Miss-Understood

under the steeple blog/newsletter

2011-11-20T15:24:00.001-06:00

coming soon. stay tuned :)

A Weird Dream

2011-07-31T08:58:00.000-05:00

I've had this dream for many many years now and it seems as though the longer i have it, the more into the dream i go and i really just don't understand what it means.....here we go. Picture it.....lol 1970 's, nightime and i'm walking up on a road towards the beach between two huge sand dunes, the waves rolling up on the beach so loud that i can barely hear anything but i hear what sounds like a lady crying...so i approach slowely closer to investigate. i am not sared just cautious because i can feel like there is someone watching me but i can't see it's so dark. there's nothing around this beach, no bars, nightclubs, homes...etc just what looks like a road that leads out of town, i can see a road sign but not clear enough to read what it says....it's almost pitch black and the only light out is like a street light thats about to go out and the moonlight. i get closer to the crying and now i'm sure that that's what it is but from who? and why? i'm now off the road and on the beach walking through the sand which is hard because i feel as though i've been walking forever, i stop to catch my breath and i see her. she's lying on the beach in a yellow bathing suit with her shoes lying beside her. shes not moving but still crying and now the closer i get, the harder it is to hear her because of the waves crashing on the beach. i finally get to her only to see that she's dead from having her throat cut almost to the point of a beheading. no movement, no sound now and i stumble backwards almost falling over when i feel someone grab me, i turn around quickly to see that it's her! i look back on the beach and her body is still there! i try to scream and can't. i try to run and can't move because the beach sand feels like quicksand. shes talking but i can't hear her and it's not so much a scary site to see her but just a startle because i know it's her ghost. the waves calm, she lets go of me and i hear her say that she needs something but i cant quite understand what? and why me? shes trying to tell me something and the more she tries, the louder the waves get making it impossible to hear again, my heart starts to race, i can feel something bad coming and she disappears....and i wake up. last night when i had this dream it sounded like she said that she needed something from me but what i have no idea??? i just can't figure this out and it's a haunting dream to say the least.

Too Hot To Handle

2011-06-04T13:59:00.001-05:00

In more ways than one (figuaratly speaking sp?) The heat is enough to deal with, not to mention everything thats going on at work and at home with summer vacation for the kids and with my peronal projects going (because i am determing to do my thing) it all gets so overwhelming that i just want to scream (literally) but i just have to step back and breath and take it one step at a time and just looking at the big picture, knowing that my kids are worth every little sacrifice that i have to make for the moment to get where i picture us all in 5 years makes me realize that i am soooo blessed to be where i am and to have what ive got makes everything else seem so small and insignificante. Speaking of real heat though, its only june 4th and were already in triple digits heat with no rain in sight. Ugh! Hurricane season is upon us and thats predicted to be tough to say the least! Its too hot to do angthing outide but lay in the pool like a sloth and i dont dare turn on my oven....lol so weve making good use of the microwave. Sometimes even with the a/c going its too hot to sleep! The heat is doing a real number on my candles too, i cant really make any, let alone ship them so i am at a standstill with that but ive got plenty of other stuff that i can do. Were planning a lot for the summer like game night with friends and family on friday nights, saturdays will be our out of the house day and of course church sunday with grilling out afterwards. For now though, the laundry beckons and so do i for some good ole iced sweet tea...lol til next time, stay cool!
~Rachel

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Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

2011-02-06T05:05:00.000-06:00

Anybody Doing Anything Special For The Super Bowl? Were Not, Hubby's Gotta Work & I'll Be Busy As Usual Cleaning, Working On Some More Candles & Starting Some Really Cute Candy Wrappers For A Lady Who Would Like Some For Her 35th Anniversary And I'm Gonna Work On Making Some For The Boys To Exchange With Classmates For Valentine's Day At School ( I'll Post Pics ) But I'll Occasionaly Look At The Game....It's Not Like I'm Really Gonna Miss A Whole Lot With It Being On 4 t.v's In The House...lol Hope Everyone Is Well With All The Nasty Weather. I Know The Groundhog Didn't See His Shadow But I Think Instead Of Having 6 More Weeks Of Winter, We'll Probably Have 5 Weeks And 6 Days....lol. Although, The Weatherman Did Say That Today Was Supposed To Be Sunny & In The Mid 60's Today But We'll See... Life Has Been A Real Hurdle Lately With Everything Going On But We Are Determined To Stay Strong Through It All. Life Throws Ya Lemon's....You Just Freakin' Make Lemonade! lol Nuff' Said. Anyhoo, Just Wanted To Say Hello, I've Gotta Get Busy With Doin' Some Laundry And Getting Breakfast For The Boy's & Dishes Done Before I Get Started With The Candles & Wrappers. Love You All, Be Safe Out There & Until Next Time....

Santa clause is coming to town

2010-12-10T08:42:00.001-06:00

And I just barely got my tree up last night. I haven't had any time to get any of my Christmas shopping done, therefore depression is about to kick in. I'm sure ill get it done and I will all turn out OK but I'm almost killing myself running around trying to get everything done and on top of that, being sick. I just wish it didn't go by so fast. It seems as though Boone has time anymore to just enjoy the real reason for the season anymore. I'm gonna try and do as much as I can shopping wise today after work and hopefully this weekend but everybody has got their own agenda and to do list just like me so well see what actually gets accomplished..LOL. anyhow I'm off to work, hoping today don't drag by but til next time, and if I don't get time to post, merry Christmas everybody. Rachel

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Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T11:18:00.000-06:00

Just Wanted To Tell You All From My House To Yours....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

A Lot Of People Say That Thanksgiving Shouldn't Be A Big Deal But When I Was Growing Up, We Had A Lot To Be Thankful For And Always Made It A Big Deal Even Though Nobody Ever Came To Our House, It Was Always So Exciting Getting Ready, Cooking And Just Being Together, My Mom, My Little Sister & Me. This Year Were Not Expecting Anyone Over And It's Just Gonna Be Me, Manny & The Boy's Because Alicia Is Going To Spend Thanksgiving With Steven's Family In Mississippi. Every Year After We Eat, And While The Football Games Are Going On Every TV In The House, I Start The Big Cleanup Of The Kitchen, Only To Start On The Rest Of The House So We Can Put Up The Christmas Tree. I Love Christmas. But Back To Thanksgiving, I Haven't Even Gone To The Grocery Store Yet! I've Been So Busy That I Haven't Made The Time To Go So It Will Just Have To Wait Til' After Work Tommorow. Nothin' Like Waitin Til The Last Minute Huh? lol Nothing Special On The Menu This Year Just Family Favorites And Plenty Of Pies, Cakes & Cobblers lol

Anyhoo....Just Wanted To Wish You All A Very Safe, Happy Thanksgiving!

Be Sure To Hug Your Loved Ones, Count Your Blessings & Give Thanks For What You Have In Your Life.

Til' Next Time!

Rachel

Search & Win With Swagbucks!

2010-07-18T10:03:00.000-05:00

Just Life Here

2010-07-18T09:13:00.000-05:00

Hi All, Hope This Finds You All Well. I Haven't Been Able To Post Here As Much As I Have Wanted But I Promise It Is Not Intentional. I Now Work 40 Hours 5 Days A Week Outside The Home & I Am On Call 24/7 With Family & Home So My Time Is Very Limited. Stress Is Not Limited I Promise You. Trying To Find A Balance & A Schedule With Work, Family & Home Has Been Super Stressful For Me & When I Do Get Time, There's Always Someone @ The Computer Who Doesn't Want To Share Very Well With Other's..lol. Woo-Hoo! I Got Some Time Late Last Night & This Morning..Now....What Do I Want To Post? Hmmm, I Could Write A Book Just About All The Things That Have Happened This Past Week Alone! But I Don't Have The Energy..hehe Well, Last Saturday We Went To The Movies. Manny, Nick & Marcus Saw "Despicable Me" & Me & Brandon Saw "Grown Up's. "Grown Up's" Was Hysterical & The Review's About "Despicable Me" Were So Good That Now I Have To Go See It. Curiousity For Me & "Just To See It Again Mom" From The Boy's. Went & Had Pizza @ CiCi's After The Movie's. Lot's "O" Good New Development's As Far As Myself & My Priorities. I Am Doing My Best To Keep My Head Up & Move Forward & Not Backward's. I Will Triumph! I Have A Vision & I Can Do It. I Will Do It. Can You Tell That I Have Been Listening To Some Motivational Cd's? lol The Work Week Went By Fairly Quickly, But It's Just Too Miserably Hot To Do Anything Outdoor's After Work Even @ Night. Most Night's We Just Grab Something Quick & Easy To Eat & Plop Down In Front Of The T.V. All Energy Get's Zapped By The Sun & Everybody Look's & Act's Like A Slug..lol But Fall Will Be Here Soon Enough. Kid's Will Be Starting Back To School (oh my gosh! school supply & clothes shopping!!!) & I Just Love Fall! Lighting Candles, Fair's & Festival's Start Up, Falling Leaves & Most Importantly Cooler Temps. Until Then, I'll Be Chillin' In The Shade As Much As Possible.Hmmm, I Need A Hammock. lol

Til' Next Time Yall!

~Rachel

Too Hot To Handle!

2010-06-23T10:02:00.000-05:00

Yes my friends...it's HOT!!! The last few days it's been in the 100's here and that's not counting the heat index!!! The heat is soo bad that it just zaps me of almost all my energy just to walk to the mailbox! The kids just hang out in the pool and lay around the house but I can't blame them cause I'd do the same~ lol Work has been hectic & chaotic but pretty good. Not sure what's gonna be for dinner tonight but I made a peach cobbler last night that was awesome! My mom would be so proud! Other than just being busy with work and the kids out of school, I haven't had much time to socialize lately but I love you all. I'm off to work. Stay cool til next time!
~ Rachel

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T08:42:00.000-05:00

To All The Mom's Out There, Whether Your Single, Married, Young Or Old, Rich Or Poor, You Will Always Be A Mom...

Happy Mother's Day To You All!

Have A Wonderful Day!

~Rachel

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T06:08:00.002-05:00

Well, Easter has arrived. The kids dyed the eggs yesterday ( 2 1/2 dozen ) and are quite proud of themselves. Peter Cottontail will make a visit to our home shortly with Easter baskets filled with goodies galore for the kids & then they will be hunting for the oh so vibrant colored eggs that have been hidden all over the place. Were gonna cook some steaks on the grill with some baked potatoes, some corn on the cob and then, of course....deviled eggs...lol Today is gonna be a beautiful day out & We are gonna enjoy it to the fullest. My 2 older children have long been too old to get easter baskets and hunt eggs and yesterday when we were dying eggs, I was informed that my 10 year old is now "too old for that" but I have baskets for all of them. I make my kids easter baskets myself. I Just cannot see paying $25 for a cheaply made basket, a few pieces of candy and a dollar store toy or two with a few strands of colored easter grass and some plastic wrapping so I started making my kids Easter baskets myself as well as making some baskets for a few of my mommy friends that like mine so much. I'm currently working on something for next year that I am so very pleased with that I have patted myself on the back several times. I just wish that I could have had them ready for this year but if you knew me, you would know that everything I do has to be pretty much perfect and I'm just not happy with anything until it is. Anyhoo, I don't care how old my kids get, they'll always get an easter basket from "The Easter Bunny" lol I just can't help knowing that they will always be my babies but they are growing up soooo fast that when I'm told that "I'm too old for that mom", I just have to take a deep breath, hold back the tears, smile & kindly remind them that they'll never get "too old for a mother's love" I hope you all have a very safe & happy Easter. I Will be complaining about all the eggs we've eaten on my next blog post....lol
Love & hugs to you all
~ Rachel

Today's Freebies

2010-02-24T07:50:00.004-06:00

Hey soap opera fans, now is your chance for a Free subscription to Soap Opera Digest.

I'm a Day's of our lives fan,

What is your favorite Soap?

Here is a magazine I am excited to get.

I signed up & can’t wait to get my first issue!

Must be 18 years old to request sample.

FREE Regenerist Starter Trio Kit
TODAY ONLY February 24th at NOON!
Get ready! Beginning at 12 PM EST on February 24th TODAY, the first 1,000 lucky women to sign up will win a free Regenerist Starter Trio!
I hope I'm one of the 1,000!

Have A Wonderful Day All!
Rachel

Your Weekley Click Reminder - Fight Breast Cancer!

2010-02-22T04:38:00.000-06:00

Your friendly Monday reminder from The Breast Cancer Site:

Help save lives today with the gift of early detection!

Simply click the pink button at The Breast Cancer Site to

help provide free mammograms to underprivileged women.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/ERB_022210_BCS

***

MAKE A WISH COME TRUE FOR A WOMAN WITH CANCER

Help grant a wish for a woman with breast cancer--FREE with

your order today!* The good you do is in addition to the

mammogram you help fund with every item purchased. Shop for

the cause now:

http://shop.thebreastcancersite.com/cattrack/2743/ERB_022210_C_2743_m

Every item purchased in The Breast Cancer Site store

helps fund a free mammogram for a woman in need.

*Extra Donation Days offer good through Thursday, February 25th

(11:59 p.m. PT). Please see our Current Promotions page for

complete details.

***

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

The Breast Cancer Site

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/ERB_022210_BCS

FREE Pancakes at IHOP

2010-02-21T20:23:00.000-06:00

Celebrate National Pancake Day with free pancakes at your local IHOP.

Join IHOP to celebrate National Pancake Day on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., we’ll give you one free short stack (three) of our famous buttermilk pancakes. All we ask is that you consider making a donation to support local children’s hospitals through Children’s Miracle Network, or other local charities.If you don’t want to brave the crowds consider celebrating National Pancake Day at your house using my fluffy whole wheat buttermilk pancake recipe.
As always check your local IHOP to confirm their participation in the National Pancake Day celebration.

Ten Commandments For Husbands

2010-01-31T14:06:00.000-06:00

Ten Commandments for Husbands

1. Remember that thy wife is thy partner, not thy property.

2. Do not expect thy wife to be wife and wage earner at the same time.

3. Think not that thy business is none of thy wife’s business.

4. Thou shalt hold thy wife’s love by the same means that thou won it.

5. Thou shalt make the building of thy home thy first business.

6. Thou shalt cooperate with thy wife in establishing family discipline.

7. Thou shalt enter into thy home with cheerfulness.

8. Thou shalt not let anyone criticize they wife to thy face and get away with it. Neither thy father, nor thy mother, nor thy sister or any of thy relatives.

9. Thou shalt not take thy wife for granted.

10. Remember thy home and keep it holy.

A New Year....A New Me.....

2010-01-10T08:09:00.002-06:00

I Know, I Know....It's Been A While Since I've Been Over Here To Blog But With Working Outside The Home And The Holidays Being So Hectic, I've Barely Had Time To Blink And Hopefully 2010 Will Be Better. I Have Made A Few Resolutions For The New Year & Will Do Everything In My Power To See Them Through. Can't Yet Tell Yall What They Are But I'll Just Say...Wait & See...lol Today I'm Doing Some Laundry And Trying To Get Caught Up On Some Housework, I Can't Wait Til Income Tax Refund Time, There Are So Many Things I Want To Do Around Here. We All Had A Wonderful Christmas And A Quiet New Year And Other Than Just A Few Minor Snags, Everything's Good, I Just Thought I'd Pop Over And Let Yall Know I'm Still Here & Kickin'. Hope Everyone Is Doing Well, I'll Be Back In A Bit....

Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-12T12:30:00.002-06:00

Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake

Create a no-fuss pumpkin dessert that's in the oven in just 10 minutes.

Prep Time: 10 min

Total Time: 4 hours 55 min

Makes: 8 servings

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into 16 pieces, softened

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup caramel topping, if desired

Pecan halves, if desired

Serve with...

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Stuffed with Wild Rice and Cranberries

Total Time: 8 hours 20 min

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

2. In blender, place all ingredients except pecan halves. Cover; blend on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. (Or beat in medium bowl with hand beater 2 minutes.) Pour into pie plate.

3. Bake about 45 minutes or just until puffed and center is dry (do not overbake). Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until chilled. Drizzle servings with caramel topping; garnish with pecan halves. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Substitution

No pumpkin pie spice? Use 3/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

Special Touch

Top cheesecake with whipped topping, pecans and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 260 (Calories from Fat 120); Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 7g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 110mg; Sodium 220mg; Total Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 22g); Protein 6g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 18%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 6%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat; 2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Just A Lazy Sunday - Back To Monday

2009-09-21T04:26:00.002-05:00

Monday Mania That Is. I Had Such A Relaxing Sunday & I Am Not Looking Forward To Getting Up @ 5 a.m To Grab Me A Quick Cup Of Coffee And Then Wake The Boy's For School Cause Thier Now Getting Really Hard To Get Up. Can't Say I Blame Them Though, I Think If I Had To Get Up @ 5a.m To Get Ready For School, I'd Be A Little Cranky Too. I Think It's Too Early For Them To Have To Get Up But They Leave Here @ 6a.m And Have An Hour's Bus Ride To Get Other Kids And Then Get To School. I Still Say It's Too Early. Anyhoo, My Monday To Do List Is Just Getting Bigger By The Minute. My Daughter Joined ROTC Last Week & She'll Be Getting Her Uniform This Week. So Far She's Loving It & I Couldn't Be More Proud Of Her.O.k., Off To Grab Me Some Coffee & A Bite To Eat. Talk To Yall Later, I'm Hoping To Get Some Nice Fall Weather Recipes Posted, I've Seen & Tried Some This Past Week That Were Delicious! Later Gator!

Rachel

Caramel Apple Dessert

2009-09-19T16:12:00.002-05:00

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced (2 cups)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup boiling water

Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix Bisquick and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Stir in milk until blended.

2. Pour into ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Top with apples; sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Pour boiling water over apples.

3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Kids Can Be So Sweet & Loving Sometimes

2009-09-17T14:13:00.002-05:00

The Last Couple Of Weeks, I Have Really Felt Bad & Just Haven't Been Able To Do What I Wanted Or Needed To Be Done. I Was Just Able To Do What Absolutely Had To Be Done And Then I Was Back In Bed...Completely Exhausted. Hubby And Kids Could See That There Were Things That I Wanted To Do And Just Couldn't & I Would Just Cry. On Hubby's Day Off, I Stayed In Bed Most Of The Day On Meds. The Kids Came Home And It Was Friday So They Didn't Have Any Homework But I Could Here Whispering And Them Doing Things Around The House. You See My List Of Things To Be Done Was To Shampoo My Carpet, Clean The Windows Inside & Out, Wipe Down The Walls, Wash The Curtains & Clean Off My Kitchen Table. That's Usually Where Everything Ends Up. Well, I Heard The Lawnmower Start Up, I Smelled Cleaning Products Being Used Outta The On Nostril I Had Available And They Were Trying To Be Quiet But I Didn't Dare Move For The Mess I May See When I Did. Well, Suprise, Suprise! Dinner Was Going On The Stove With My Daughter Tending To It Like A Little Mother, The Boys Were Wiping Down Walls, Hubby Was Mowing Grass & Washing The Windows From The Outside While The Boys Did The Inside, Then They Shampooed My Carpets (They Look Like New!) And The Curtains Had Been Washed And Dried And Put Back Up. But What Really Caught My Eye Was The Table Had Not Only Been Cleared Off But Set For Dinner & All I Could Do Was Stand There And Sob! Everything Looked Sooo Nice And I Couldn't Have Done A Better Job Myself. They Even Got Out The Halloween Decorations And Put Them Up (A Tad Too Early I Think But Oh Well) Here's A Picture Of The Dining Room Table That They Set.

I'm Feeling Much Better Now But Every Time I Think About What They Did For Me, I Cry Like A Baby.

Kids Can Be So Sweet And Loving Sometimes

I Am Truly Blessed!

Rachel

This Family Needs Our Prayer's

2009-09-09T00:06:00.003-05:00

I was totally in tears just now........ so be careful and grab a tissue first.

http://supahmommy.blogspot.com/2009/08/help-my-friend-please-help.html

Thank you for taking the time...

((Hugs))

Rachel

Do You Cozi?

2009-09-07T21:06:00.004-05:00

Do you Cozi?

Do you Cozi? I do and that is why I’m so uber organized. For those of you who don’t know already, Cozi is a FREE web service that helps you, and your family, keep track of work schedules, grocery lists, household chores, to-do lists, and much, much more. You can access Cozi right from your desktop computer, or on-the-go from your mobile phone. You can create customized lists for just about anything, keep a family calendar, schedule reminders and messages, as well as record family events in a journal and photo collage. With everything we (parents) have to remember and do each day, organization is crucial, and Cozi helps us keep it together.

With school back in session, it is easy to become overwhelmed with school events, homework and everyday errands.

Why not give Cozi a chance? Simply visit http://www.cozi.com/ and get your life organized NOW!

Hope You All....

2009-09-07T03:06:00.002-05:00

Rachel

Take 10 Minutes

2009-09-06T08:56:00.003-05:00

And Snack On Some Grapes. Recent Studies Show That They May Help Prevent Stomach Bacteria That Can Lead To Nasties Like Peptide Ulcers. The Antioxident Rich Fruit- Try To Choose Red Over Green- Can Also Help Lower Blood Pressure And Reduce Heart Damage. (Sadly, The Same Effects Aren't True For Grape Flavored Soda)

Rachel

Are You A Back 2 School Baker?

2009-09-04T14:51:00.009-05:00

6 Back-to-School Sweets
Cakes and cupcakes that will have kids cheering in the hallsBy Woman's Day Staff Posted August 14, 2009 from Woman's Day; September 1, 2009
.It's back-to-school time again, so why not celebrate your kid's return to academia with a delicious school-themed dessert. From a crossword-inspired cake to cupcakes that show your child's school spirit, these sweets are sure to make your son or daughter the most popular in class.

Classmate Cupcakes

2 cans (16 oz each) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color (yellow, red)
1 can (16 oz) chocolate fudge frosting
24 (2 1/2-in.) cupcakes, baked in colored paper liners
1 box (4.86 oz) each Stella D’oro Mini Breakfast Treats, original and chocolate
M&M’s Chocolate Mini Baking Bits
Pink large decorating confetti
24 pink chocolate-covered sunflower seeds

1. Tint 1 cup white frosting pink. Stir remaining 1/2 cup white frosting with 1/2 cup chocolate frosting for tan. Tint 1 cup white frosting yellow. Spoon yellow frosting, 1/2 cup white frosting and 1/2 cup chocolate frosting into separate quart-size ziptop freezer bags.
2. Frost cupcakes with remaining pink, tan and chocolate frostings. Using a serrated knife, cut mini–breakfast treats in half (use a sawing motion) for boys; leave whole for girls.
3. Snip off tiny corner of each ziptop bag. Pipe yellow on the original breakfast treats, chocolate on chocolate treats. Place on cupcakes as shown for hair. Place baking bits for eyes. With chocolate frosting, pipe mouths, eyelashes for girls and eyebrows for boys. Place pink decorating confetti for cheeks, pink sunflower seeds for noses. Pipe white onto baking bits for eyes.

Wordplay Cake

2 cans (16 oz each) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color (red, blue)
1 1/2 pkg (12.5 oz each) chocolate-covered graham crackers (we used Keebler)
Wilton Make-Any-Message Letter Press (optional)
1 baked 15 x 10-in. cake

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or foil. Spoon 1/2 cup frosting into each of 4 microwave-safe bowls; tint one red, one blue and one pink (leave one white).
2. Microwave white frosting 5 to 10 seconds at a time until just pourable. Spoon some white frosting over chocolate-covered grahams, spreading just up to edge. (We did 13 as shown; you can spell whatever you’d like.) Place on tray to set. Repeat with blue and pink frosting (make 6 or 7 grahams of each color).
3. When white frosted grahams are set, gently press letters on top, if using. Spoon red frosting into a quart-size ziptop freezer bag, snip off tiny corner of bag and pipe over imprint. Squeeze remaining red frosting back into microwave-safe bowl, microwave and frost 4 grahams as shown above; let set.
4. Place cake on serving tray; frost with remaining white frosting. Arrange grahams as shown or as desired.

School Supplies

Place decorations on top of frosted cupcakes dipped in sprinkles.

Ruler: Place Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Fun Size Bars on wire rack. Spoon 1 cup white frosting into a glass bowl; tint yellow. Microwave 5 to 10 seconds or until just pourable. Spoon over chocolate bars to cover; let set. Spoon 1/2 cup chocolate frosting into ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe ruler markings onto each coated bar.

Book: Roll 1 rounded tsp white Frosting Dough into a ball. Unwrap an AirHead candy. Fold in half with ball in center; press slightly. Cut off excess from 3 edges. Slightly open to form book.

Pencil: Cut Oreo Cookie Sticks into 1 1/2-in. pieces. Place on wire rack. Spoon 3/4 cup white frosting into small glass bowl; tint orange-yellow. Spoon 1/2 cup white frosting into another small glass bowl; tint pink. Roll 1 tsp white Frosting Dough into a ball; cut into a triangle for a pencil tip. Microwave pink frosting 5 to 10 seconds or until just pourable. Dip one end of each cookie stick into pink frosting; place on rack. Microwave yellow frosting as above; spoon over remaining part of cookie stick. Place 1 white pencil tip onto end of cookie; let set. Spoon 1/2 cup chocolate frosting into ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe lines where pink meets yellow and on tip of point.

Classroom Chalkboard Cake

1 baked 13 x 9-in. cake
2 cans (16 oz each) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color (green, yellow, red)
1 can (16 oz) chocolate fudge frosting
½ recipe Frosting Dough

1. Place cake, bottom side up, on wire rack on wax paper. Spoon a can of white frosting into a 2-cup glass measure; tint green. Microwave 5 to 10 seconds at a time until just pourable. Pour frosting over cake to cover top completely (no need to cover sides). Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Spoon 1/2 cup white frosting into a quart-size ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe four solid lines lengthwise across cake, about 2 in. apart. Pipe dotted lines between solid lines. Tint 1 cup white frosting yellow, spoon into ziptop bag and snip off slightly larger corner of bag. Pipe desired message between the solid white lines.
3. Spoon chocolate frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large (1-in.) basketweave tip. Place cake on serving platter. Pipe chocolate frosting on side and top outer edge.
4. Tint 1/4 cup Frosting Dough red, 1 tsp green. Roll red dough until scant 1/4 in. thick. Cut out a 3-in. apple shape; place on cake. Shape green dough into a leaf; place on apple.

Teacher’s Favorite Cupcakes

1 1/2 cans (16 oz) white or vanilla frosting
24 miniature chocolate-covered grahams (we used Keebler Right Bites 100 Calorie packs)
1 recipe Frosting Dough (see below)
Gel food color (red, green, brown)
24 (2 2/1-in.) cupcakes, baked in green paper liners

1. Spoon 1/2 cup white frosting into a quart-size ziptop freezer bag; snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe “A+” on each graham; let set.
2. Tint 1/2 cup Frosting Dough red. Roll 1 tsp into an apple shape; stand upright on baking sheet. With toothpick, make hole on top for leaf and stem; repeat to make 24. Tint 1 Tbsp dough green, 1 Tbsp brown. Pinch off small amounts of green dough to make leaves. Roll brown into long strips; cut into stems and insert into apples.
3. Tint remaining frosting green; frost cupcakes. Top each cupcake with an apple and an “A+”.

School Colors Cupcakes

24 (2 1/2-in.) cupcakes, baked in paper liners
1 can (16 oz) white or vanilla frosting
Gel food color

1. Divide frosting into two glass bowls; tint desired colors. Microwave 5 to 10 seconds at a time until pourable.
2. Spoon lighter color onto half of cupcake first, then darker color. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. (You’ll need to reheat frosting occasionally.)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

2009-09-04T14:46:00.003-05:00

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

“This is a simple recipe for any type of potluck occasion, and the pan always comes home empty,” says Diane Windley in Grace, Idaho.

SERVINGS: 15

CATEGORY: Dessert

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 35 min. + chilling

Ingredients:
1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
3 cups cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
Chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

Directions:
Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1-3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls if desired.
Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm.

Yield: 15 servings.

Taco Burger's

2009-09-04T14:33:00.002-05:00

Taco Burgers

My family loves the taste of tacos, but I dislike the mess! So I developed these burgers as a tasty but "neat" alternative.—Linda Logan, Warren, Ohio

SERVINGS: 6

CATEGORY: Sandwich

METHOD: Grill (gas or charcoal)

TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:
1 cup finely crushed corn chips
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
6 slices cheddar cheese
Sandwich buns, split
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Salsa, optional

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the corn chips, taco seasoning onion and egg. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into six patties. Broil or grill until a meat thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear.
Top each burger with a cheese slice; cook just until cheese begins to melt. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato and salsa if desired.

Yield: 6 servings.

Upside Down Deep Dish Pizza

2009-09-04T14:24:00.003-05:00

UPSIDE-DOWN DEEP DISH PIZZA

The ground beef mixture can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated in the baking dish until assembly time. Just heat it in the microwave until hot before topping and baking.

Ingredients
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli OR spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (optional)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 oz.)
1 can (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza dough
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) Ragu® Old World Style® Sweet Tomato Basil Smooth Pasta Sauce

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375°. Brown ground beef in 12-inch nonstick skillet; drain and season, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. Stir in Pasta Sauce and bring to a boil; turn into 2-quart deep dish pie plate or baking dish.
2.Top with broccoli, then cheese. Place pizza dough over dish, sealing edges tightly.
3.Bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden. Let stand 10 minutes.

Preparation time: 10 Minute(s)
Cook time: 25 Minute(s)
Servings: 4
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories 630, Calories From Fat 200, Total Fat 23g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 115mg, Sodium 1620mg, Dietary Fiber 7g, Sugars 15g, Protein 47g
Cost per recipe*: $13.76

Cost per serving*: $3.44

*Based on average retail prices at national supermarkets.

BACK TO SCHOOL: H1N1 "Swine Flu" Safety Tips

2009-09-04T06:27:00.003-05:00

BACK TO SCHOOL: H1N1 "Swine Flu" Safety Tips

I know that many people are really concerned about what it going to happen once school is back in session full swing and the seasonal flu comes back. I know some people are panicing already over what can happen. Personally I have been grilling my kids on a daily basis on what they should and should not do. My son especially. He gets anxious and bites his nails. With the H1N1 concerns that is the LAST thing you want your child to do.

I have some great tips for you from to Dr. Erika Schwartz, Medical Director of Cinergy Health. These are tips for teachers but parents are "teachers" too so I'm sure we as parents can adapt these tips for home use as well.

Practical Swine Flu Prevention Tips for Teachers

According to Dr. Erika Schwartz, Medical Director of Cinergy Health, as kids gear up for back-to-school, adults may be leery about health concerns. The recently CDC reported 436 deaths and 6,506 hospitalizations nationwide associated with Swine Flu. No one knows what this school year has in store, so what must be done to make sure your child’s classroom is Swine Flu safe?

Here are some practical Swine Flu tips for teachers and parents alike:

- Teach your students to wash their hands throughout the day.
- Keep anti-bacterial pumps accessible in the classroom. Explain what the pumps are and when it's appropriate to use them.

- Remind the students not to touch their eyes, nose and mouth with their hands. Germs are spread when a child touches something that is contaminated and then touches her or his eyes, nose or mouth. Also they spread when kids sneeze and cough without covering their mouths.

- Sharing food and drink will also spread germs.

- Explain to students the importance of getting at least 8-10 hours of sleep a night. Make them aware of how it affects how they feel, their energy level, their moods, etc. the next day.

- Teach your students to eat three full meals and several snacks a day which are balanced complex carbohydrates, protein and are chock full of fruit and vegetables. Stay away from pre-prepared, high sugar, soda and preserved foods.

- Keep children hydrated. Kids should be drinking 4-6 glasses of water a day. Help them choose water over sugary drinks.

- Dissuade children from sharing cups, straws and bottles (anything they have direct mouth contact with will spread the germs).

- Make sure the children are getting sufficient exercise. Children should be doing aerobic activity at least 5 days a week during recess, gym class or after-school sports.

- Don't send sick children to school; likewise, send them home if they get sick at school. Allowing children to stay in school is the fastest way to spread germs and illness.

- Send a "Flu Prevention Tips" letter home with students to give to their parents. The same tips should be practiced at home to assure a healthy school year.

- If you notice a child with the beginning symptoms of a flu or cold, let their parents know immediately. Helping prevent the flu or cold developing with vitamin C, hydration, rest and chicken soup is critical.

How to NOT go “over board” with Swine Flu Prevention:

- There is no need to frighten the children by wearing a mask or using gloves. If they see their teacher being hysterical or nervous they will imitate and results will be counter productive.
- There is no reason to explain in detail the symptoms or effects of the flu to children. Younger children will not understand and adolescents will get scared. Teaching them to maintain healthy lifestyles is all they need to learn from you.

By: Dr. Erika Schwartz, Medical Director of Cinergy Health (http://www.cinergyhealth.com/ )

Personally I make sure my kids have small hand sanitizers in their backpacks and Wet Ones packets. I especially like the Wet Ones packets. I keep them in my pocketbook and in my car. I make sure I have one on hand when I go shopping and have to use a shopping cart.

Shopping carts are huge germ collectors (gross!). As soon as I get the cart I want to use I immediatly open up a Wet One and wipe it down and then take a fresh Wet One and wipe my hands too.

Our family also visits the local animal shelter on a regular basis. I always make sure the kids wash their hands with soap and water before they leave and then use a Wet One when they get back in the car just to be on the safe side. You can't always trust that children are washing sufficently, even if you've instructed them on the proper way to wash hands.

Unlike the liquid hand santitizers the Wet Ones also act as a towel to wash off dirt and grim while eliminiating 99.99% of germs.

I even use Wet Ones at home. I use them to wipe down the railing in the stair way. Shhh... don't tell the neighbors. But everyone uses the railing so I figure the more germs I can kill the better. I also use them to wipe down the door handles and on occasion for cleaning up a mess when I don't have another appropriate cleaners on hand.

Wet Ones has a sensitive formula now which is safe for babies and for using to wash off face and hands when a santizier is not necessary. They even have a Fresh & Flush too that you can use instead of toilet paper. Not a bad idea to keep these on hand in your car too, just in case.

There is a $1.00 off coupon on the Wet Ones web site if you are interested. Visit http://www.wetones.com/ .

Wet Ones are available at most grocery and drug stores as well as places like Walmart and Target.

Thanks to Dr. Erika Schwartz for all her great flu tips too.

Apple Pockets

2009-09-04T05:53:00.003-05:00

Apple Pockets

This is a great way to enjoy the taste of apple pie without the guilt. The cute golden bundles are shaped from a homemade yeast dough, but it's their old-fashioned flavor that really appeals. —Sharon Martin of Terre Hill, Pennsylvania

SERVINGS: 16

CATEGORY: Low Fat

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 25 min. + rising Bake: 15 min.

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter

FILLING:
4 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 2-3 medium)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

TOPPING:
1/4 cup milk
4 teaspoons sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. In a saucepan, heat the water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to the dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide dough into four portions. Roll each portion into an 8-in. square. Cut into four 4-in. squares. Cut apple slices into thirds; toss with sugar, flour and cinnamon. Place 1/4 cup filling on each square; bring up the corners up over the filling and pinch to seal. Secure with a toothpick if needed. Place 3 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Brush with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Discard toothpicks.

Yield: 16 servings.

Fall Into Grilling

2009-09-03T15:09:00.005-05:00

Before The Warm Weather Skip's Away Completely, Take Advantage Of The Blue Skies & SunshineBy Heading Outdoor's For A Grilled Family Feast.

Rachel

Click & Save

2009-09-03T14:57:00.003-05:00

Hang On To More Of Your Cash With The Help Of These Websites

http://www.dealalerter.com/ -- Tracks Prices Of Ton's Of Item's And Alert's You When The Price Drop's.

http://www.mygrocerydeals.com/ -- Scan's Store Circular's Every Week In All 50 States; You Can Search For Sales @ Your Local Grocery Store.

http://www.retailmenot.com/ -- Help's You Find Coupon For Discounts On Online Purchases.

Rachel

Life's Little Annoyances

2009-09-02T13:55:00.004-05:00

Smudged Nail Polish

Dip The Pad Of Another Finger In Nail Polish Remover And Touch It Lightly To The Smudge. Then, Dab Nail Color On The Newly Bare Spot Only. Once It Dries, Covor It With Topcoat.

Hanger Dents In Clothes

Place An Old Shoulder Pad Beneath Clothing As A Mold, Then Use A Travel Steamer To Get The Dent Out. Remove Pad After Steam Evaporates So The Fabric Won't Wrinkle.

Rachel

Take An Afternoon

2009-09-02T13:51:00.003-05:00

And Paint That Room That You've Been Meaning To Update All Summer. It's Still Warm Enough That You Can Fling Open All The Windows To Let It Dry & Get Rid Of The Toxic Paint Fumes.

Rachel

What To Do When Your Child Is The Bully

2009-09-02T10:56:00.006-05:00

Helping the bully stop bullying
Jen Klein

What should you do if your child is the bully at school? When your child comes home and is distraught because they are being bullied, it's heartbreaking, but the path to begin a resolution is generally quite clear and straight-forward. But what if you get the call that it's your child that is the bully? How do you address that situation effectively?

Your first response may be one of, no, not my child, no way. After all, it's the extremely rare parent who raises their child to be a bully. But we do our children no favors by thinking they are perfect all the time. If you've been told your child is a bully, you have a challenging job in front of you: you need to figure out the situation, discipline appropriately, and address the underlying issues.

Assess the situation
When you are told your child is a bully, your first instinct may be to take your child's side and deny the possibility. It's a very natural response. Every child deserves the unconditional love and support of parents and it may feel that this is a way to offer that. But your child also deserves appropriate parenting. As such, it's your responsibility to talk to everyone involved and figure out what happened - without dismissing the feelings of the target of the bullying.

You may feel thoroughly embarrassed if you get the call, and that's normal, too. But don't let that feeling stop you from doing the right thing. Talk to whomever informed you of the bullying and anyone else that you can. Talk to your child, role-play, whatever it takes to try to get to the bottom of the situation.

Appropriate discipline
After assessing the situation, discipline may be in order. If you realize that your child intentionally, knowingly hurt the feelings or the body of another child, there should be consequences for this. The kind of discipline given to your child in this situation will depend on the discipline style you've already established.

If the situation is less clear cut - if, say, your child is younger and doesn't fully understand what bullying is, even if he or she was doing it - discipline may still be in order, but perhaps with a different tone.

In either case, apologies to the target and likely others are probably in order, and you have a big opportunity for both of you to learn about appropriate behaviors, responses, diversity, and living as part of a community.

Look for underlying issues
The cause of bullying is never with the target of the bullying, the cause is with the bully. The bully likely has some underlying issue or insecurity that compelled him or her to lash out in this way, to make this power play. Probably the best thing you can do as a parent of a child who has bullied is to identify and address the underlying issue.

When my oldest child was in second grade, there was one boy in his class who bullied another. After a tremendous amount of energy expended by the teacher and the school psychologist, it came down to this, and was first identified by the other kids: the bully was struggling at reading and he targeted another boy who was particularly good at reading. When the bully's reading skills were addressed, the bullying eased and finally ended. The two boys, many years later, are friendly - not friends, but friendly.

While not every situation is so clear, bully situations can be resolved for everyone involved - so they don't happen again. whatever your child's issue may be, your unconditional love and support to address their issue, stop them from engaging in inappropriate and destructive behaviors, and become more confident in their role in your community can help reduce bullying as a whole. Addressing the situation openly, honestly and lovingly not only helps your child, but it helps the child he or she bullied. And we all benefit from that.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-02T10:46:00.004-05:00

Need I Say More....lol

Rachel

Earthy Green Pea Salad

2009-09-02T10:39:00.004-05:00

Earthy Green Pea Salad

Crumbled bacon and green peas create a wonderful combination of flavors in this salad. So, go ahead, give peas a chance. Your taste buds will thank you!
My kids loved this recipe too!

Ingredients:

Shredded lettuce
1 to 2 cups frozen green peas, cooked and cooled
Chopped celery to your liking
Chopped onion to your liking
Crisp crumbled bacon
1/2 to1 cup Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1/2 to 1 cup Miracle Whip
1 tsp. Granulated sugar

Methods/steps:

Toss the salad ingredients. Stir sugar into Miracle Whip. Pour over salad; mix and refrigerate.
Additional Tips
Ready in 20 min

Have A Tip's Blog? Practice What Ya Preach

2009-09-02T10:22:00.007-05:00

Have A Tips Blog? Practice What Ya Preach

No matter what your blog is about and what platform you use, here is an important piece of advice for you:

“Do What You Recommend”
I have seen many blogs where the given tips are not followed by owners themselves. This reduces their credibility. After all, who wants to read tips from someone who does not use them?

Last week, I encountered a great example of demonstrating tips on Zero2Hero Blogger in the post Style and Readability – Boldly Go With Your Blog. I recommend reading that post. Just a look at it will make clear what I’m trying to say.

See how much impact it can make when YOU do what you preach! So, next time, make sure you use the tips yourself!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

2009-09-02T10:12:00.008-05:00

Apple and Cinnamon Pancakes

Nothing beats the collaboration of apples and cinnamon. The aroma alone is enough to get your tastebuds working overtime. Sit back and enjoy a palate-pleasing plate of gourmet pancakes.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups apple juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup quick oats
2 tbsp. Wheat germ
1 1/2 tbsp. Baking powder
1 tbsp. Grated orange peel
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tbsp. Powdered sugar
1 banana, sliced

Methods/steps:
Beat together apple juice and eggs in a medium bowl. Add the flour, oats, wheat germ, baking powder, orange peel and cinnamon. Stir until well mixed.
Lightly grease a nonstick skillet Make as you would pancakes pouring approximately 2 tbsp. Batter mixture onto hot skillet for each pancake. Flip (only once) when bubbles begin to form around edges.

Serve with powdered sugar and banana slices.

Hamburger Cookie's

2009-09-01T15:29:00.006-05:00

My husband loves peppermint patties, and our son is crazy for vanilla wafers. So I put the two together to make a cool cookie that looks just like a burger. Kids of all ages get a kick out of them.

SERVINGS: 20

TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vanilla frosting
Red and yellow paste or gel food coloring
40 vanilla wafers
20 peppermint patties
1 teaspoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:
Place 1/4 cup frosting in each of two small bowls. Tint one red and the other yellow. Frost the bottoms of 20 vanilla wafers yellow; top with a peppermint patty. Spread with red frosting. Brush tops of the remaining vanilla wafers with corn syrup; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place over red frosting. Yield: 20 cookies.

Your Monday Reminder -- Help Fight Breast Cancer

2009-08-31T14:16:00.002-05:00

Dear Supporter,

Your friendly Monday reminder from The Breast Cancer Site:
Help save lives today with the gift of early detection!

Simply click the pink button at The Breast Cancer Site to
help provide free mammograms to underprivileged women.
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/ERB_083109_BCS

Fun & Safe Website For Kid's

2009-08-20T20:15:00.006-05:00

As a Mom, it's a great feeling when we find a place that our kids love, whether it's the park down the street or a family friend's home. And when Mom can sit back and relax knowing that her little ones are safe, everyone has more fun. At MomSelect, we recently came across a place that we know your kids will love- and they don't even have to leave the house to get there! We'd like to introduce you to Pocketville. Pocketville is a creative virtual world where kids can play games, decorate their own environment, and adopt "In My Pocket" virtual pets. Kids will discover a world of fun that offers a safe social place to meet friends, engage in innovative games, create their own avatar, and dress their pets to look the coolest in the town! And luckily for Mom and Dad, all of these fun activities are free.

Parents can feel safe letting their children play in Pocketville because the site is 100% secure and no open chatting is permitted. All users are anonymous and can't share personal details with other players. And in addition to the fun they'll have taking part in the games and activities, kids will learn responsibility by taking care of their virtual pets and virtual piggy bank account. Because you're a member of MomSelect, we're able to offer you and your kids an exclusive Pocketville experience. By visiting Pocketville, http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102676981013&s=48266&e=001q6NPOy79hpNCYfS8M041eab9ysgBX7fEiQM5ntvOSdpAjw0-RmPQAe-w1GN7o2VZCuRCphFgF5Co1SV5tuAV9SVyeX5WZaZYGVVXb183U3tx8XVx5ke08xwpKIm4Nydu, and entering the voucher code below, your child can purchase items for their virtual pet at the Pocketville Pet Supplies Store:
Voucher Code: B9GX8NUDYS
Valid for 250 Pocketville Tokens Please feel free to share the voucher code with other Moms and kids who you think might enjoy the site. Please note that the voucher code expires on September 30th, 2009 so make sure to take advantage of this fun offer while it lasts! If you have any questions about the code redemption, please contact mailto:yourfriends@inmypocket.com

We are confident that your children will love exploring Pocketville. Pocketville was developed by the makers of Puppy In My Pocket, a trusted and popular company who specializes in children's character lines and toys that is sold in over 50 countries worldwide. Warm Regards, Your friends at MomSelect and Pocketville MEG is an El Segundo, California-based product development, manufacturing and licensing company, specializing in children's character lines, toys and licenses. In addition to Puppy, Kitty , Jungle, Pony and Monster In My Pocket® , Pocketville ®, some of MEG's other innovative brands include Stink Blasters®, Playtime Buddies, Scent Stars® and Scent Stars Wearables.®, which have been licensed and distributed in over 50 countries worldwide. For more information about MEG, visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102676981013&s=48266&e=001q6NPOy79hpP8RSL6eR9zS3ckuBwkLmawfx3Nmk417dDa8-KAdUqkif2ljtZgMgCac9mUH4TxC7JvIsaBHCJYbowE934mogXBa8b-mzHxsd-VNoF_Rmictg==.

Land's End Back To School Twitter Party & More

2009-08-19T22:50:00.003-05:00

Lands' End Back-to-School Twitter Party Shopping Solutions, Giveaways and Fun!
Summer is almost over and Moms everywhere know what that means- Back-to-School! If the thought of back-to-school shopping makes you feel overwhelmed, not to worry; one of our favorite brands is offering up their expertise and a chance to win major must-haves!
Join Lands' End for the Ultimate Back-to-School Twitter Party! Lands' End hosts will be available to answer back-to-school shopping questions and the party will feature more than 20 product giveaways from co-hosts, 5minutesformom.com.

Date: Thursday, August 20th Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CSTLocation: #landsendLog-on to Twitter tomorrow for an evening of shopping tips, socializing and great giveaways!Don't forget to visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102675897366&s=48266&e=001ZoWMi-YGBB0UeA5uo2ENzUjWW-xucJRi724FTj44UGjoUYSNASaHmiUl3JPABdt_WatjcXj-MDhoJdadWx0T0bLQKVDEWd0obsvREw4M2YVURvA22dOIfg== prior to the party to check out the latest in back-to-school styles and gather information to answer Twitter party questions from 5minutesformom.com. While there, create a fantasy backpack at Lands' End's ultimate backpack fantasyland called Packland at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102675897366&s=48266&e=001ZoWMi-YGBB0FuOULI2kcykIyCXgCgJB2xF3otsvtBcTx7hWzaBKggCfjf4y2jXbZlkdOFoIJcRSwp89A2emD-FtFTJkyLhTRljKDrLvX7tzUAvVne49Y84PkHXkZQHir. Packland lets kids and parents create their own virtual backpacks!
We look forward to tweeting with you!Warm Regards, Your friends at MomSelect and Lands' End

Back To School Shopping

2009-08-19T13:36:00.004-05:00

Make the Most of Your Time and Budget. The back to school rush proves one of the most hectic and stressful times of year for parents. As most of us find ourselves pressed for time and attempting to stick to a budget, all of the back to school shopping expenses and tasks can quickly become overwhelming. Check out our tips to help maintain your sanity and ensure that your child gets what he needs - without breaking the bank or spending the end of your summer in a constant rush back and forth to the mall.

Final Week Of Summer Giveaways

2009-08-19T13:18:00.006-05:00

Enter to Win Great New Prizes Our Summer Giveaway Bonanza is coming to a close.
Check out our newest prizes and enter to win any you may have missed last week.
For the final week of new giveaways, enter to win a Diaper Dude Diaper Bag and Blanket, a signed poster of Jada Pinkett Smith, a bTrendie shopping membership, a motorized wagon, and much more.
And see the entire Mom Central Summer Giveaway Bonanza here. Then stay tuned - our back to school giveaways will arrive soon!

Back To School Grocery Coupons

2009-08-16T22:45:00.014-05:00

Food and Beverage
Nabisco Coupon – Save $1.00 on two boxes of 100 Calorie Oreo Mini Cakesters
Snapple Beverages Coupon – Save $1.00 on a 12 pack (16.9 oz Plastic) bottle of Snapple Teas
Sun Chips Coupon – Save $1.00 off of two bags of Sun Chips (10.5oz or larger)
Baked Lays Coupon – Save $1.00 off Baked Lays (8.75oz or larger)
Kretchsmar Deli Meat Coupon – Save $1.00 off one pound or more of Kretschmar Deli Meat
Ozarka Water Coupon – Save a $1.00 off any 2 Ozarka brand 6pk, 8pk or 12pk items.
Zephyrhills Water Coupon – Save a $1.00 off any 2 Zephyrhills brand 6pk, 8pk or 12pk items.
Arrowhead Water Coupon – Save a $1.00 off any 2 Arrowhead brand 6pk, 8pk or 12pk items.
Ice Mountain Water Coupon – Save a $1.00 off any 2 Ice Mountain brand 6pk, 8pk or 12pk items.
Deer Park Water Coupon – Save a $1.00 off any 2 Deer Park brand 6pk, 8pk or 12pk items.
Hillshire Farms Meat – Mail in for a Free Insulated Lunch Tote after purchase of any 3 Hillshire Farms lunch meats (8oz or larger)

Health and Beauty
Neutrogena Coupons – Save $1.00 off any Neutrogena Acne or Cleansing Product
Dove Coupons – Save $1.00 on any one Dove Hair Care Product or Save $1.50 on any two Dove Antiperspirants
Opti Free Coupon – Save $1.00 on Opti-Free Replenish Contact Lense Solution
LA Looks Styling Coupons – Save $1.00 off any one LA Looks Styling Products (7.5oz or larger)
Clearasil Coupons – Save $2.00 off any Clearasil product
Right Guard Deodorant Coupon – Save $1.00 off Right Guard Deodorant

My Links

2009-08-16T21:49:00.010-05:00

My Personal Links:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/divarachel

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/9086em

Blog: http://msunderstoodhere.blogspot.com

My Business Links:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thesweetpeach

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/the_sweet_peach

Blog: http://dasweetpeach.blogspot.com

YouData: http://www.youdata.com/join/divarachel

Contact Me

2009-08-16T08:11:00.006-05:00

Here's How You Can Contact Me:
My E-mail Address Is: wahmama@mchsi.com
My Phone #: (850) 665-5694
If I Am Not In My Office To Answer The Phone, Please Leave Me A Message & I Will Get Back To You As Soon As I Can.
Rachel

About Me

2009-08-16T07:54:00.006-05:00

My Name Is Rachel. I Am The Mother Of 4 Beatiful Kids Ages 16, 13, 10 & 5. Yes I Have My Hands Full But I Am Truly Blessed And Wouldn't Change Them For Anything In The World. My Husband & I Have Been Married For 19 Years This Nov. 5th And We Are Truly Soul Mates. He Is My Best Friend And I Am His. We Live In Florida And Other Than The 105 Temps Here And All The Hurricanes, We Love It And Wouldn't Think About Moving. I Am A Work @ Home Mommy So That I Can Spend The Quality Time With My Family That They Deserve.I Love To Read, Blog, Meet New People, Garden, Go Camping & Canoing And Cooking. I Also Love To Bake, Especially Around The Holidays & I Love To Decorate For The Holidays. I Also Love To Throw Parties Whether It Be For A Birthday Or Halloween & Christmas. Well, Enough About Me, I Just Thought I'd Post A Little About Myself So You Could Get To Know Me Better. Have A Wonderful Day!
Rachel

Free Samples, Coupons & Freebies

2009-08-15T14:44:00.007-05:00

Free All Sports Talk Radio.com
Digital Monthly Calendar
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Free Henry Guns Decal
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Free Set Of 12 Shower Curtain Hooks
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Shoe Carnival - Spin & Win a Printable Coupon
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Save $2 on Any 6 Pkgs of Dole Fruit Bowls, Gels or Parfaits - Printable (SS)
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Seventeen - Win a Daily Freebie
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Free Daily Planner and pen
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BACK 2 SCHOOL FREEBIES & COUPONS
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Free Tropical Mousepad & Pen
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Over 120 Printable Grocery Coupons
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Free Remedy Magazine Subscription
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Free Gourmet Cooking Pack with Goodies
just register
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Free Art Goodie Pack
register, make sure to check Arts
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Free Green Living Pen
Free Eco Friendly Drain & Septic Cleaner Sample Pack
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Free Avon Beauty Kit
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Free Nurses Kit - Nice Package
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~:: Easy Bake Ware ::~ TONS OF FREE POTS & PANS
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I love this site because you can order a new free pan every month
and all you have to pay is a $1 for shipping. I've already ordered
this month & I wish I would've waited because now they've added
a cool Fluted Cake Pan you can get in red or blue. I bet it'll go
fast too so if you want it or anything else you might wanna hurry lol
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Free Subscription to Sports Illustrated
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Free LEGO Digital Designer {Worldwide}
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FREE Back To School Printables

2009-08-11T20:18:00.008-05:00

It can't be: Summer vacation is almost over? Alas, it's true.

I have friends whose kids are going back to school this week, when August is not even half-through.

Fortunately, my family has a couple of weeks left before our older daughter has to start cracking the books.

Actually, she loves school, and is excited to head back to class.

Naturally, I'm sending her off with plenty of printables from PrintablePaper.net and my other sites.

But I'm also using the change in routine to make a new commitment to getting organized.

And I also want to remind teachers about my recently launched site, http://www.teachersprintables.net/.

There are so many printables for back to school time or anytime, I barely know where to start!

» Get Organized Pack
I've lost count of how many free and low-cost printables I offer via the 52 FreePrintable.net sites.

More than 8,800, by my latest estimate.

They're all easily searchable via www.freeprintable.net/search.php , so I'm confident you'll be able to find what you need.

But for those of us who have struggled with getting organized, anything that takes a step out of the process brings us that much closer to turning over a new, better-organized leaf.
www.freeprintable.net/getorganized/

FreePrintable.net's Get Organized Pack includes customizable 2009 and 2010 calendars for every month; planner pages; several styles of note-taking paper; budget forms; various blank to-do lists; and more.

I've even thrown in a grocery list, menu planner, and computer password list.

The printables are either PDFs or customizable .DOC files, and in some cases, both versions are included.

» Teachers Printables
Teachers, students and homeschooling parents: I hope you've had a chance to check out one of my newest sites, TeachersPrintables.net. There's so much to offer teachers who are strapped for time and dealing with tiny classroom budgets. The site has more than 60 classroom printables, all free to individually download and print in PDF or .DOC format. There are attendance charts, blank lesson plans, grading sheets and helpers, classroom management tools, parent communication forms, passes, seating charts, test forms, graphic organizers, and more.

http://www.teachersprintables.net/

Thank you so much for subscribing to the newsletter. Readers have sent me some great suggestions for additions to the newest FreePrintable.net sites, so please keep those ideas coming! I have more to unveil in the coming weeks. Here's wishing you fun in the last weeks of summer, during the school year, and beyond!

-Kevin
http://www.freeprintable.net/

Freebie's & Sweeps

2009-08-11T20:05:00.007-05:00

FREEBIES

$1.50 off any Kashi Cereal or Kashi TLC Snack.
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Certificate Good for One FREE Sample Can of Enfamil Gentlease
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Free Travel Guides & BROCHURES
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Browse destinations, pick travel
guides that you'd like, you can have them sent to your home or download
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Free Gift For Nursing Moms
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GOETZES CANDY
Goetze's Candy knows that your time (and your inbox) are important to you, so The Average Kid Newsleter is only sent out from time to time. We try to focus on stuff that you'll find fun and interesting, like news about the company (new products, merchandise, etc.) and updates to the website. And while we also like to use the newsletters to ask for feedback from time to time, participation is always optional, and often gets rewarded (for example, with coupons or free give-aways)! Sound good? Sign up below!
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Free Sample of Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal
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Free Sample Of Fiber One Honey Clusters Cereal
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Free Juicy Juice 14 oz Refillable Bottle
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Free/Low Cost Clinics
The 3401 clinics in this database are
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Free Sample Of Nutland Crunch
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Free Elmo Bag Tag
( 31 Left As Of 8/10 )
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****************************

SWEEPS

Win A Sterling Silver Open Heart Ribbon Necklace.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 8/31/09
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Win A Sterling Silver Heart Necklace with Chains
(ARV $80)
(One Entry) Contest Ends 8/31/09
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Win A $50 gift card to Old Navy
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 8/18/09
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Win A Pier 1 Pillow Set
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 8/25/09
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Win a Volleyball/Badminton set, , a $750 Toys `R Us Gift Card, and one Blue Bunny Ice Cream Party Pack including four Blue Bunny Ice Cream Bowls, one Blue Bunny Ice Cream Scoop, one Blue Bunny Beanie, and one Ice Cream for a Year Booklet, (ARV $1,000.00.) (One Entry) Contest Ends 8/15/09
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Win A Sony HDR-CX100 Handycam Camcorder
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Win John Frieda Luxurious Volume Full Clarity Purifying ShampooJohn Frieda Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat Protective Styling Spray John Frieda Luxurious Volume Bountiful Body Mousse TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara in Black Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lipstick in Stay Mauve Double Wear ShadowCreme in Ivory Lace Pure Color Multi-Shimmer Gloss in Rose Gold
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Win a set of Glad coupons worth $50 for Glad Food Storage Bags,
Glad-Ware, Press'n Seal, and/or ClingWrap
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Making Your Own Homemade Tomato Sauce

2009-08-11T19:50:00.003-05:00

As summer winds down, we want to preserve those remaining sunny, warm days and the last of the ultra-fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the best ways to savor summer into the cold winter months is by making an extra-large pot of rich, thick tomato sauce. Enjoy some immediately, then freeze the rest so you can enjoy your fresh summer tomatoes in the frigid days of February.

Cooking tips for fresh tomato sauce

1. Start with fresh, flavorful ingredients
Undoubtedly, fresh ripe tomatoes are the most important component of a superior tomato sauce; however, the other ingredients are important, too. Fresh herbs and spices, extra-virgin olive oil and a good red wine can turn an ordinary sauce into something special.

2. Choose the best tomatoes
Bypass the ethylene-gassed tomatoes often found at the supermarket and buy your tomatoes at the farmers' market (or pick them from your own garden, if you have one). Choose brightly colored, slightly firm tomatoes with a little give; this indicates ripeness and sweetness. You can use any variety of tomato, and you can even mix and match. Roma tomatoes work well if you like a thicker sauce because they have less water.

3. Properly prep your tomatoes
One of the most important parts of making your sauce is prepping the tomatoes correctly. You need to remove all the seeds and skin by cooking the tomatoes quickly in boiling water. Why? Because the seeds can turn bitter after cooking, and the skin never breaks down thoroughly.

4. Prepare for freezing
The longer a sauce simmers, the less watery it will be. That makes a long-simmered sauce a good choice for freezing. A thinner sauce is good for today but won’t retain its texture if frozen and thawed.

Making a homemade tomato sauce is a simple, economical and delicious way to savor summer all year 'round.

Homemade Tomato Sauce
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:
20 ripe tomatoes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup good red wine
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tomatoes to water and cook about 1 to 2 minutes or until skin begins to come off. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and dunk into a large bowl of ice water.

2. Let tomatoes sit in water until they are cool enough to handle. Remove tomatoes from water and remove skin, then slice the tomatoes in half. Scoop out all the seeds and discard. Finely chop tomatoes with a sharp knife and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a large pot, and sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent. Add tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning, red wine and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce comes to a boil.

4. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adjusting seasoning as necessary.

5. Stir in tomato paste and simmer for another 2 to 3 hours or until it is as thick or thin as you desire.

To freeze:

Let sauce sit on stove until fully cooled. Ladle sauce into freezer-safe containers, cover with plastic wrap and then with a lid. Freeze until ready to use. Use within 6 months.

The Cutest Pet Contest

2009-08-11T19:47:00.001-05:00

SheKnows Cutest Pet Contest

Have a cute and cuddly, furry, feathery or scaly pet that lights up your life? Submit your cutest pet photo in the SheKnows Pet Photo Contest and be entered to win free cash!
Entering is easy - simply enter your name, e-mail address and a caption for your photo, then upload your cute pet photo. When you're done, check out all of the fun pet photos that other SheKnows readers have submitted and vote for your favorites.

Submit Your Photo Now

Life's Little Contradiction's

2009-08-11T18:42:00.004-05:00

Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.

I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess"on it. So I said "Implants?" She hit me.

How come we choose from just two people to run for president, and over fifty for Miss America ?

I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the FIRST place!

When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping,"now I just "chunky dunk."

Don't argue with an idiot; people watching maynot be able to tell the difference.

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over? AMEN, AMEN!!

Why is it that our children can't read a Bible in school,but they can in prison?

Wouldn't you know it...Brain cells come and braincells go, but FAT cells live forever.

Why do I have to swear on the Bible in court,when the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed outside?

Bumper sticker of the year: "If you can read this,thank a teacher - and - since it's in English, thanka soldier"

And remember: Life is like a roll of toilet paper.The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes...

Wholesaling Help

2009-08-09T21:42:00.002-05:00

Wholesaling
I get asked a lot of questions about wholesaling: the pros and cons, the why’s, where’s, and how-to’s, etc. I used to wholesale, so I’m hoping that what I learned from doing so will benefit others who have the desire to do the same. If you’re just in the planning stages at this point, then you’ll want to gather as much information as possible that will help you to begin. The most basic questions I hear regarding starting to wholesale include the following.

Should I have minimums, and if so, what should they be?
How should I set my prices?
What kind of “Tax ID” will my customers need to provide?
How do I know my customer’s ID/documentation is valid?

Minimums
Most wholesalers have minimum order requirements; some require product minimums, some total order amount minimums, and many require both. I required both types of minimums. I kept my total order minimum low ($50), so that I made my products attainable to small business owners like myself, who could not usually afford high minimums. But I required the product minimums to help deter folks from buying my products for personal use, rather than for resale. And also, since many of my homemade products are scented, it was a real pain to have to make a room spray in 10 different scents, for example, than to just make 4 in one scent. It was just far easier to manage with product minimums. So my product minimums ranged from 2-6 of a given item; it really just depended on what the product was and how difficult it was to make. And as a side note, when I set my pricing for my products, the price reflected my product minimum (i.e. if I had a minimum of 4 room sprays, then the price of that product was the cost of a total of 4 room sprays). That way, there was no worry about having someone order just one room spray–they were always ordering 4, to meet the minimum.

Some wholesalers do not require minimums, and that is always your choice, of course. But my goal was always to ensure, as much as was possible, that my products were being purchased for resale, rather than for personal use. And minimums help to deter those who would purchase products unethically at wholesale prices for their own use or consumption, which was very important to me.

Pricing
Figuring out how to price your products for wholesale can be tricky at times. But you can simplify it a lot if you keep the goal in mind: to cover the costs of your materials and to make a profit.

Many wholesalers use the Keystone Pricing method. That is, half the price of retail. So if you are selling a product for a retail price of $10, you would charge $5 for wholesale. I’m sure you’ve encountered this pricing method on many websites from which you purchase products or supplies wholesale yourself. But keystoning isn’t always the best choice, and when it’s not, that’s when you just need to get creative. Many wholesalers will simply use a percentage off–it might be 30% off retail, 40% etc. But there are no hard and fast rules on pricing. You really need to do whatever is best for you, as you keep in mind that goal: cover the costs AND make a profit.

Customer Tax ID’s
In most states, though not all, in order to purchase goods wholesale, a person must have one of the following forms of documentation to legally qualify to do so. Keep in mind, some states do not require any license or documentation at all, so it’s best to verify this if a potential customer tells you they don’t need a “Tax ID.” There’s a link here on OBJ on the Small Business Resources page; it is to the Small Business Administration and it lists all the links for each state’s Tax or Revenue Department. That’s a good resource for following up on each state’s tax requirements.

Additionally, the license or documentation needed may vary from state to state, and they may be called something completely different from state to state as well. So the list I’m including here may not be all inclusive.

Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
Reseller’s License
Reseller’s Certificate
Vendor’s License
Business License
Sales Tax Exemption Certificate

Validating ID’s—to Keep Your Customer’s Honest

When I was wholesaling, it was very important to me to keep my customers as honest as possible. Most of them were anyway, but sometimes it was “iffy” at best. I wanted to be sure that if I was busting my rear to make each and every product that I was wholesaling–and sacrificing retail profits in order to do so–that my customers had the legal right to purchase my products at wholesale prices. So to that end, I required that every customer who requested access to my wholesale pricing to first provide me with a photocopy of their Tax ID (in whatever form their state required). They had to either Fax it to me, snail mail, or email it so that I would have a hard copy on file of their documentation. And then I could verify a number of items:

Customer’s name and address (If they don’t match, don’t approve until you know why–most licenses are only valid for a single address);
Expiration date of the documentation, if applicable (don’t accept it if it’s expired);
State of Origin–so I could verify a state’s requirements, if needed.
Many states have websites that will allow you to search for valid Vendor’s Licenses, Tax ID’s, etc online. I wish they all did! So when in doubt, it doesn’t hurt to check with any state you have questions about.

Some other things to keep in mind as you get ready to wholesale…

It’s important to be aware that while an FEIN is a legitimate form of documentation, a business is generally only required to have one if they have employees (though there are exceptions to this). I often see sites requesting a copy of potential customers’ FEIN, and that’s just not always appropriate, because not everyone needs to have one.

It is quite common for a husband or wife to attempt to use their spouse’s Tax ID to purchase goods wholesale. They may do this for the purpose of resale, or to purchase goods for personal use. Either way, it’s unethical at the very least, and in many cases, it’s also illegal.

In many states, a Vendor’s License (or its reasonable alternative) can only be used to purchase wholesale products that match the genre of the seller’s business. Meaning, if you sell bath and body products, and a customer has a plumbing business and wants to use their Vendor’s License to purchase your products, they are not legally allowed to do so.

It is to your benefit to maintain copies of all your wholesale customers’ Tax ID’s for accounting/tax purposes. If you were to be audited, you may be required to provide proof that you were indeed selling your wholesale products to those who were legally allowed to do so.

I hope this information will serve at least as a good starting point for those of you interested in wholesaling. I am by no means an expert on this topic. But I am sharing my experience and knowledge with you, in hopes that it may be of some use and help.

Personal Creation's Back 2 School Sale!

2009-08-08T12:32:00.000-05:00

Wolfgang Vaults Back 2 School Sale

2009-08-08T12:30:00.001-05:00

Should Kids Have Cell Phones?

2009-08-05T10:44:00.002-05:00

Families have always dealt with the perils of having several kids in different activities and the necessary communication that comes along with that -- such as when and where to pick up. But these days, cell phones can make organizing day-to-day life easier. That said, are cell phones for kids a good idea?
Just a decade ago, keeping track of your children meant talking about where they were going, with whom, and when they would return. But parents today have a new tactic for keeping tabs on their kids: Cell phones.
Embracing the technology is working for some families, particularly those who set clear guidelines and expectations for the phones. But other families say that phones just aren't a need when it comes to keeping track of their kids.
Is there a right age?
When is a child ready for the responsibility of a cell phone? There really is no definitive age. But cell phones are more than just a free handset with a contract; they have monthly costs that can add up if kids use features that aren't included in their plan. So, if you are thinking of getting your child a cell phone, you need to be sure that she is truly ready for the responsibility of having one.
For some kids, taking care of the phone and making sure it's secure are natural. But for others, that level of responsibility won't come until they are a little older. Mom Meryl Evans says that, while her daughter was ready for the responsibility when she was entering the fifth grade, her son, who will be a fifth grader this year, is not. "His first brand-new iPod lasted only a month because he left it in his pants pocket. Yep, the iPod took a bath and never recovered. It showed us he was not ready for the responsibility," says Meryl.
Not for everyone
While many parents are embracing cell phones to keep their families connected, some parents aren't. Mom Jessica Gottlieb, who blogs at JessicaGottlieb.com, says that, although she did purchase a phone for her daughter, she realized the device just wasn't a need when her daughter lost it. "She was about seven, and when she lost it, I realized she was just fine without it and that it was a useless tool in her hands. She was my first child, and it was my first experience with childcare outside my immediate family. We were all just feeling our way through things," says Jessica. "I like the kids not having phones. I like them being aware of where they are and learning to interact with the world. Even though I'm in Los Angeles, this is a pretty cozy neighborhood, and the kids could ask just about any storekeeper to please call home."
Comfort level
For parents who do allow their children to have cell phones, they can turn out to be an unexpected source of comfort. That was the case for mom Monique Jordan, whose 11-year-old daughter has a cell phone. "I was completely against her having one, but I found that it actually gave me comfort knowing I could reach her. It is such a fine line of wanting her to be 100 percent safe but knowing I need to slowly start to give her more freedom as she is growing up. This has turned out to be a big help in that process," says Monique.
Keeping tabs the other way
While cell phones may be a convenient way of keeping track of kids, some parents point out that it is hardly the only way to do so. After all, parents kept track of kids long before cell phones came into the picture. "I keep tabs on my kids by being there. If I'm not with them, I know where they are, or the general route they've taken. My daughter is 10, and she can walk around our neighborhood. If I don't see her out the window, I have friends on every block whom I can call, or I can hop in my car and find her," says Jessica.
Mom Katherine Cobb agrees. Her 12-year-old son is pretty much the only one in his peer group without a cell phone, and she likes it that way. "My 12-year-old calls up friends to play, and then they go to the nearby park or out to our backyard or to the local pool. We agree on where he's going, who he is going with and what time he will return," explains Katherine. "I think the world has gotten a little crazy about keeping tabs on our kids (which parents cite as the reason they are getting the cell phones for them in the first place, not that I believe that), when a little responsibility and accountability is what kids need for their own development."
Filling needs
The reasons for getting kids cell phones vary widely. For some families, having many activities and busy family lives make cell phones a necessity for all. For others, having two parents living in different places means cell phones make sense.
In Meryl's case, there was also a truly practical reason for getting a cell phone for her daughter. Meryl is deaf and thus cannot be contacted via normal phones. Since most schools aren't equipped with a phone that can send text communications, the cell phone gave Meryl's daughter a way of contacting her in an emergency or if afterschool plans changed suddenly. "Her plans changed at the last minute many times, so she was able to update me. For example, an after-school meeting gets canceled -- and I can pick her up. Otherwise, she would be stuck waiting," says Meryl.
Setting rules
As with any privilege, having a cell phone comes with rules, say many parents. Schools may have policies about where and when kids can have cell phones. Likewise, rules are necessary at home. Raffi Darrow says that, overall, her two daughters have been pretty good about following the family rules for cell phone usage, which include no downloading, no using the phone during dinner and calling only between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. "The kids have been great about following the rules – except for one. They turn their cell phones off all the time because they are afraid the battery will die. But the problem with that is then I can’t reach them. During the school day, they are required to have the phones off and in their lockers -- school rule. And I think that has become a habit. They turn the phones on when they need to use them. But over the summer, when they are out and about, I like to be able to reach them," says Raffi.
Tell us: When will you let your kids have a cell phone? Comment below!
For more on kids and cell phones:
Cell phone independence: How much is too much?
Teen sexting - When kids send sexual text messages
Encouraging responsibility in older children

More Free Printables

2009-07-26T06:52:00.003-05:00

Canning Jar Labels: Free Printables

Canning Lids Download: A set of 12 cute printables for canning jar lids, pdf download available.
Vintage Design Labels: Nice printables on pdf that you can edit to add the contents or your name, whatever you like. Gorgeous!
Alenkas Printables – Labels Templates: Both circular jar toppers and rectangular labels available, type your info right on the graphics and then print.
Canning Labels & Gift Tags: Another set of labels from HP.com, pdf download (not editable like above–handwrite the info instead).
Free Country Labels & Canning Jar Labels: A small assortment of country style graphics for preserves and canning jars. Each file is available separately (graphic image download).
Free Printable Labels: Country style labels, a few quite suitable for canning. There is a full printable sheet per design set.
Rainbow Row Graphics Canning Labels: These are more for gift giving, some cute stuff to print.
Detailed Canning Jar Labels: (updated link) Detailed labels for Name of Product; Date Canned; Type of Pack; Method of Processing; Time of Processing; Pounds of Pressure; Altitude; Name. Also featured in the list for 21 Free Kitchen, Household & Crafty Printables.
Decorative Jam Labels: (newly added) Three different designs of jam labels from Martha Stewart.
Also check out this tutorial for making your own personalized labels online, they’re great for making canning jar labels too:

How To Make Personalized Mailing Labels: Tutorial.
Don’t miss Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More

and this cool kitchen hack: Tip: Use Mason Jars With Your Blender.
Updated: Originally published: August 2, 2008

Don't Miss These Tips:
Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More (Updated)
21 Free Kitchen, Household & Crafty Printables
Seed Packet Printables & Templates {Free}

All these & more can be found @ http://www.tipnut.com/

Freebie's & Sweeps

2009-07-22T08:36:00.002-05:00

***************************

FREEBIES

Free Book It!
Homeschooling Materials for the 2009/2010 School Year
Program for grades K-6.
http://tinyurl.com/6huq4e

QUICK REWARDS
Earn Points To Participate In Online Surveys
Earn Points To Print Super Market Coupons
Earn Points To Visit Websites & Read Email
And More Over 75 Redemption Options Including Gift Certificates,Prizes
And Cash
No Minimum Cash Out Policy So Feel Free To Cash Out Daily
http://tinyurl.com/45s32q

Play Classic Arcade Games FREE
Unlimited Play, No Purchase or Registration
Required
http://tinyurl.com/lzbgng

Free Sample Of Design Collection Humidity Blocker from Joico
**This is one of those that is kinda like a sweep, says enter to win**
http://tinyurl.com/4jn5zq

Free Bayer Contour Meter
(for diabetics)
http://tinyurl.com/3w8rp2

Free Gretsch 125th Anniversary Poster
http://tinyurl.com/njx3eu

Free Subscription To Successful Living Magazine
http://tinyurl.com/p7pxya

Free Sample Of Stayfree
http://tinyurl.com/nlepu8

Free Copy of Earths Blessings Prayers For Our Planet
This green-friendly booklet features prayers and affirmations to honor the relationship between all living beings and our amazing planet. Also included are inspiring quotes and earth-friendly tips highlighted by stunning photography that captures the beauty and wonder of our world.
http://tinyurl.com/d6nlvf

*******************************

SWEEPS

Win A $50 Walmart Gift
( Enter Once & Be Eligible For Monthly Drawing)
http://tinyurl.com/l8jbn2

Win A Kodack Easy ShareMP Digital Camera.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 7/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/8kfwx

Win 6 exclusive LEGO Star Wars Pre-Release sets including the new LEGO Starwars Echo Base set, LEGO Star Wars The Battle of Endor set, LEGO Star Wars Corporate Alliance Tank set, LEGO Star Wars Separatists Shuttle set, LEGO Star Wars Anakin's Y-Wing Starfighter set and the LEGO Star Wars Venator Class Republic set. (One Entry) Contest Ends 8/1/09
http://tinyurl.com/547c4h

Win a William Wegman Doodle Dog Shopper tote bag from Crypton.
(ARV $36) (Daily Entry) Contest Ends 8/1/09
**There Will Be 20 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/kvoyt3

Win a free membership for one year to Curves along with a silver weekend/workout bag, a silicone vegetable steamer, portion control plate, portion control lunch kit, and new Curves Fitness & Weight Management Plan book.
(ARV $800 ) (Daily Entry) Contest Ends 8/2/09
http://tinyurl.com/mvuewy

Win 2 Adirondack Chairs
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 8/3/09 **There Will Be 3 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/nak98m

**********************************

Free Printables For Teacher's & Homeschooler's

2009-07-22T07:57:00.001-05:00

Hi from Kevin at FreePrintable.net, where a busy printer is a happy printer.

In this issue of the FreePrintable.net, I introduce www.TeachersPrintables.net, a new Web site dedicated to classroom teachers and homeschooling families, with more than 60 printables to download and print for free. I'm really proud of this great, free resource for those who have made educating children their life's work. But summer's not over yet! I've also added a selection of printable games to help you and your family make the most of those road trips or lazy days of summer we still have left. (I know I'm printing out a bunch of Battleship and "dot game" templates for our next plane flight!) This is also the last week I'll be offering the special, newsletter subscribers-only deal for FreePrintableCertificates.net, where you can now get all 550-plus certificates on CD-ROM for one low price.

» Teachers Printables
I admit it: As a kid I was one of those "nerds" who was always excited for the new school year to start. But now that I have children of my own, it feels like summer flies by way too fast. My teacher friends are already talking about lesson plans, organizing their classrooms, and, unfortunately, dealing with budget cuts. The latest www.FreePrintable.net site, www.TeachersPrintables.net, offers dozens of free printables for teachers of all grade levels, such as attendance charts, grading sheets and helpers, classroom management tools, seating charts, parent communication forms, passes, and test forms. Popular graphic organizers, including a clock face and Venn diagram, are also available at the site. Many of the printables are also great for student use, or for homeschooling parents. I know I'm going to print out some copies of the homework assignments lists for my older daughter, who is going into junior high this year. I also know that most teachers spend way too much of their own money buying supplies for their classrooms. That's why I made sure that all of the printables are free to individually download and print in either PDF or customizable .DOC format. You can see them all here:

www.TeachersPrintables.net

And for teachers for whom convenience and time savings is a top priority, I'm offering all of the printables on the site as one download for $27. Once the Teachers Printables Collection is purchased, the forms can be edited and used again and again, as many times as you'd like. Please, teachers especially, let me know what printables you'd like to see added to this site in the future. I want TeachersPrintables.net to be the best resources it can be. And have a great school year!

» Printable Games
I like to think that I've "got game," at least when it comes to offering excellent free printables. But it's taken several of you writing in to convince me that I needed to get some printable games up on PrintablePaper.net. So, I recently added a whole new category! Now, you can print out game "boards" to play tic tac toe, Battleship, hangman and the "dot game" (where players take turns drawing lines in an attempt to complete more boxes than their partner.) I hope you consider printing out several of these free game sheets and sticking them in your car, purse, or backpack for the next time mid-summer boredom strikes, or when you just want a little play time. Here they are:

www.PrintablePaper.net/category/games

Thanks again for subscribing to the newsletter! I hope you like the new sites, additions, and deals I've been offering this summer. I have many more free printables in the works, so please keep reading!

-Kevin

Free Printable Medical Forms

2009-07-22T07:45:00.003-05:00

Hi from Kevin at FreePrintable.net , where a busy printer is a happy printer.

I hope your summer is shaping up to be as much fun as mine! We've been having some family time, traveling a bit, and so far we've only had one trip to the ER for stitches. (My 11-year-old bashed her chin while skating!) Still, we've had our share of medical issues over the years, the memory of which was largely what led me to create my latest site, www.FreePrintableMedicalForms.com. There, you'll find more than 50 forms for everything from everyday health-related recordkeeping to charts for tracking serious medical conditions. In other FreePrintable.net news, if you're a fan of FreePrintableCertificates.net, you know what a great resource the site is for families, businesses, schools, and more. Now, I've decided to additionally offer all of the certificates on one CD-ROM. And, for a limited time, it's priced at a discount for newsletter subscribers. Just keep reading!

» Printable Medical Forms

Whether you or a loved one is living with a serious illness or you just like to keep an eye on your overall health, you've probably found that it helps when you keep organize records of your symptoms, medications and other issues. For example, some people bring a list of medications they take to their doctor's appointments, or even keep a journal or log of headaches, moods, or allergies. At www.FreePrintableMedicalForms.com, there are forms for consumers as well as charts for use by health care professionals, such as a blood pressure tracking chart, patient sign-in sheet and school physical report form. If you're caring for someone in a home or hospice setting, you may find the medication schedules and expense tracker especially helpful. There's an entire category of forms dedicated to people with diabetes, including blood sugar test tracking. There are also forms related to family planning and nursing a baby as well as exercise, diet, and weight loss. Every single form is available in a free version! All of the free PDFs can be instantly downloaded and printed to your home or office computer, and can then be written upon with pen or pencil, or even typed onto using a typewriter. However, if you would find it more convenient to be able to edit a form on your computer and use it again and again, please consider the premium, $3.99 version, which is a .DOC file you can save and customize in Microsoft Word. Or, you can opt to purchase the entire collection of editable forms in one download for $27. All of the forms are here:

www.FreePrintableMedicalForms.com

I launched this site with more than 50 medical and health care-related forms that I expected visitors would find useful, based on feedback from FreePrintable.net users as well as my own research and experiences. There's everything from fertility charts to sleep diaries to a cholesterol levels tracker. However, I fully expect to expand www.FreePrintableMedicalForms.com, adding new printables in response to users' needs. Please, don't hesitate to let me know what type of forms you would find most helpful to you and your family or business.

Thanks so much for subscribing to the newsletter, and, as always, for your ideas and feedback. I plan on unveiling several more sites before the summer is over, so please stayed tuned. (I'll be adding new printables to your favorite sites, too!)

-Kevin

» Kudos
I was just re-reading some of the wonderful emails sent to me by FreePrintable.net users. I really appreciate it when people take the time to tell me what they like about a site, or offer up a suggestion on what they'd like to see next. Phyllis A. wrote to me about her favorite site, www.FreePrintableRecipeCards.net: "You have the nicest recipe cards I've found. The monogrammed ones are lovely. Thank you!"

Freebies & Sweeps

2009-07-15T11:48:00.003-05:00

FREEBIES

Free Reptile Food Samples
http://www.naturezonepet.com/samples.html
OR
http://tinyurl.com/rqoj

WALMART
Free Sample Of Pull-Ups Potty Print Kit
For Girls & Boys
**Click On The Orange Logo
Get Your Very Own Potty Prints Kit**
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid71352.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/mteqt6

Free Sample of Viva Paper Towel From Walmart
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid73974.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/mto75a
**Still Valid**

Coupon For Free Yoplait Whips
( Coupon Mailed To Your Home)
(Not valid in CA, ID, LA, MN, NJ, NV, ND and TN)
http://freewhips.yoplait.com/YoplaitCoupFY10/Default.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/m9j9t2
**Still Valid**
**NOTE**
If you are a member of Betty Crocker
sign up with a different email addy then the one you use
for Betty Crocker or it will not go through.....

JACK IN THJE BOX
Free Slice Of Choc Overload Cake Or NY Cheesecake
Print Coupon
Valid At participating Jack In The Box Locations
No Purchase necessary
No Expiration
http://www.jackinthebox.com/coupon/happy-birthday-2-U.php
OR
http://tinyurl.com/m9g4yt

Play Classic Arcade Games FREE
Unlimited Play, No Purchase or Registration
Required
http://tinyurl.com/lzbgng

Period Clothing Patterns and Cutting Diagrams
http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/index.html#Edwardian
OR
http://tinyurl.com/3raklo

Free Sample Of Bodycology Body Lotion From Walmart
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid73684.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/lkyr2q
**Still Valid**

Free Magnet & Recipes From Cook For Your Pets
http://cookforyourpets.com/
OR
http://tinyurl.com/lbyy52

Coupon For A Free Pouch Of RedMan Silver Blend Chewing Tobacco
(Coupon Mailed To Your Home)
Distribution of coupons for free tobacco products is prohibited in
MD, NE, MN, MA, NY, AK, HI, WA and CO.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
http://www.redman.com/chew_home.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/mb54p6

Free Sample Of Nivea Body Wash for Men. From Walmart
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid73710.aspx
OR
http://tinyurl.com/mnefqt
**Still Valid**

Listing Of House Parties For August
http://www.houseparty.com/events
OR
http://tinyurl.com/2quyon

ASPC
Free Pet Safety Pack
Includes pet rescue window decal alerts
rescue personnel that pets are inside your home.
The safety pack also includes an
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center magnet
a great way to keep the APCC's toll-free
emergency number and website address handy
in case your pets get into something they shouldn't
**This Comes**
http://www.aspca.org/about-us/free-aspca-stuff/free-pet-safety-pack.html
OR
http://tinyurl.com/b7txun

**************************

SWEEPS

Win A $15 gift card for Starbucks
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 7/31/09
http://www.spiffymoms.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=486
OR
http://tinyurl.com/mk2hso

Win A Kodak EasyShare C913 9.2 MP Digital Camera.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 7/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/8kfwx

Win a $15 gift certificate for iTunes
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 7/31/09
http://www.spiffymoms.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=487
OR
http://tinyurl.com/lg75r5

Win A $100 Visa Gift Card From Bizzy Bs Candles
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 7/31/09
http://www.bizzybs.com/store/WsAncillary.asp?ID=11
OR
http://tinyurl.com/nnvjgy

Win a Kinerase PhotoFacials Sun Damage Reversal System.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 7/31/09 **There Will Be 3 Winners**
http://www.redbookmag.com/sweepstakes/9319
OR
http://tinyurl.com/lndjar
**NOTE** Be sure to click on the link where
it says No purchase is necessary to enter. if you
do not want the magazine subscription

Fun In The Sun

2009-06-25T14:33:00.001-05:00

Check Out My "Fun In The Sun" Blog Post On "Our Sweet & Sour Life" Blog

Hugs!

Rachel

Free Printables For Kids & Home

2009-06-23T22:43:00.001-05:00

Below is an overview of our fun and helpful printables for kids
and the home:

http://www.FreePrintableRecipeCards.net - Offers more than 100
beautiful
recipe card designs that you can download and print for free. Each
card is available in your choice of 3x5 and 4x6 sizes. In addition
to the free PDF versions, editable versions in Microsoft Word
format are available. With those, you can type or copy-and-paste
recipes rather than hand-writing them.

http://www.PrintablePlaceCards.net has more than two dozen place
cards with attractive designs for weddings, birthdays, holidays and
other events.

http://www.FreePrintableGroceryList.com makes shopping easier with
two dozen grocery lists free to print in a variety of styles, in
PDF or .DOC format. There are illustrated, blank lists as well as
"master" grocery checklists with commonly purchased items already
filled in.

http://www.FreePrintableBookmarks.net features two dozen free
printable bookmarks for lovers of mysteries, Westerns and other
genres.

http://www.FreePrintableGiftTags.net - Serves up 200+ free gift
tags, with designs for holidays, birthdays, etc.

http://www.FreePrintableColoringPages.net ,
http://www.FreeColoringSheets.net ,
http://www.HorseColoringPages.net , and
http://www.BibleColoringPages.org offer thousands of fun coloring
pages for kids of all ages.

http://www.DotToDots.net has more than 125 cute, fun dot-to-dot
puzzles and activities to download and print.

http://www.PrintablePlayMoney.net has whimsical and realistic play
money designs in all denominations of bills, all free to download
and print.

http://www.FamilyTreeTemplates.net has nearly three dozen family
trees to
download and print, from whimsically illustrated to formal style,
for genealogy buffs.

http://www.ChoreCharts.net - Dozens of colorful charts to track
chores or behavior and reward children for reaching goals at home
or at school.

If that's too much to keep track of, just bookmark this one site:
http://www.FreePrintable.net
This is the central hub, with links to all of the other Free
Printable sites.

I hope you enjoy the free printables, and find plenty you can use
in your personal and business projects. If you have any suggestions
for new printables, please feel free to send me an e-mail. (I
really do listen to reader requests!)

Happy printing,
Kevin, the Free Printable guy

More Free Printables

2009-06-22T21:08:00.002-05:00

Hello from Kevin at FreePrintable.net.

This is the second of the three-part "Welcome to FreePrintable.net"
series, and today's focus is on printables suitable for everyone -
home users, businesses, everyone!

http://www.FreePrintableStationery.net - 200 free stationery and
letterhead templates, also in Microsoft Word format. Many of them
match the business card designs, so you can have an integrated look
for your small business documents. In addition, matching envelope
templates are available for $4 each.

http://www.FreeLetterheadTemplates.net - Nearly four dozen
letterhead templates, all free to download and print, in business
and personal themes including holiday letterhead.

http://www.FreePrintableCertificates.net - More than 500 free
certificate designs in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. You'll find
award certificates for business, certificates for sports and
scouting, as well as blank gift certificates which you can
customize for your business. These designs can be downloaded and
printed with no customization. Or, you can download customizable
versions (for Microsoft Word) for just $5.

http://www.FreePrintableGreetingCards.net offers more than 85
print-and-fold greeting cards for all occasions, free to print in
PDF format or download a customizable .DOC version for $4. Also,
http://www.FreePrintableGreetingCards.org delivers 100 free
full-page greeting card designs that you can download and print.

http://www.PrintInvitations.net - More than 100 party and special
event invitations to instantly download and print.

http://www.PrintableBirthAnnouncements.net has more than 20 cute
pregnancy, birth and adoption announcements.

http://www.FreePrintableValentines.net features 60 cute and pretty
Valentine's Day cards for kids and adults.

http://www.PrintablePaper.net has hundreds of papers, from graph
paper and note paper to calendars, budgets and teacher resources,
all free to download and print.

http://www.printable2009calendar.net offers free printable
calendars for 2009 in a variety of sizes, available in PDF and .DOC
formats. (And if you're planning for 2010, there's
http://www.printable2010calendar.net too.)

http://www.PrintableJewishCalendar.com has calendars that recognize
Jewish history and traditions, with all Jewish holidays listed and
versions with Gregorian (civil) dates as well.

http://www.PrintablePlanners.net has more than 200 versions of free
planner refill pages, sized to fit popular commercial organizers.

http://www.PrintableWorldMap.net has more than 150 free printable
maps, including continents, countries, U.S. states and regions.

http://www.PrintableBanners.net features more than 60 banners to
print for
free, or use the $5.99 Banner Maker for custom banners you can
print instantly. They're great for holidays, birthdays, sales and
other events.

http://www.PrintableTournamentBrackets.net has more than 50 free
printable tournament brackets for sports and other activities, as
well as Super Bowl and March Madness grids for office pools.

http://www.ThankYouLetter.ws has more than 100 free templates, plus
letter-writing tips, for al kinds personal and professional
situations.

http://www.DailyClipArt.net posts new, high-quality clip art every
day. Free to download and use in low-resolution, or pay $4 for full
version in JPG, GIF and other formats.

http://www.InstantPieChart.com allows users to fill in data and
immediately generate a color-coded 2- or 3-dimensional pie chart to
print or insert into documents or place online.

If that's too much to keep track of, just bookmark this one site:
http://www.FreePrintable.net
This is the central hub, with links to all of the other Free
Printable sites.

I hope you enjoy the printables! In tomorrow's stunning conclusion,
the Part 3 of 3 welcome e-mail, I'll tell you about kid- and
home-related printables. (After that, I won't fill your inbox
nearly as much, I promise!)

Happy printing,
Kevin, the Free Printable guy

Check Out These Business Related Printables

2009-06-22T21:03:00.002-05:00

I'd like to start by telling you about the Free Printable stuff
that's already available.

I currently have 47 sites that offer
various printables.

To avoid overwhelming you, or using up your ink
cartridge on the first go, this is the first of a three-part
"Welcome to FreePrintable.net" series, after which you can look
forward to less-frequent newsletters letting you know about new
sites and other additions.

Today, the focus is on business-related sites:

http://www.FreePrintableBusinessCards.net -- Offers 230 free
business card designs in Microsoft Word format to download,
customize, and print.

http://www.FreeFaxCoverSheets.net -- When the office klutz writes
on the last clean fax cover sheet, you can download and print any
of 100 free cover sheets here. And more fax cover sheets are at
http://www.FaxCoverSheets.org -- these are hilarious cartoon-y
cover sheets that will get your faxes noticed.

http://www.PrintableCashReceipts.com -- Just as you might guess
from the name, this site offers dozens of receipts for anyone who
runs a business, rents out a property, donates to a cause and so on.

http://www.PrintableInvoiceTemplates.net -- Whether you own a
business, freelance, or sell products or services out of your home,
these printable invoice templates will fit the bill.

http://www.PrintableTimesheets.net - When you need to keep track of
hours worked, offered in both simple table and spreadsheet forms.

http://www.PrintableSigns.net - There's no need to go out and buy a
sign or make your own from scratch. This site has more than 140
signs and placards, including business, safety and sale signs, free
to download and print as PDFs, or pay $1.99 for editable .DOC files.

http://www.CoverLetterExamples.net - Read and download free
examples of job-related cover letters and more at this site, a
companion to http://www.InstantResumeTemplates.com, where dozens of
formatted resumes can be downloaded, customized and printed for free.

http://www.LettersOfRecommendation.net - Download
professional-quality recommendation letter templates for business
and personal situations. There are more than 100 free letters,
plus articles and tips.

If that's too much to keep track of, just bookmark this one site:
http://www.FreePrintable.net
This is the central hub, with links to all of the other Free
Printable sites.

I hope you find the printable material useful in your business
projects. In my next introductory e-mail, which I'll send tomorrow,
I'll tell you more about printables for everyone, not just business
users.

Better warm up that printer!

Happy printing,
Kevin, the Free Printable guy

Electrolux and Kelly Ripa Launch Virtual Lemonade Stand

2009-06-21T21:32:00.000-05:00

Kelly Ripa, one of my favorite celebrity moms, is teaming up with Electrolux to kick off a virtual lemonade stand campaign to help support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, a cause close to Kelly and to women everywhere. Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are proud to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund whose mission is to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for Ovarian Cancer. Electrolux has committed to donate $500,000 to this worthy cause.

This summer, exclusively at http://www.electroluxappliances.com/, you can design and open your own virtual lemonade stands and even pick the flavors of lemonade you want to feature. For every lemonade stand opened at www.electroluxappliances.com , Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF. In addition, you can help the cause even more by selling virtual glasses of lemonade to your friends and family; 100 percent of the proceeds will go to OCRF.

How to Enter
OPEN YOUR OWN LEMONADE STAND

Open up your own lemonade stand to help support OCRF. Choose the color scheme, pick your sign, name your stand and select three flavors to sell. When you open a lemonade stand, you are automatically entered in the Open a Stand Sweepstakes for a chance to win an elegant new French Door Refrigerator with Perfect Temp Drawer™ from Electrolux.

VISIT YOUR STAND & SELL LEMONADE

Start by publicizing your stand. Send a note to your friends via Facebook or email, post to Twitter or place a badge on your Web pages. The first time you visit your stand each day and take an action, you are automatically entered in the Visit a Stand Sweepstakes for a chance to win a French Door Refrigerator. Check back weekly to add new flavors of lemonade to your stand and even download delicious recipes for a “real world” lemonade stand

DONATE TO A STAND

You and your friends can donate to OCRF by buying a virtual glass of lemonade. With your first donation each day, you’re automatically entered into the Donate to a Stand Sweepstakes for a chance to win a French Door Refrigerator!

Open a lemonade stand and be entered for a chance to win a new French Door Refrigerator (pictured below) from Electrolux - perfect for summer entertaining! Get started by clicking here.

See Hollywood's Hunkiest Dad's

2009-06-21T18:31:00.000-05:00

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is one of the busiest celebrities around—not only does he have a hefty movie load, but he's also the proud dad to six kids. While in Cannes, Brad took a break from his crazy schedule to spend some quality shopping time with his first biological daughter, Shiloh—and her doll.
--Jacki Garfinkel and Suzy Byrne

See Some More Of Hollywoods Hunkiest Dad's

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T18:19:00.000-05:00

To All The Wonderful Dad's Out There. Anybody Can Be A Father But It Takes A Man To Be A Dad & I Raise My Glass & Say Cheers Fellow's, You Deserve It.

What A Day!

2009-05-21T17:40:00.000-05:00

I've Gotten A Lot Accomplished Today & I Am Very Proud Of Myself. I Mowed The Grass, Done Some Weedeating, Played In My Flower Garden A Bit And Then I Had To Come Inside Because It Started To Rain But That's Okay, I Didn't Want To Spend My Whole Day Outside...I Have Plenty To Do Inside & I Have Managed To Vacuum, Do 3 Loaads Of Laundry, Get Dinner Started, Clean Out The Fridge & Freezer, Mop & I Have Set The Table For Dinner. I Am Tired, But Not Exhausted Like I Thought I Would Be But We'll See When I Finally Sit Down For More Than A Minute And The Day's Activities Hit Me...lol

Til Tommorow...

Rachel

Freebies & Sweeps

2009-05-19T17:36:00.000-05:00

*******************************
FREEBIES

Free Guitar Pickholder and 5 Black Picks
http://tinyurl.com/o5fhbw

Free ADT Child Safety Kit
( includes l fingerprint kit, a magnet,
a reflective sticker for kids to wear in the dark, and games,
http://tinyurl.com/ajydwn

SHOP FOR FREEBIES
100% Real Freebies
Updated with a complete new list of Free Stuff every 24 hours
http://tinyurl.com/ppyh6u

AMA VOICE FOR THE UNINSURED
Register and tell Congress that it is time
to take action regarding
Health Insurance Plus get Updates On AmAs Patients Action Network
And The Voice From The Uninsured
** Very easy form**
http://tinyurl.com/od22n8

Free 5 Pc. Pedicure Kit
Must Complete A Free Offer Easy
No CC # Required Nothing To Purchase
http://tinyurl.com/n57vk

Free Prescription Drug Card
Save Up To 75% Off All FDA Approved Drugs
At 58,000 Pharmacies Nationwide
**See Site For All Details** Print Card
http://tinyurl.com/d8o76h

SURVEY ADVENTURE
Survey Adventure provides you with the latest,
best paying survey offers from over
300 market research companies. Focus Groups,
Product Evalution Surveys
Surveys for Cash
http://tinyurl.com/c5uhno

Free Sample Of Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers
From Sams Club
( They DO require your Membership #)
http://tinyurl.com/c43y96

RITE AID PHARMACY
Rebates From Rite Aid Pharmacy
**Bottom Of Page**
http://tinyurl.com/2x8ond

TASTE FOR LIFE
Product Review Panel
Join our product review panel and receive free product samples to try in your home and provide to your friends and family.
http://tinyurl.com/3lhwj9

Free Sample Of *All American* Stetson Mens Cologne
http://tinyurl.com/d9hboc

Free Sample Playtex Gentle Glide From Walmart
( 2 different ones to choose from)
http://tinyurl.com/objumu

Free 5 to 6.6 lb. bag of Natura Pet Products dog or cat food,
(Portland, OR and Columbus, OH ONLY)
http://tinyurl.com/ozkvpz

Free Sample Of Nourish Shampoo & Conditioner
http://tinyurl.com/d3efqz

Listing Of Consumer Agencies & Organizations
http://tinyurl.com/raj2yd

***************************

SWEEPS

Win PERRY WOMAN For Women By Perry Ellis Perfume
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/dr6qr

Win an Oral-B Pulsonic Toothbrush.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/30/09 **There Will Be 23 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/py7y42

Win a Village Tea Co deluxe tea set including a variety of teas.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09 **There Will Be 5 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/q8jy82

Win a One years Supply of All Small & Mighty Detergent
complete Season 1 of The Apprentice,
an autographed photo of Donald Trump,
and "You're Fired!" Promotional items.
(Value: $160.00)
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/p84ats

Win a SKIL Dream Workshop (nine items), retail value $1,000
(One Entry) Contest Ends 6/6/09
http://tinyurl.com/ojndn2

Win a canvas "Indulge" tote bag chockful of products from The Fragrance Collection by Glade. The prize includes three soy candles in Orange Vanilla, Earthly Awakening and McIntosh Apple scents, and three multi-wick soy-based candles plus three reed diffusers in Currents and Açai, Lotus Bamboo, and Sheer White Cotton scents
(ARV $72)
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 6/16/09 **There Will Be 15 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/dmz9d8

**********************************

Days Of The Week Tags

2009-05-19T17:22:00.000-05:00

Days Of The Week Tags Freebie By http://www.livinglocurto.com/

Today’s feature is from Living Locurto with these clever Days Of The Week Tags:

Here is an idea I came up with to keep my son organized and ready for school.

We picked out clothes for each day of the week and hung them on a low rack for him to reach. Then I designed some cute tags to hang on each outfit. Each tag has the day of the week.

Quite a clever idea for organizing the upcoming week’s wardrobe (for both young and old). The tags slip on and hang over the outfit chosen for the day and they’re large enough to not get lost in the tangle of clothes. Tags are available in bright colors as well as softer pastels.

Printables are available via pdf download (two different files, one for each color set).

Please visit the site listed above to get your free copies.

Win $250 Worth Of Gift Cards

2009-05-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

We are having a really cool contest on ContestForMoms.com that I wanted to tell you about.

We have partnered with F-Secure to help our readers with their online safety concerns.
Now F-Secure has agreed to offer 1 lucky Contest For Moms reader a copy of F-Secure 2009 plus $250 Worth of gift cards to Target.com, Macys.com and Amazon.com to spend on whatever they want!

I hope you get a chance to enter this contest. It ends May 31, 2009

Enter Here:

http://www.contestformoms.com/archives/win-250-worth-of-gift-cards-in-our-f-secure-contest/

Have a great week,

Amanda Compton
ContestForMoms.com Founder/Editor
http://www.ContestforMoms.com

Baby & Bridal Showers,Graduation Idea's & More!

2009-05-17T20:56:00.000-05:00

Precious Baby Shower ideas from Wilton
http://www.wilton.com

Precious Baby Shower Ideas from Wilton!
Baby showers are the ultimate girl party and they demand that we pull out all the stops in creating a themed dessert. We have treats - cakes, cupcakes, and more - that are as easy to make as they are unique.

BROWSE ALL OUR BABY SHOWER IDEAS.

Bridal shower ideas to treasure
Special celebrations like a bridal shower call for spectacular, delicious desserts and Wilton has over 150 cake, cookie & mini cake ideas that are perfect for the occasion.

BROWSE ALL OUR BRIDAL SHOWER IDEAS

Honoring the graduate
Earn extra credit this year with over 60 great cake, cookie, cupcake and appetizer ideas. Wilton has everything needed to earn you an A+ at your graduation celebration.

BROWSE ALL OUR GRADUATION IDEAS

Looking for ideas or instructions
Lose the instructions to a classic Wilton pan or just looking for some inspiration? Use our shaped pan search to download pan instructions or find all Wilton ideas for a specific pan.

USE THE WILTON.COM SHAPED PAN SEARCH

Only Idea's This Cute Can Come From Wilton

http://www.wilton.com

Contest Winers Announced

2009-05-17T11:23:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday!

The April 2009 baby photo contest winners have been posted on the Buzz Blog. A HUGE thank you to everyone who entered!

Click the link below to view the winners. Our winners will be receiving some very cool photo products from www.Corel.com

http://www.contestformoms.com/buzz/april-2009-baby-photo-contest-winners-are-here/

NOTE: If your child was chosen as a winner PLEASE contact us ASAP if you have not heard from us within a few days. Please include your username & email address.

While you are on the site, don't forget to check out all the newest contests, sweeps, & freebies we have posted. There are so many cool items to win!

Right now we are giving away $250 worth of gift cards to Target, Amazon, & Macys as well as a Green Gift Bag filled with Green Products! Visit the home page for details:

http://www.ContestforMoms.com

You can view our updated list of freebies/free samples all in one place here: Yes! It's real free stuff!

http://www.contestformoms.com/contestandsweepstakes/category/free-stuff/

*If you have any questions or ideas on what you'd like to see more of on the site please send us an email or reply to this newsletter. Although we may not be able to respond back to all of you we will personally read every email/suggestion sent to us.

Have a great afternoon,

Amanda
Contest for Moms, Editor/Founder
http://www.ContestforMoms.com

Bargains,Freebies & Sweeps

2009-05-17T11:15:00.000-05:00

*************************

BARGAIN

MICHIGAN BULB
Buy One /Get One Free On Selected Bulbs
Example Buy 12/ Get 12 Free
Buy 6/ Get 6 Free
**Click On Blue Banner Upper Right Side Of Page
http://tinyurl.com/ovh47t

******************************

FREEBIES

Free Sample Of Hawaiian Tropic Sun Care
From Walmart
( 2 different ones to choose from)
http://tinyurl.com/qhvauu

Free Sample Of Purina Fancy Feast Cat Food - 3oz can
( Member # Not Required) Sams Club
http://tinyurl.com/otjbvu

Request your FREE Night-Time Renewal Kit
to experience our TEMPUR material:
3-Month In-Home Tryout Certificate, TEMPUR Material sample,
Price list of our Tempur-Pedic products, and DVD.
(they send a nice piece of foam you can use
for an arm rest )
http://tinyurl.com/bud9lg

QUICK REWARDS
Earn Points To Participate In Online Surveys
Earn Points To Print Super Market Coupons
Earn Points To Visit Websites & Read Email
And More Over 75 Redemption Options Including Gift Certificate Prizes
And Cash
No Minimum Cash Out Policy So Feel Free To Cash Out Daily
http://tinyurl.com/45s32q

Free Cooler Backpack
**Must Complete A Free Offer** Easy
No CC Required, Nothing To Purchase
http://tinyurl.com/7z5h6

Sign up with General Mills for the Dinner Made Easy
newsletter and you'll get tasty
recipes, meal ideas, coupons and more
http://tinyurl.com/qy3936

Free Samples Of Tatouage Design Accents
http://tinyurl.com/3bhawm
**This Comes**

Recipes & Grilling Tips From Bobby Flay
http://tinyurl.com/3cr6tt

Free Sample Kotex Ultra Thin Overnight With Wings
From Walmart
http://tinyurl.com/r98qbv

*********************************

SWEEPS

Win Three New DVD Movies.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/8kfwx

Win a JCPenney Linden Street Cordovan Chocolate T-Back Chair.
(ARV $699) (One Entry) Contest Ends 5/30/09 **There Will Be 3 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/r69c5l

Win a children's vegetable gardening and cooking package, that includes gardening tools, a Back to the Family cookbook, and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09 **There Will Be 5 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/p3hkzt

Win Nectar of the Gods deep conditioner & de-tangler
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09 **There Will Be 3 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/ouo9oy

Win a Vicks VapoRub Comfort Care gift basket filled with a Large Giraffe Chenille Blanket, and assortment of children's books: Corduroy, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Giving Tree, The Little Prince, a Nordstrom Cashmere Sweater Knit Wrap, a L'Occitane Shea La Vie Gift Set and Hand Cream, a Sephora Professional Manicure/Pedicure Nail Kit, an Essie Spa Pedicure Mini Kit, and Vicks VapoRub products.
(Value: $450.00)
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/qwnc3g

Win Swiffer's Groomed to Perfection Package
(includes Swiffer Sweeper to groom your home,
and a designer dog carrier, brush and nail clippers
to keep your pet groomed to perfection.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/r4dcdb

The Lunch Club

2009-05-17T11:12:00.000-05:00

I just signed up for a fun new club called the LunchClub. It's free, and pretty cool, so I thought I'd let you know about it.
(Plus I might win free stuff if you sign up :-).

It works like this: You go to the website and join the club, and then you'll receive a daily email with a lunch discount from a nearby restaurant. Club members get special deals and also find cool new places to eat.

When you sign up, you are entered in drawings for free lunches and other cool stuff. So go check it out, at
http://www.lunchclub.com/JoinTheClub.aspx?hh=Friend&fe=wahmama@mchsi.com

Hope you enjoy it,
Rachel Rodrigues

Do You Mom's Really Know What You Are?

2009-05-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Have A Wonderful Mother's Day!

Hugs!

Rachel

Celebrate National Mom's Nite Out

2009-05-07T13:26:00.000-05:00

Today is the First Annual National Mom's Nite Out! When we first pondered the idea of orchestrating one night for moms to celebrate motherhood, we could never have imagined that a simple idea could go so far.

As of today, there are over 1000 different celebrations, parties and events happening throughout the US-and those are only ones we've been told about. Large social media groups such as MomLogic, DivineCaroline, TheMotherhood, TwitterMoms, 5 Minutes for Mom, and of course, Newbaby.com, and MomTV.com, are all participating virtually in Mom's Nite Out. Over 200 mom groups, websites and bloggers have joined together to promote and support National Moms Nite Out.

We estimate that 10 million + moms will participate in some way in this event. A big THANK YOU to everyone who has supported this big idea!

We hope if you blog, vlog, facebook or tweet that you will recognize our sponsors or better yet, tell them thank you with the power of the purse. Companies such as Simon Malls, Children's Orchard, Little Debbie, Bounce U, Pump It Up, Jose Cuervo, Ragu, Making Life Better, One Step Ahead, Wyndham and many others have all shown how much they appreciate Moms.

Twitter party details:
We will be starting at 3 PM EST and ending around Midnight. Follow @momsniteout and @momtv to be "seen" for prizes during the party.

Be sure to end your comments on Twitter with #MNO-09. We will be able to see you and chat back.

You can use tools like TweetGrid.com to track us and MomsNiteOut from other locations.

Live Streaming!
We have 10 sites that will be streaming LIVE content from their parties so you can see moms across the US and join in via the Internet. Visit NewBaby.com or MomTV.com to watch.
Happy Mother's Day and Celebrate Moms! It's National Moms Nite Out,

Of course, we'd love to hear all about how you spent your Mom's Nite Out! Please email your pictures to Valika@bsmmedia.com. However you choose to spend this evening, remember to celebrate your motherhood! After all, the driving force behind this fantastic event is honoring the job that we do as mothers all year long.

Again, thanks for your support and have a great Mother's Day.

Warm Regards,

CEO, BSM Media & MomSelect
Co-founder, NewBaby.com

Thank You to our Sponsors!

Starting Something Good!

2009-05-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

I Will Be Starting A "Featured Wahm Of The Week" On My New Sweet Peach Ning Group As Well As On My Sweet Peach Blog, And If Your Interested, Shoot Me An E-mail At: wahmama@mchsi.com With "Featured Wahm Of The Week" In The Subject Line And Let Me Know If You Have Chosen To Subscribe To My Blog By E-mail Or Be A Ning Member ( If You Aren't Already) And I'll E-mail You With Some Questions To Be Answered. If You Would Like, You Can Send Me A Picture Of Yourself If You Would Like One Posted.
I Will Choose Who Goes Up First In Order Of A First Come First Serve Basis.
The First Featured Wahm Of The Week Will Be Posted Friday May 15th, 2009.
I Will Keep You You All Posted As To Who's Info I Have Recieved And The Week That You Will Be Featured So Be Sure & Let Everyone Know.

In Order To Be Feautured, You Must Subscribe By E-mail To My Blog Or Be A Member Of My Ning Group.

My Sweet Peach Ning Network http://thesweetpeach.ning.com/
My Sweet Peach Blog http://dasweetpeach.blogspot.com/

I Found This To Be An Interesting Thing To Do So That We Can Get To Know Each Other Better As Well As Get A Little Free Advertising For Our Business. Kinda Like, I Scratch Your Back, You Scratch Mine lol. I Will Be Accepting Those Who Are With Adult Romance Party Industry As Long As It's Kept Clean & Classy.
I Know That Every Little Bit Helps When It Comes To Being A Wahm And I Know That "FREE" Is My Favorite 4 Letter Word. I Believe We Need To All Help One Another As A T.E.A.M Which Means "Together Everyone Achieves More!" And If Mom Is Happy......Everybody's Happy!

~~Rachel~~

Freebies & Sweeps

2009-05-04T19:11:00.000-05:00

**************************

FREEBIES

Free Sample Of Cottonelle Ultra Toilet Paper and Wipes.
From Walmart
http://tinyurl.com/d3tm84

Coupon For
Buy ONE KRAFT EASY MAC Cup, Get ONE FREE (up to $1.29)
(Was on page 1 for me)
http://tinyurl.com/co5tnw

SURVEY ADVENTURE
Survey Adventure provides you with the latest, best paying survey offers from over 300 market research companies. Focus Groups,Product Evalution Surveys
Surveys for Cash
http://tinyurl.com/c5uhno

Free Twilight Hardback (Book1)
Best Seller.....While Supplies Last
Must Complete A Free Offer Easy
No CC Or Purchase Required
http://tinyurl.com/84adz

SLIMFAST
Start your free weight-loss program today.
http://tinyurl.com/cakc5m

Hellmanns Light Mayo
Caress Skinwear
Degree For Women
Ponds
http://tinyurl.com/c98t49
**Seems to still be valid**

Free Sample Box of Poise Over Active Bladder Pads.
Includes 1 Poise Liner, 1 Poise Long Liner,1 Poise Ultra Thin pad
And Information Brochure
http://tinyurl.com/cq5wln

Free Precious Places DVD (for children) From Mattel
(select US from drop down menu)
Add to shopping cart & check out
http://tinyurl.com/d5tpej

Free 1 Year Subscription To Working Mother Magazine
From Rewards Gold
http://tinyurl.com/6o4ma9

Free Sample Glad ForceFlex Garbage Bag from Sams Club
(This Comes) Member ID Not Required
http://tinyurl.com/cjjqe7

Free Subscription To Heritage Magazine For The Intellegent Collector
http://tinyurl.com/6jg44r

All Valid Walmart Freebies
( in case you missed any of them)
http://tinyurl.com/5dt69q

Free Online Police Scanner
( Select Areas)
http://tinyurl.com/bv35nf

*********************

SWEEPS

Win Three New DVD Movies.
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/8kfwx

Win A Chrysocolla Fine Silver Pendant (ARV $80)
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/5vpmup

COUNTRY LIVING
Win a Country Threads quilt pattern.
One grand-prize winner will also receive a materials kit
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09
http://tinyurl.com/cnkphe

Win a year's supply of Caress' new Skinwear Collection, plus
a $100 Visa gift card (ARV $185).
(Daily Entry) Contest Ends 5/25/09
http://tinyurl.com/cg7ddu

Win a Mother's Day Treasure Chest package, including Pearls fragrance and a scent-enhancing body creme (ARV $52) (One Entry) Contest Ends 5/25/09
**There Will Be 30 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/d3qnqk

Win a Barbour Metallic Utility Bag. (ARV $199)
(One Entry) Contest Ends 5/31/09 **There Will Be 3 Winners**
http://tinyurl.com/cfhkgv

***********************************

Your Worst Mother's Day Gift?

2009-04-30T14:18:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day is just around the corner (May 10th) and we thought we'd have a pre-celebration by sharing some worst Mother's Day gift stories. (You know, like the day your husband decided to sleep in while you tended to your early-riser baby?)

So head over to the Milk & Cookies blog, share your worst Mother's Day gift story, and enter to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card (so you can buy yourself a little affordable luxury that you very much deserve.)

click here to share your story and enter to win!

Contests & Cool Links

2009-04-30T13:25:00.000-05:00

Passing This On From Another Blogger, My Week Has Been Just As Busy As Hers & I'm Trying To Get Caught Up But Just Haven't Had Much Energy To Do Anything So Here's A Few Contests To Keep Ya Busy Til Next Time I Get A Chance To Blog...lol

FOR EVERYONE

Contest Corner - A lifetime membership to Break Pal, a virtual personal trainer (4/29 - Worldwide)
Pink…Like the Color - 2 hours of virtual assistant services (4/30)
Mom Knows It All- Votre Vu Self Preservation products (4/30 - Can & US)
A Simple Kinda Life- Guardian ID Bracelet in the WeFitFamilies Mother’s Day Bash (4/30)
Mom Fuse - Gift Set of all the varieties of First Juice Organic Blends (5/1)
One Family’s Blog - One Hundred Worldwide Stamps (5/1)
A Simple Kinda Life- Online fax service (Momfluence) (5/1)
Coupon Queens of Laurel Run - $25.00 worth of Dole products (5/2)
Melinda Joy- Jolly’s clogs (5/2)
Oh Hey - Bucky Balls (5/2)
MarieLynn Boutique-The Blog - $20 Gift Certificate to Photo Card Designs (5/3)
A Simple Kinda Life- Win 1 of 4 Memberships to TutorMatch.com (5/4)
The Giveaway- Star Trek Theme Laptop GelSkin from Lenovo (5/5)
no time mommy- betty crocker gift basket (5/5)
Penny for my Thoughts- $15 Amazon.com Giftcertificate (5/5)
Catch the Drift with Mama Snow - Choice of Cell Phone Cozy (5/6 - Worldwide)
Riding With No Hands Reviews - Romano’s Macaroni Grill Restaurant Favorites gift basket (5/6)
Simply Sweet Home - 5 Break Pal Fitness Memberships (5/7 - Worldwide)
Sweeps4Bloggers- Ola Loa Drink Your Vitamins (5/7)
My Blogs 4 U - Romano’s Macaroni Grill Giveaway (5/7)
The Giveaway - One of three kits from Paint Your Boots (5/7)
Momstart - 25.00 to Dole (5/8)
Momstart - Motorola GPS Unit (5/8)
Sweeps4Bloggers- Jollys Garden Clogs (5/8)
Focus Organic - $3000+ in eco prizes (5/9)
Momstart- Anytizer 30.00 Giveaway (5/9)
A Simple Kinda Life - Win 1 of 2 Memberships to Care4Hire.com (5/11)
Momma In Flip Flops2- $25 Gift Certificate To CustomizedGirl.com (5/11 - Wordwide)
Momstart - Photo Editing Software (5/14)
Melinda Joy- 16×20 Poster Print High Gloss giveaway from DigitalRoom.com (5/15 - Can & US)
Momstart - 100.00 at Eye Buy Direct (5/15)
A Simple Kinda Life - What’s For Dinner Gift Baskets (5/15)
Melinda joy - Break Pal Membership (online exercise program) (5/30 - Worldwide)
She Became a Butterfly- Earth Month Giveaway: $50 Amazon gc & box full of goodies (5/31)
Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls - $1000 (6/8)

FOR WOMEN
Confessions of a Housewife- betty crocker baking gift basket (4/29 - Can & US)
Shop with Me Mama - Spa Time Baby Product of Choice (4/30)
Potamus Prefers - $100 Gift Certificate for Mother’s Day (4/30)
Mom Fuse - Choice of either a charm bracelet or charm necklace (5/1)
Mom Fuse - Sterling Silver “Gratitude” Necklace (5/1)
Mom Fuse - “Practice Kindness” T-Shirt in Blue (5/1)
Happily Blended- Evenflo Comfort Select Dual Breast Pump and 2 boxes of Evenflo Comfort Select Disposable Nursing Pads with Lanolin (5/1)
Momma In Flip Flops2- $25 Gift Certificate to eMommie.com (5/1)
Painter Mommy – Matching T’s Set for Mommy & Baby in honor of Mother’s Day (5/2)
Northwest Mom Finds- $25 Mapleberry Designs gift certificate (5/2 - Can & US)
purplepinkandorange - A pair of earrings from Hi-Strung Designs (5/2)
Reviewing Baby Gear- Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Dual Breast Pump (5/3)
My Moms View - $25 GC to Lavish & Lime (5/4)
My Moms View - Slim Perfect dress ($99) or top and bottom ($129) (5/4)
Shrimp Salad Circus - Silk Orchid Hair Clip (5/4 - Worldwide)
Momma In Flip Flops2- Knickernappies mama pad (5/4 - Worldwide)
Pho for Five - Tiny Tag Personalized Hand-stamped Necklace (5/5 - Can & US)
Potamus Prefers- PaperRamma Mommy Contact Cards (5/6 - Can & US)
Justine Justine Etsy- red berries Acai Bracelet (5/10 - Worldwide)
Thrifty Minnesota Mama - Baby Fresh So Easy Baby Food Kit & Mama Jewel (5/13)
Beauty and Personal Grooming - Hana Professional Flat iron (5/14 - Can & US)
Contest Corner- Your choice of shapewear from ASSETS (5/17)
Melinda joy - Chewy Lou LIVE long sleeve T-shirt (5/22)
Melinda Joy - Choice of jewelry from Erin F etsy (6/3)

FOR KIDS
Momma In Flip Flops2- Primo Activewear shirt of choice (4/29)
Momma In Flip Flops2 - Any 1 item from Freckle Box (5/1 - Can & US)
Northwest Mom Finds- Munchler ‘Benny the Tiger’ lunchbox (5/3 - Can & US)
Cool Baby Kid - Invisible Stripes Toddler Tee (5/3)
Healthy Moms- a bottle of the SinuCleanse Kids Mist for allergy sufferers (5/3 - Can & US)
Baby Loving Mama - MY MOM ROCKS Tee from Tiny Tots with Style (5/4 - Can & US)
My Moms View - Package of mini toy wranglers (5/4)
Rockin’ Mama - 4oz Kids Sunscreen & 4oz Kids Moisturizer by KINeSYS (5/5)
Catch the Drift with Mama Snow - Set of Flashcard Zoo learning and writing flash cards (5/6 - Can & US)
Sweeps4Bloggers - International Playthings Calico Critters Plush (5/6)
Flying Giggles & Lollipops - Set of 11 Boutique Inspired Hair Clips (5/8 - Can & US)
A Mom’s Balancing Act- any personalized from Frecklebox.com (5/12 - Can & US)
no time mommy- douglas plush animal or toy (5/15)
Momstart- Mutsy Grow Up Booster seat (5/15)
All Because Two People Fell in LOVE - Starlooks Boutique Wrap Skirt (5/18)

BABY ESSENTIALS
Lily Bean Designs - $25 Gift Certificate to Lily Bean Designs (4/29 - Worldwide)
Etsy It Up! - Baby Headband (4/30 - Can & US)
My Moms View - Jane Strap (4/30)
My Moms View - Bamboo Hooded Towel (4/30)
My Moms View - Cloth diaper gift package (4/30)
Mommy-Momo - Potty Tots Potty Training Kit (5/1)
My Moms View- Babykakesink onesie (5/4)
Rockin’ Mama- Two pack of Tilty Sippy Cups (5/7)
My Moms View - Rockin’ Baby Sling (5/7)
My Moms View- Most beautiful Dilly Dally Bibbies (5/7)
Melinda Joy - Jack & Lily Baby Shoes (5/9 - Can & US)
Your Mama Reviews- Dream-Eze Organic AIO Cloth Diaper (5/15 - Can & US)
YourMamaReviews.com- Swaddlebees All-in-One Cloth Diaper (5/15 - Can & US)
Thrifty Minnesota Mama - Baby Dipper Bowl & Spoon Feeding Set (5/16)

HOME & GARDEN
The Giveaway - “Grandma’s Smile” Love Frame (4/30)
Mom Fuse - Tupperware Radiance Collection (5/1)
Northwest Mom Finds - ‘Sprout Your Own’ gardening kits (5/1)
The T-Shirt Lady - Heritage Lace Wall Hanging (5/1)
The Giveaway- A bottle of Febreze Fabric Refresher (5/3)
The Clan McLeod - Set of 1 Big, 2 Small Joey Totes (Reusable Shopping totes) (5/3)
LoveMy2Dogs - Lock & Lock containers (5/3)
Happily Blended Happily Blended - The Shower Hug (5/4)
Riding With No Hands Reviews- TerraCycle eco-friendly pet products (5/6)
Sweeps4Bloggers - Mystic Wonders Complete Laundry System (5/7)
Riding With No Hands Reviews- SeaPak and Farm Rich free product vouchers (5/7)
All Because Two People Fell in LOVE - Betty Crocker Gift Basket (5/8)
The Giveaway - Emerson Creek Pottery (5/8)
Such Fun to Give - Sleep Deprive Parent Buttons or Magnets (5/10)
Recipe Tips and Hints - Two bottles of Country Bob’s BBQ Sauce (5/10)
Momstart - Marriott Down Pillows (5/11)
Momstart - Gardening bag with cookies and shovel (5/11)
Parents with Style- Kickin Coaster from Learning Curve (5/20)
no time mommy- dropps baby laundry detergent (5/31)
BOOKS, DVD’s & CD’s
Rockin’ Mama - “you color my day” photo book plus an assortment of products by philosophy (4/29)
Confessions of a Housewife - ”Being Dad” DVD movie (4/29 - Can & US)
Momma in Flip Flops2 - The Little Environmentalist Children Book (4/29 - Can & US)
YourMamaReviews.com- May Spotted Box from TheSpottedBox.com (4/29 - Can & US)
Christy’s Creations - Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories Giveaway (4/29)
Rockin’ Mama - Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack (5/1)
Momstart- Christain Trading Cards (5/1)
Rockin’ Mama- 3 Copies of Elmo And The Bookaneers: Pirates Who Love To Read (5/2)
Val’s Views- the book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica (5/4)
All Because Two People Fell in LOVE - Bride Wars DVD and $25 Paper Shouts GC (5/5)
Catch the Drift with Mama Snow - BRIDE WARS and $25 Paper Shouts (5/6)
Rockin’ Mama - 3 copies of A Baby Story: First Time Parents on DVD (5/7)
Frugal Freebies - “My Visit to the Doctor” video (5/7 - Worldwide)
Momstart - Hanna Montana Movie Soundtrack (5/7)
Rockin’ Mama - BRIDE WARS on DVD and a $25 gift certificate to Paper Shouts (5/8)
Rockin’ Mama - 3 copies of Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht” Season 4, Volume 1: The Wedding on DVD (5/8)
Certified Business Moms - The Good Home Cookbook (5/8)
A Simple Kinda Life- a copy of Luanne Rice’s Last Kiss (5/15)
Contest Corner- A Belking Conserve Surge Protector (5/17)
Enter the 30-Day Feel Good Giveaway!SHOP.COMis giving away 30 fun prizes to 30 lucky winners like music, jewelry, food and more. Check back each day to find out what we’re giving away. Expires April 30th
Enter to win a $1000 Shopping Spree on SHOP.COM!One lucky winner will receive a $1000 shopping spree courtesy of Woman’s World. One runner-up will receive a $500 shopping spree. Expires May 10th.

Get To Know Me Personally & Professionally

2009-04-22T23:20:00.000-05:00

Personal Links:

Rachel's Blog http://beachbunny-rachel.blogspot.com
Rachel's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/9086em
Rachel On Twitter http://twitter.com/divarachel
E-mail wahmama@mchsi.com

_____________________________________________________________

Business Links:

Download "THE SWEET PEACH" Toolbar http://thesweetpeach.ourtoolbar.com
The Sweet Peach Blog http://dasweetpeach.blogspot.com
The Sweet Peach Myspace http://www.myspace.com/the_sweet_peach
The Sweet Peach Yahoo Group
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The Sweet Peach Website http://thesweetpeach.webs.com
The Sweet Peach On Twitter http://twitter.com/thesweetpeach
The Sweet Peach Blog Widget http://widgetbox.com/widget/the-sweet-peach
Business E-mail thesweetpeach@mchsi.com

Rachel Rodrigues

Wanna Get Freekii? Join Now & Make Some Seriously Freekii Money!

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What Did I Do Today?

2009-04-18T19:38:00.000-05:00

Not A Damn Thing Other Than The Usual Everyday Crap...Laundry, Dishes, Etc.... Same Ole' Shit, Just Diffrent Day & And It's Really Starting To Get Old. My Birthday Is Coming Up The 26th And I Am So Used To Being Alone That I Hope To Spend My Day That Way. Sad Huh? I'll Have The House Again To Myself Tommorow With The Kids In Church And I Need To Get My Draggin Ass Outta This House For A While Or I'm Gonna Go Insane! The Poor Gerbil Won't Even Look At Me Anymore, Let Alone Talk To Me And That Is Truly Pathetic! Has You Ever Caught Yourself Talking To The Walls? Well The Walls Are Startin' To Bitch Back Here At My House & I'm Ready To Run! lol I Mean There's Plenty Around Here To Keep Me Busy For Days But When You Do The Same Damn Thing Day After Day, Ya Tend To Wanna Say "Hey!" This Crap Can Wait If Somebody Else Won't Do It....I'm Outta Here!!! & Just Go Do Whatever The Hell I Wanna Do! We'll See How Tommorow Goes & What I End Up Doing. I Was Bored Almost To Tears Today But Didn't Want To Sleep...Just Sat Around And Watched Reruns On T.v. Oh Well..... Til Tommorow Or As The Soap Says...."As The World Turns" "These Are The Day's Of Our Lives" I Could Give Yall The Drama But I'm Trying My Damndest To Keep Away From It Myself lol

TTYL

Rachel

Happy Birthday Christine!

2009-04-14T18:14:00.000-05:00

May All Your Birthday Wishes Come True & Ya Save Us Some Cake Too Huh?lolLuv Ya Chicka!Birthday Hugs! Rachel

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T23:00:00.000-05:00

Wanted To Wish You All A Very Happy Easter From My Home To Yours!

Redneck Weddin' Cakes

2009-04-07T09:15:00.000-05:00

Here is proof why men should never be allowed to order the wedding cake.

But I Like This First One

Now Day's Even The Bride's Are Getting In On The Fun And Ordering Or Having These Cakes Made.
I Give Them Credit For Being Creative That's For Sure!

Rachel

Freebies & Sweeps

2009-04-07T09:06:00.000-05:00

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FREEBIES

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SWEEPS

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Win A 10 Inch Digital Picture Frame
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Win a massaging shower head, a supersoft bathrobe, cozy slippers, a plush towel set, a year's supply of Dial Antioxidant body wash with cranberry and antioxidant pearls, and more — all worth over $500
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Win a Timi & Leslie diaper bag, a Linea Nervenkitt Teardrop Necklace, and $500 worth of Johnson's No More Tears Products, including two new No More Tears bath-time products, from Johnson's Baby.
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TIP OF THE DAY

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
16 tablespoons = 1 cup (8 ounces)
2 cups = 1 pint (16 ounces)
4 cups (2 pints) = 1 quart (32 ounces)
8 cups (4 pints) = 1/2 gallon (64 ounces)
4 quarts = 1 gallon (128 ounces)

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The Flasher

2009-04-07T08:57:00.000-05:00

Thought This Was Too Cute Not To Share...lol

Have A Wonderful Day!

Rachel

What's My Problem?

2009-04-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I Haven't Managed To Do Much Of Anything Today, I Slept Until 9:30, Got Up & Got Me Some Coffee And I Am Just Sitting Here Now Mulling Over How Some People Can Be So Selfish & Unconsiderate To Others. It's Been A Bad Week For Me. I Had A Really Bad April Fool's Joke Pulled On Me And Then Lost $200 Saturday Waiting On This Same Person To Come Over So Hubby Could Go With Him And Make A Little Money. Well, If Hubby Had Known When This Friend Called At 9:00 a.m That He Wasn't Going To Show Up Until 5:00, Hubby Could Have Gone Ahead And Went And Made The $200 So We Would Have Some Money To Buy Something For The Kids For Easter. Now....We Aren't Going To Be Able To Get The Kids Anything & I Don't What To Tell Them Or Why. This Friend Showed Up At 5:00 And I Just Couldn't Answer The Door Because It Was Too Late At That Point To Do Anything To Try & Make Some Money. He's Called But I Couldn't Bring Myself To Answer. He Has Now Removed Himself As A Friend On My Myspace Page & His Wife Is My Best Friend! What Do I Tell Her? I Don't Know What To Do? I Cried Myself To Sleep Over This Last Night Wondering If I Should Just Forget About It & Go On Or Say Something To Him, Which I'd Rather Not Do Because My Temper Seems To Grab Me & Take Over At The Wrong Time Or What? My Kids Are A Lot Older Than Hers But They Still Enjoy Getting Goodies For Easter. Jeez! I Just Wanna Cry!!! A Very Depressing Sunday! I'm Sure Thier Having Fun. Til Next Time......
Rachel

Our Spring Break

2009-03-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

Spring Break Started Here In Florida Monday And Me & The Kids Headed To The Beach.

It Was A Bit Windy & Cool When We First Got There But It Quickly Warmed Up & With Kids Having Buckets, Shovels, Beach Balls Etc.. In Hand, They Were Off.

There Was A Red Flag Warning Out Which Meant There Was A Rough Surf And All We Could Do Was Get Our Feet Wet But That Didn't Stop Us From Having A Blast!

We Fed The Seagulls Some Popcorn & Bread And We Even Saw A Few Little Baby Seagulls, They Were Just Too Cute! All In All, An Awesome Day At The Beach.

I Did Put Some Sunscreen On The Kids But Forgot To Put Any On Myself & When I Got Home, Showered And Looked At Myself In The Mirror, I Looked Like A Lobster!

I Spent All Day Laying Around Yesterday Because I Was So Sore But Doing Better Now.

Here's A Picture Of The Beach We Went To And How Beautiful It Is.

I Love Florida!

What Have I Been Up To?

2009-03-21T23:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I Have Spring Cleaned My Whole House Entirely & I Worked Outside Some Today Before It Got Too Hot But I've Got A Few More Things On My To Do List For Outside But With The Weather Being Soooo Nice, I'm Trying To Get All That I Can Done. Other Than That There's Been A Lot Of Teenage Drama Going On With My Daughter & Were Working On That. We'll See How That Goes....lol This Coming Monday Starts Spring Break For My Kids So We'll Be Spending A Lot Of Time At The Beach. I'm Trying To Get A Date Set For Friends & Family This Summer To Go Canoing & I Am Sooo Excited Because I Love Canoing & Tubing! Well, I Guess That's All For Now...It's 12:05 Central Time Here & I've Got To Get My Butt To Bed Or I Won't Want To Do Anything But Sleep Tommorow. I'm Really Happy With What I've Accomplished Today.

Until Next Time

Hugs!

Rachel

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing You All A Very Safe & Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Hugs!
Rachel

Easter Tag

2009-03-13T18:35:00.000-05:00

Here Is A Cute Little Tag To Print Out On Hard Stock Paper, Cut & Tie To Those Special Gifts & Easter Baskets

Hugs!

Rachel

Easter Story Cookies

2009-03-13T18:33:00.000-05:00

To be made the evening before Easter

Ingredients:

1c. Whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1c. Sugar

What you need:

Zipper baggies
Wooden Spoon
Tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Instructions:

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon breaking them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. Vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27 So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1c. Sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and to accept His forgiveness. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God' s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.
Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight, not knowing what's going to happen with them. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! The tomb is empty! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9 This is a great activity to use for a Sunday School Class as well. The cookies can be left on a very very low temp, like 250 degrees., and be ready in a couple of hours. When surface of cookie looks dry and cracked then they are ready to eat.

Freebies & Sweeps

2009-03-13T18:21:00.000-05:00

FREEBIES

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Enter code 1: P8039

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Then Choose any Variety.Of Soup

I Chose Cream Of Mushroom & It Went Through

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SWEEPS

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Win reproduced Barbie dolls: 1959 Original Teenage Fashion Model Barbie, 1962 Brunette Bubble Cut Barbie, 1967 Twist N' Turn Barbie, 1971 Malibu Barbie, 1977 Superstar Barbie, and 1986 Barbie and the Rockers. (ARV $240)

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TIP OF THE DAY

To stretch your shampoo pour half of bottle into empty bottle, and add water to fill both. You have twice as much now, and it will work just the same.

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