook up with another sweeper with a laptop and check my email from there. But with the free parking, and $60 a nite rates I am getting by staying out of the touristy area (and probably in the middle of the 'hood, for all I know!) I am saving big bucks. I am adventurous as far as food goes, as long as I am not told what it is. Hubby made the big mistake of telling me that delicious meat we had last weekend with our Brazilian friends Joao and Regina's house was deer. As in Bambi. As in I have never eaten deer in my life and now I have and even though it wasn't bad the way they cooked it I still wish he hadn't told me.

So that is what's been going on lately-in addition to other "stuff" posted previously. Packing, unpacking, deciding what to take and working. Tomorrow shopping for those last minute items after work, some blogging and then a nice, long rest. I need to head to the post office too-need to mail out my blog giveaway item that I promised the poor woman I'd mail out last Thursday when I got paid-before the shit hit the fan. (prior post) So if you are reading this, I promise it's coming! Honest!

I will be away from the 27th until the 1st, coming home at midnight and then the 1 1/2 hours to drive home from the airport to my neck of the woods here in Central Maine. I will probably be exhausted, and head into work late but hopefully will have a nice gift (as in chocolate or something) to butter up those supervisors. So, leave me a comment if you'd like-about your own flying experiences or how you conquered fear of flying or something like that-and I will read them when I get home...

If you do the crime, be prepared to spend the time...

Ok, so I've been busy. But also preoccupied with stuff...alot of stuff. More than any mom should have to deal with.

A couple days ago there was an article in our newspaper about some kids from wealthy families stealing stuff from cars (car shopping as they call it nowadays) laptops, mp3s, spare change, you name it-they found it. And they had quite a haul, since there was a photo of recovered stuff in the paper. Now these are kids whose parents could BUY them all these things and more, as the paper said, they came from very wealthy families and stole stuff mostly from the "good neighborhoods". I am sure these kids parents, doctors, lawyers, educators, whatever and whoever they are are ashamed and disgraced by their kids actions. I mean, they could buy whatever these kids wanted, and I am sure they wanted for NOTHING. Well, it seems they DID want for something- marijuana, and we all know if you go up to your parents and ask them to give you money so you can buy a joint or even a baggie of pot to share with your friends what the normal response will be. (though I do know some parents who would gladly chip in, if it meant sharing the pot with THEM)

So, all these stolen goods were sold for pot and these poor little rich kids spent their spare time getting stoned. I am not rich, don't live in the rich section of town-but have the same problem. My 15 yr old likes to get stoned, and after 9 weeks in outpatient rehab back in 2006 when he was 12 by the way-has learned NOTHING. I live in the type of neighborhood where a lot of the parents party with their kids. I bought a home which was affordable to us, as I didn't want a mortgage in the "better part" of town that I couldn't pay later on. But I guess living in the better part of town also runs its own risks too.

In between getting a new kitten, planning for my trip, my poor health and working my a$$ off I have the great news that my son (who is SUPPOSED to be living with his father (my ex)-a drunk himself and not any help with any of the therapy and programs I have tried over the years as he refused to participate) has 4 -as in FOUR felonies and a theft of services (taxi cab) and a court date Nov. 10th, which I must attend, but dad is too busy to go to. Hmmm... sure he is. The felonies you ask? Well, it seems that my son, his girlfriend, and her brother (who is 19 and in jail now) broke into apts. in the building where his dad lives. Laptop, gold jewelry, 32 inch flat screen tv, multiple game systems, mp3's, cash all gone. Felony burglary x2, Felony theft x2 and to get up to dads, they took a cab and refused to pay him. (theft of services) Alot of the stuff was pawned, for marijuana, a couple nites in the hotel, alcohol and one heck of a party. The girlfriend's family bought some of the stuff themselves-and the TV was in the girlfriends room. Now, if my son came home with a new TV, gold jewelry he wanted to sell me or whatever, I 'd sure be asking where the heck he got it. These people got off lucky, they used the excuse that my mother was "getting rid of her stuff" and gave it to my son to sell. Uh huh, and with the price of gold the aunt sure got a bargain for a 24kt necklace at 10 bucks, huh?

My son has mental health issues in addition to substance abuse issues. I've tried many services but for now they have stopped as he refused to participate in them. I know, as well as friends know, that I have done as much as possible for that kid and I just can't do it anymore. Yes, he is facing time in the detention center-with previous brushes with the law he has been lucky but that luck has now run out-and he could be there until he is 21. My take on this is that there he will be getting the services he needs, help for his substance abuse and I will know where he is at night. He will have to deal with rules, since he can't live with mine and that is why he left in the first place-but these rules are much, much stricter than he could imagine. I am embarrassed, ashamed and disappointed and wonder where on earth I failed as a parent. I bet those wealthy parents are wondering the same thing this weekend as their kids face charges as well. Like I've said before, everyone's blogs seem so damn perfect, and here I am blogging about my juvenile delinquent son. It is sad for the family, for those that know and love him as he wasn't raised in a horrible home and always had whatever he needed. His little sister is confused and hurt, and seeing the police yet again with her big brother hasn't helped. Our trip to TX will be just the 3 of us, and hopefully we will have a few good days away to relax and have fun. Then, I will have to come back and face reality. And that reality will probably be restitution and court dates, and more counseling and more programs and repeating all the stuff I already did once before.

I am behind on posting, behind on mailing my giveaway item, behind on everything, all because of last weeks events. I debated even whether to post this on my blog. But I am posting it, because I want other parents to know that even though your child hurts you, disappoints you and does something horribly wrong one day-he/she is still your child. You will love them, try to help them, and when that doesn't work realize the time has come to let them hit rock bottom. Only then will they pick up the pieces and want to work on helping themselves.

Busy as a Bee!

Getting ready for my trip to San Antonio next Wednesday! I don't quite have enough vacation time for the time I need off, so will be working at the office this weekend to make up for time taken during the week. Lucky I can do that, but we are so far behind with files and I only live down the street from the office, so am able to head over and get some stuff done! We got paid today, and I haven't even been to the bank to get my money! Now that means I gotta be busy, lol. Tomorrow is our summer training session/department cookout-and while I enjoy the relaxation, I stress over the fact that my desk is full of files that need to be done. Pretty bad, huh?

PLUS, my son brought over a kitten. He is adorable, but quite tiny. I am worried about him, he was covered with fleas-and I was able to give him a bath in citrus dish detergent tonight. It works, those fleas dropped like flies and the other ones that were alive were moving very, very slowly. He is still learning to eat, and nibbles on the hard food and I went to the vet today and got some kitten wet kitten food and some cat milk at the grocery store-maybe because he is so little he isn't eating much, I am so used to my big, huge piggies and this one has me worried that he is not eating enough. As far as I can tell, hasn't been to the bathroom yet either. I keep him in a carrier at night, just to make sure the big kitties don't hurt him and they can get used to each other slowly but surely. He has no tail, just a stub. So we call him Stubby. In this pic you can actually see his little "Stub" as I get him in the sink for his bath. He was NOT happy, and I am scratched beyond belief. For such a little guy, man he has some claws. I've got 2 more big kitties to treat with flea meds, and then things should be better. We used to have a manx when I was growing up, white with black and absolutely no tail-not even a stub. He lived for 15 years and grew up with me, so when I saw the chance to get another kitty without a tail, I definitely took it. My dad will "babysit" while I am in TX next week, to make sure he will be ok. Well, heading off to visit some other blogs. Just wanted to let ya all know I am still alive. Tired, anemic, but very alive. I called the Dr. office yesterday to cancel my 2nd Depo shot. If this one has me bleeding non stop, I definitely don't want to extend it by taking another shot. So, happy Wednesday everyone! Glad you stopped by!

Wow, only a few more days!

School starts here on August 28th, and Deja is looking forward to starting first grade. I am particularly impressed with her teacher, Mrs. Ribbons, who sent her a welcome postcard a few weeks ago and then called me and talked to me earlier this evening. She also asked to speak to Deja, but Deja being Deja-she was shy and didn't want to talk right now. Mrs. Ribbons didn't take it personally, though-she said out of all the kids parents she had called this weekend only one of her new students wanted to talk to her over the phone.

I kind of chuckled and mentioned to Mrs. Ribbons that once she has Deja in the room, it will be a hard enough time getting her to STOP talking. They called me motormouth in junior high and I can see that the tradition lives on in Deja. Luckily, my mom has been hitting the Staples sales while I have been working-and she has three plastic TUBS full of school supplies-probably enough to last Deja until high school knowing my mom. I do need a backpack for her though, but will most likely wait until the last minute for that.

Sorry for not posting recently, I have been visiting other blogs and stuff, and have lots of email and stuff to catch up on-I've been so backlogged at work and kind of under the weather. So darn tired, and I know my anemia has started up again...it was getting better but I need an endometrial ablation to deal with the heavy monthly issues. I got the Depo shot at the end of May and June was wonderful, no monthly, lots of energy and the doctor said this should help control my bleeding until my surgery during layoff next Spring. Wrong! I started bleeding (spotting) on July 26th and haven't stopped yet. Granted, it is not heavy except at times but geez, I would have preferred one week of heavy bleeding to almost a month of non stop bleeding. Sorry to get so personal, but if I don't post for a few days it's because I am so wiped out. And no, I will NOT be getting a second Depo shot, scheduled for Sept. 2nd. I don't need it, had tubes tied when I had Deja by C-section but I thought this would be an alternative to my suffering a week a month.

Anyways, with back to school I am just as excited as Deja for their Open House on the 25th. My son is supposed to start 10th grade as well, and I pray he lasts the whole year without problems. Well, heading to lie down for a bit as I am so, so tired!~

Eat, drink, and be merry-with the Food Network & My Wooden Spoon

The Food Network has some really great new shows -I'm not really a "foodie" but I will tell you these shows definitely peaked my interest! First is Sunny of Cooking for Real. Her focus is affordable, hearty meals using ingredients we can find in the kitchen. To me, that sounds great-and keeping it affordable is very important in these economic times. Food costs are rising, eating out is getting way too expensive and if Sunny can keep me in the kitchen, then her show is definitely for me!

Next, we have Ask Aida. The really neat concept with this one is that it is an interactive show, meaning you can literally ask Aida! Who'd have thought with all the technology that we have that we'd be able to go one-on-one with Aida, who will be able to answer your questions live! Text, email, call-in, wow-so many options to Ask Aida, even for those that are not tech savvy, you can always call her and she will be able to answer your questions.

Over at http://mywoodenspoon.com/ they are giving away a neat Food Network prize pack celebrating these new shows. She has more info as well as show times over on her blog and you can find the giveaway post here: http://mywoodenspoon.com/2008/08/13/in-the-kitchen-with-cooking-for-real-and-ask-aida/ you have until 8/31 to enter, but don't wait-go check it out now!

Celebrate the Olympics Panda style!

Panda Express style, that is! Now, I have never been to this restaurant because I've never seen one in Maine before. But it sure looks delicious, I'll say that!

Pandas, Chinese food and the Olympics---We love Pandas, Chinese food is yummy, and we've been watching the Olympics as well, checking out how many medals the good old USA can win.
Over at this blog, http://threepsinapod.blogspot.com/2008/08/ready-or-not-here-they-come-charming.html until tomorrow, you can enter to win a $10 Panda Express gift card! We're heading to San Antonio at the end of the month, and I had to check out if there were any Panda Express restaurants there, and I was in luck! Head on over and check out Alyson's blog, and be sure to enter to win as well! Good luck! Hubby really wants to watch the soccer games, being from Central America he loves futbol!

50 Posts Giveaway Winner!

After a quick trip to CVS for batteries for the camera, and getting Deja motivated before bath time (she's been on her computer all day playing on the Webkinz and Barbie sites) we were ready to go. Sorry for the bathroom pics, but that is where she wanted to pick the winner before she took her bath. And sorry that the winner's name turned out so light in the pic, reminder to self-next time, use a sharpie!

And now, the winner is ispeakbeanish!!!!! After reading your post, I see where you will be giving it to your sister, that's great, it'd make a nice holiday gift for her. (or just because) For those that didn't win-don't worry, I have a couple more on order and will be giving away more of them to come-so keep watching my blog for giveaways in the next few weeks. I might even have a new one coming up in the next couple of days. I was thrilled to get such a great response, and I thank everyone who took the time to visit!

Blueberries, anyone?

Today was the Blueberry Festival at one of the local churches, and I was in the mood for blueberry goodies. I headed to the festival fairly early and was surrounded by people who were also in the mood for the pies, muffins, cookies, breads-you name it-all filled with blueberry goodness.

I loaded up my bag with bread, muffins and cookies-items sure to please the family later today.

I also took a chance in a raffle of a beautiful handmade wooden clock-it would look lovely in my living room! Later tonight, I will partake of the local Elks club Chicken BBQ-half chicken, coleslaw, biscuit and potato salad, all for the grand price of $6.50.

Our local agricultural fairs are starting up, but they can get expensive with rides and all. Plus this rainy weather hasn't been favorable. I usually have a couple of favorites I go to, where admission is cheaper and the midway is smaller-my daughter tends to want to do everything, and if I went to the bigger fairs, we'd be broke! They also have bicycle raffles, which are lots of fun. Deja would love to WIN a bike and have her photo taken at the fair with the other winners.

Well, heading out to check on the garden and get some housework done. Hubby is gone to a friends to work on his car. Deja is watching cartoons are proclaiming loudly that she is BORED. (what she wants, actually, is to get back on my computer so she can play on the Webkinz site!)

Don't forget my giveaway ends tonight! Make sure you get your entries in before Midnight! I will put all the names in a little bowl or something and have Deja pull out the winners name. Scroll down for the original post and leave your comment! Good luck!

C'mon, Kaboost Me!

Last month I went to http://dkmommyspot.com/ and while reading one of my favorite blogs, noticed they were having a giveaway for a Kaboost.

Not sure what a Kaboost was, I was a bit intrigued. I read her review, and had to head over to the website http://www.kaboost.com/ to see what it was all about. I was thrilled to see that it was a neat little contraption that goes UNDER the seat, not on top, lifting your little ones up to table height so they can enjoy the rest of the meal with the family. Nothing against booster seats and all, but when Deja was smaller she squirmed alot-and wasn't really comfortable. Looking back, how can sitting on a hard piece of plastic be comfortable, anyways? With Kaboost in place, the kiddos sit in the same chair as everyone else, so if your own chair is comfy and padded, rest assured that theirs is too. This neat invention fits the legs of your own chair into the Kaboost, giving instant added height and the best part about it is that the chair is just fine...just given a "temporary lift", so to speak. (kind of like what Tom Cruise puts in his shoes when he wants to look as tall as Katie Holmes, lol)

When Diane emailed me and told me the original winner hadn't claimed the win-I was really thrilled! Kaboost has so many uses: I mean, how many times have you walked into a restaurant and all the booster seats or high chairs are being used? Or you walk in and the high chair is nasty, not wiped down, and just plain YUCK? Yeah, I thought so-it's happened to me too. If you get a Kaboost and love it at home, just think about how cool it would be to have a spare with travel bag for the car. Sometimes on the spur of the moment you decide the whole family is headed to the family friendly restaurant in town. When you get there, it seems everyone else had the same idea as there is no place to sit your little one and that booth over in the corner where you can prop Junior up against the wall in hopes that he won't slide down onto the less than clean floor (or find the gum stuck under the table) just isn't going to work. With Kaboost you are already prepared, and in no time have Junior seated in one of the regular chairs looking at you eye to eye.

Deja doesn't have much time left to use the Kaboost as she is going to be seven in a few months, but I already have the perfect scenario. There's a pizza place in town called That Pizza Place. We've been there a few times and Deja is always drawn to the highest table (think bar seats/stools) and the highest seats. The first time we went Daddy put her in the chair, which sits up pretty high itself. But she couldn't reach the food very well, and complained loudly enough for us to move to another table. This time around, we're going into it prepared, Kaboost is coming with us-and I can bet Deja will have the best seat in the house!

(and Kaboost will definitely remain in our household, we have several friends with little ones, and this will make entertaining a snap!)

Hey, Check this out!

WHO DOESN'T LOVE FREE FOOD?? Well go to Pointless Babbling by M & Ts Mom and sign up!! She's offering one lucky reader $125.00 worth and you get it THE WEEK THE GIVEAWAY ENDS!Its easy all she has you do is subscribe to her feeder, Tweet about the giveaway [the tiny url is http://tinyurl.com/6hkvgw], and copy this post in your blog....then email her at pointlessbabbling@gmail.com when you're done and she will check them to pass out points accordingly!!

Back to School Time!

I can't believe summer is almost over and our little ones (and not so little ones) are heading back to school! It seems like just a few short days ago they were getting done with classes and looking forward to a nice, long summer vacation.

The ladies over at http://www.5minutesformom.com/3924/back-to-school-giveaway-event are having a great Back to School Giveaway event with great prizes! Be sure to enter for a different prize every day! Good luck!

50 posts means.... My First Giveaway!

Yes, you heard that right. I've actually passed 50 posts by a couple, but with bloggy carnival I would have been too confused for my first giveaway, believe me-it does not take much to confuse me!

I need to make this as simple as possible. And once I get the hang of this, will get a little more adventurous with it. First, lets get to the prize:

A really neat Coby digital keychain like the one pictured here. It holds up to 60 photos. I have one on order for myself too, but thought I'd give away my first one to one of you! Everyone has been so darn generous, and I have been so lucky winning giveaways-that I just want to get in on the fun too!

First, I'd like you to comment on this post telling me if you won this, who would you have on your keychain? Please leave a way for me to contact you! You can leave your email in the body of the comment or if you are a blogger, make sure your profile has a way for me to contact you. You can earn one extra entry if you post about my giveaway on your blog, and come back here telling me you did so! Be sure to leave a second comment so I can give you credit for that entry too! This giveaway starts today, August 4th, and ends at midnight EST Saturday, August 9th. I will post/notify the winner sometime on Sunday! Good luck, let the fun begin!

Update: Contest is now closed to entries. Congrats to Kim!

My Kmart Shopping Trip Today

Headed to Kmart today for some shopping with hubby and Deja. I'd won a $88 Visa card in a sweepstakes a few months ago, and it was burning a hole in my pocket...um purse.

I was able to get the following: 10 boxes of Capri Sun/Koolaid Jammers juice pouches. (on sale 5/10 this week) I also had coupons if you buy any 3 full sized products of Capri Sun/Koolaid you can get a free Crystal Light drink mix, up to $4.50, so I ended up with 3 freebies on that deal. Deja also whined for a $1.99 juice drink for the reusable cup, so I let her have it if she wouldn't ask for anything else-and she did great.

Next to the Downy, on sale for $5.50 (2/11) kind of pricey for me, but it was supposed to trigger a Route 66 $5.00 coupon. Nope, no Route 66 coupon, but got a $5 off $25 coupon to use, so that was ok. (clearance stuff was calling my name and I will be back on payday!)

The next was luggage for our trip to San Antonio at the end of the month. I saw where they had some on sale, but also that CLEARANCE luggage was an additional 10% off. Jose found a $40 clearance American Tourister 4 pc set in Burnt Orange (ok, the color was kinda ugly-but I could care less-it actually looked more RED than orange) and I found a $25 clearance pretty blue (no famous brand name) set for me. With $2.50 and $4.00 more in savings, not doing too bad.

After everything was added up and the freebie $88.00 card was taken off, I only paid $13.71. Wow. Now that was a great deal, and I was pretty happy with it. I've been sick with some stupid virus (headache, bathroom, you name it) since Friday, so it was good to get out and about and not have to worry about being sick. But I made sure I knew where the bathrooms were, just in case! In a couple days I am going grocery shopping with the $100 Visa I won from the My coke rewards site and am getting together my coupons and stuff. I was lucky to win a coupon organizer from http://www.3princessesmomma.com/2008/07/contest-winner-announcement/ and it is just awesome! I am so busy this time of the year and have been meaning to get all my coupons together, and am so lucky I won this because this system is perfect for me ! I can find my coupons I need quickly, efficiently, and make the most of the deals to stretch my dollar the furthest. I also put my weekly flyers in the binder, and added pockets for coupons expiring this month, No expiration date coupons, and loose coupons expiring later than this month. I frequently order from coupon services, and plan on adding a pocket for those coupons (since I paid for them I want to use them ALL) and refund forms/cash register receipts and proofs of purchases. If you are pressed for time, and want to start saving money, her system works great. You can do as she suggests or add more according to your own needs, like I did. I also subscribe to the Grocery Game for CVS/Shaws's Supermarkets, so those weekly lists will be printed out and put with the weekly flyers. There are so many things you can do with her system, and customize it basically to suit you. Go check out her site, and her coupon system. She also has links to other frugal websites which help you to find the best deals. Well, I am off to do the laundry, my basket is full so I'd better get started now!

PS: She is giving away another coupon organizer system! You have until Aug. 27th to enter. Go here and enter for one now! http://www.3princessesmomma.com/2008/07/free-coupon-management-system/ Mine looks exactly like the one above, only the color binder is different, wonder how she knew we liked pink?

Little Miss Firecracker-Help her find a Home!

Summer over at Artful Life is having another giveaway-this time a cute little girl celebrating the 4th of July, such a cute print! http://artfulife.blogspot.com/2008/08/little-miss-firecracker-needs-home.html

Her giveaway ends on the 4th and be sure to leave her your comment before 4pm. I will still be at work, but her little ones love to draw the winners, so let's make it fun for them. Oh, did I mention she is going to frame it as well? Summer is a really talented artist, and her prints are just perfect for your little ones room. What'cha waiting for? Head on over now to enter and good luck!