tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29615287764785858222024-02-19T10:50:00.649-05:00Blessed Chaos: Another Homeschooling BlogI'll either encourage you to homeschool your own kids or send you running in the opposite direction. Homeschooling isn't for the faint of heart. It's messy and beautiful and stressful and Lord willing, I'll never have to give up the right to educate my kids here at home. Blessed chaos.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-46817965716567393452017-06-14T09:35:00.000-04:002017-06-14T09:35:04.384-04:002X4's<div class="MsoNormal">
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As we wind down our first year of homeschooling, I wanted to
just take some time to reflect on this journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have come a long way this year but we still have a lot to learn.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There were many reasons why we chose to take our kids out of
public school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was something I had
prayed over for over 4 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M’s
seventh grade year was the straw that broke the camel’s back.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back when M was beginning 4<sup>th</sup> grade, he was
placed in a class with a teacher whom we were familiar with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Z had the same teacher 5 years
prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I received a phone call after the
very first day of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teacher
reported that M was very talkative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was so talkative, in fact, that the teacher felt it necessary to move his desk
next to hers, by himself, away from all of the other children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, this came out of her mouth; “I had such
high hopes for M, knowing how well behaved Z was.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very next day, we were making phone calls
and sending emails to get M out of that class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had meetings and they did oblige and move
him to another class but that was the first time I threatened to pull him out
and homeschool him myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Over the years, I’ve watched M go from having lots of
great friends to having no friends to having the wrong kind of friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you know M, you know that he’s always
had trouble with social graces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kids are
much more accepting of differences when they’re young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they grow, they tend to slowly push kids
like M away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Kids have always been cruel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remember getting picked on up until about 7<sup>th</sup> or 8<sup>th</sup>
grade, but I think it’s gotten worse over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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M was the type of kid who absolutely needed to have breaks
throughout his school day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would help
him decompress and refocus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, M was also the type of kid who lost it nearly every
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pleaded with teachers to see if
there were other ways we could enforce consequences for his actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were never able to come up with anything
so the behavior continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never asked
for there to be NO consequences, just different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, it never helped the negative
behavior; it only caused a never-ending cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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In fifth grade, kids started calling M a lesbian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, M didn’t come home and ask
us what it meant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked it up
online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine the Google images that
popped up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sobbed when I checked his
internet history and saw what my little boys’ eyes had seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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M stopped getting invited to birthday parties or
sleepovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been fine if
he hadn’t known but the kids who he thought were his friends made sure he
knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped having “friend parties”
for M for fear that nobody would show up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s heartbreaking as a parent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One night, at sneaker night, M got bullied pretty badly by
one single kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M tried to play
basketball with a group of boys and one kid kept knocking him down, laughing at
him and really just being a little punk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>C was so mad, he called the kids father when they got home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve never done that before but he was fed
up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Seventh grade was the worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not a day went by that M didn’t come home with some bullying
incident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They literally picked on him
for everything. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M started school that
year with new Nike sneakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids
called them “dollar store Nike’s” and picked on them for 3 months
straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M would practically beg us
to buy him Jordan’s because that’s what the “cool kids” wore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His Aunt bought him a pair right after I
shared this with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought him a
second pair for Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently,
they weren’t good enough, because the kids called them fake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M would come home and do Google search
after Google search on fake Jordan’s and how to tell if yours were real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grilled us on where we bought them from
and how much we paid for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids
told him that if they were real, there wouldn’t be a Jordan symbol on the
bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One pair had it and one pair
didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said the color was off and
both pairs were fake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They picked on him
because he joined the track team and he was too slow and fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They picked on him if he got good grades or
if he got bad grades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was never
ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M would come home from school
and say “we had an anti-bullying assembly today and we weren’t even out the
door of the auditorium and they were already picking on me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes when kids are different, they cling to whoever
will be friends with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what
happened with M over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
ended up hanging out with kids I wouldn’t necessarily want him to hang out
with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can a parent do while they’re
in school, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can only control
so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grades slipped, behavior suffered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seventh grade was a horror show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A constant struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the straw.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t think kids should have to tough it out because it
will make them stronger in the long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That isn’t always the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes people grow up and suffer all their lives because of the way
they got bullied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve spent 10 or
12 years hearing the same things over and over again, you begin to believe
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes kids can’t even live
through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes they take their
own lives because of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easy to
say “not my kid,” but how do you know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What if it IS your kid?<o:p></o:p></div>
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What if you need to get hit over the head with a 2x4 to get
you to listen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m convinced that the
reason M’s 7<sup>th</sup> grade year was so bad was because God had been
trying for 4 years to wake me up to his will for our family and I wasn’t
listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a scary thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pushed it off for selfish reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love my kids but did I really want to spend
24/7 with them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about MY time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MY money?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>MY freedom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See a pattern
here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I’ve never felt smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no way I felt capable of teaching my
kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are people trained for that
purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The week I finally made the decision, I really
struggled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I literally went hour by hour
changing my mind back and forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
do this; I’m SO sick of being broke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
we do this, it’s for the long haul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>S was only 2 at the time and that meant years and years and years
of not working and struggling financially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, I HAVE to do this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God will
take care of us, He ALWAYS does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
worried that they would miss their friends too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s not like we’re hobbits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can still get together with their
friends for playdates, Church, Sunday school, 4H, family Bible study and youth group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’d think of just how unqualified I
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So unqualified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s grace would cover me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where I’m weak, my husband is strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the negative things I was focusing on
were worldly things; things that people say are important. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until I started praying a prayer
based on 1 Samuel 16:7, that I was able to finally make the decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It says; But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not
consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord does not look at the things people
look at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People look at the outward
appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In other words, our focus should be on things which God says are
important, not what people think are important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also prayed with Proverbs 22:6 in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Train up a child in the way he should go and
when he is old, he will not depart from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Putting things into perspective with eternity in mind, it was clear.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This year has been difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Highly stressful at times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My kids fight like any other siblings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to listen to it day in and day out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My kids can be disobedient, like every other
kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It leaves you questioning your
parenting skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes you wonder if
you’re doing something wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have
been times when I’ve wanted to run away and not come back for days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been impatient and sometimes downright
mean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s ugly, sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I crave breaks and often feel sorry for
myself because we have no money to get away for a couple of days every other
month or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My house suffers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s never really cleaned like I’d like it to
be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, there I go again, focusing on
worldly things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All that being said, I have had such peace with this
decision and the direction our family is going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I KNOW with all certainty that this is God’s will for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that I’ve focused on M throughout
this, but L had his own struggles in public school as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My kids have learned more, not because I’m a
better teacher (by NO means) but because my kids have one on one attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no missed work because they can’t
focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They take lots of breaks
throughout the day and the work just gets done eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a completely different lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much more laid back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have so much freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we decide we want to go in the back yard
and have a bonfire and roast marshmallows at 8:30 on a school night, we have
that freedom because we don’t have to wake up at 6am to get ready for school
the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can go away during the week,
if we’re able, when it’s cheaper and less busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’re able learn with a Biblical worldview which strengthens our faith
in God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been amazing learning
alongside my kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the things I
didn’t learn in, or remember from school, I’m learning now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started because of bullying and it’s turned
into doing what I know will honor and glorify God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it’s the best shot I’ve got at not
having my kids walk away from their faith and losing them to an ungodly
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be able to choose curriculum
that’s steeped in Gods word is an amazing blessing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s impossible to deny our Creator when you
learn science and history and health and English from a Biblical
worldview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, our biggest
prayer for our kids is that they would live to love and serve Christ and love
and serve others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their salvation and
their eternity is number one priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
only wish I could influence more families to take this path so that they could
see for themselves the amazing blessing it is.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s ugly and beautiful and stressful and amazing and Lord
willing, I will never have to give up the right to educate my children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am blessed beyond measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">If you are thinking of homeschooling your kids, I would love to talk with you. To encourage you. To pray for you.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">*M is my 14 year old 8th grader</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">*L is my 8 year old 3rd grader</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">*Z is my 18 year old public high school graduate</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">*C is my husband</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">*S is my 3 year old daughter</span></div>
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Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-68742670821055043002017-06-13T09:23:00.000-04:002017-06-13T09:23:29.564-04:00New DirectionIt's been a couple of years! I'm not sure why I abandoned my blog, but, here I am. <div>
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Our lives have changed dramatically since my last post. We've grown to a family of 7, and last year, we decided to take the homeschooling plunge. It was a scary move but we're so glad we did it.</div>
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So, I'm taking this blog in a new direction. I hope to encourage more families to join the ever-growing homeschooling movement. It's stressful going through the process of making the decision and getting started in your own home. I'll either inspire you to take the plunge or send you running in the opposite direction!</div>
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Stay tuned for part of our back-story about why we began homeschooling.</div>
Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-34613907708432740702011-03-16T20:17:00.000-04:002011-03-16T20:17:01.535-04:00Smuckers Stars on Ice ticket Giveaway (Momma D and Da Boyz)My friend Jenn over at <a href="http://mommadanddaboyz.com/">Momma D and Da Boyz</a> is giving away a 4 pack of tickets to see Smuckers Stars on Ice at the Broome County Arena in Binghamton, NY. I've entered, though I rarely win anything, and you can too if you're within driving distance of Binghamton. Head on over and check it out!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-58606625788578887802011-03-02T20:23:00.000-05:002011-03-02T20:23:42.014-05:00CSN Giveaway Winner!Congratulations to Sheila! You have won a $55.00 CSN Stores coupon code to use as you wish! Have fun shopping!<br />
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CSN Stores will be contacting you shortly with your code information.<br />
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Thanks to all who participated!<br />
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A $55.00 coupon code will be provided to the winner of the giveaway in exchange for my post. Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-6974187957844103592011-02-18T10:22:00.000-05:002011-02-18T10:22:21.321-05:00CSN Stores Giveaway! $55 coupon code!<div style="text-align: center;">As a preferred blogger with CSN Stores, I'm given the opportunity to do reviews and giveaways every 60 days. This month, I'm excited to offer a $55.00 coupon code to one lucky reader! Who doesn't love free money? It's been a while since I last wrote. Since the last post, we've gotten a new carpet (thanks to a rainstorm and insurance) and painted the living room walls. Next is new furniture since it's tax return time WooHoo!! I've also been wanting to get more<a href="http://www.allmodern.com/Accents-C367039.html"> wall art and decor</a> for well, every room, really. A great place to find those things is at CSN Stores where there's a great selection and free shipping on tons of items! They also have a price guarantee! If you see the exact product at another site for less, follow the links and send your request for the lower price. Great, right?!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So how do you enter?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Visit CSN Stores and tell me what you'd buy with the code if you win. This is REQUIRED for any other entries to count!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">EXTRA ENTRIES</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Follow Surrounded By Boys for 1 extra entry</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blog about this giveaway and post the link in the comments for 2 extra entries (labeled #1 and #2)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Follow me on Twitter @muffinscakes for 1 extra entry</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This giveaway will end on 2/28/11 at 9pm (eastern time). The winner will be chosen via random.org and posted shortly after the giveaway ends. You will receive an email from CSN stores containing your code for $55.00 off any purchase. Good luck!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-90492570581479458402010-12-03T15:04:00.000-05:002013-02-25T10:19:25.879-05:00FRUGAL FRIDAY: In the kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I missed Frugal Friday last week because I was busy with cakes. Today I made sure to set some time aside for some tips.</div>
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We waste so much food here in America that it's just a sin. There are so many ways we could cut back on our waste and save money at the same time. Winter is a great time to make homemade soups and homemade bread. With Thanksgiving just last week, what did you all do with your turkey carcass? And might I just add...what a strange word carcass is! If you're like myself and my mother-in-law, you put it in a pot, covered it with water and boiled it to make some great homemade turkey stock! I don't use recipes for my soup, which makes my sister terribly nervous. HA! I just don't. So for you recipe lovers, here's a recipe for <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Day-After-Thanksgiving-Turkey-Carcass-Soup/Detail.aspx">Day-After-Thanksgiving-Turkey-Carcass-Soup. </a> You can also use your ham bone (my favorite!) and chicken carcass. I'm not particularly fond of using beef bones but some love it. I just don't enjoy the flavor. Another thing I like to do for stock just enhances your meat stock or if you're vegetarian, it's great veggie stock. I wash my vegetables before peeling and save peelings and ends of onions (skin and all), garlic skins, carrot peel and ends, zucchini ends, celery ends and leaves. The list really is endless. As I get little bits of scraps, I stuff them into a Ziploc bag and store it in the freezer until I've got enough to make stock! Brilliant!</div>
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Milk on the verge of the expiration date is not something that ever happens in my house. Some days, we go through an entire gallon...in one day! My boys are definitely milk drinkers. Anyhow, don't throw it away! Make pudding and have dessert. Better yet, since I'm a cake baker, I save the scraps of cake from leveling and sculpting and such to make trifles. Cube the cake and freeze for the perfect time. My entire family loves trifles and they're so simple. You can find tons of different combos for these desserts but our basic is layers of cake cubes, pudding in any flavor, bananas, cool whip and repeat. How easy?! </div>
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Banana's go bad very fast. If you've got a banana or 2 getting a bit too freckled for your taste, they're probably perfect for bread or muffins. No time to use it right away? freeze the entire banana, peel and all! Make sure that you put them in a bowl to thaw because they do give off a lot of liquid and they will be very mushy...but again, perfect for bread!</div>
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That's all for now. Happy cooking and have a great weekend!</div>
Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-7805296865602516632010-11-28T19:54:00.000-05:002010-11-28T19:54:27.671-05:00Upcoming Review From CSN Stores!I love being a preferred blogger for CSN Stores. It allows me to offer giveaways and host product reviews on a monthly basis. For Christmas this year, my family has decided to fore go the presents and take a trip to Florida to visit family and go to Disney! We are very excited! Having 3 boys, something that would come in handy for us is <a href="http://www.luggage.com/Kids-Luggage-C12655.html">children's luggage </a>. We usually just pack out things in one large suitcase on wheels and many different bags. I think the kids would enjoy having luggage of their own.<br />
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Visit CSN Stores for all your holiday shopping this season. They offer free shipping on tons of different items and they have a price guarantee. If you see any particular item on a different site for less (including shipping), email them using the special link and get a special code for the lower price! I love that!<br />
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Stay tuned for my review.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-151008093910280812010-11-19T12:01:00.000-05:002013-02-25T10:23:42.158-05:00Frugal Friday! Energy Costs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, as promised, I'm trying to get back into my Frugal Friday series. I'm in the middle of 3 cake orders for tomorrow so today's tips will be short. <br />
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Recently I had NYSERTA come in and do some energy saving things in my home. This was a free service to us because we received HEAP last year to help pay for our heating bill. I feel like I basically know what it takes to cut down on my energy bill but they did give me some interesting information as far as putting numbers into the equation. It costs, on average, .17 per hour to run your electric dryer! WOW! With the amount of laundry I do, that adds up very quickly. I'm guilty of being very lazy in this area. I do have a clothes line outside but really, I can only use it in the spring and summer. I have a retractable clothes line in my bedroom but that holds like 1/4 of a load! I honestly don't have room for those wooden drying racks so other than the dryer, what's a family to do? I'm thinking of hanging another indoor line and at least hang half of each load. I also learned that you use more energy using a dryer if you aren't cleaning the lint filter after every use. Obviously, it runs longer if the lint filter is clogged.<br />
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They also changed 16 light bulbs to the super energy efficient compact florescent bulbs. They produce the same amount of light and use a whopping 75% less energy than a regular bulb. Over the life of one CFL (compact florescent light bulb) you can save up to $70! Multiply that times every light bulb in your house and that's a decent amount of money back in your pocket!<br />
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So here are some frightening numbers for you as far as average costs to run different things around your house. The numbers are based on NY State average electricity cost of .16/Kwh. Appliances obviously vary so these are ballpark estimates.<br />
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42" HDTV: 6 hours per day = $7.01/month<br />
Radio: 6 hours per day = $1.44/month (listen to the radio for that "white noise" instead of the TV!)<br />
Computer: 6 hours per day = $7.82/month<br />
Fish Tanks: $14.03/month<br />
Waterbeds: $16.77/month<br />
Swimming Pool Pump: 12 hours per day = $150.69/month!! My brochure says we run these much longer than needed and suggests a timer.<br />
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Did you know that you can lower your heating bill by 1% for EVERY DEGREE you lower the thermostat for an 8 hour period! Hello!! Get some extra blankets and turn that heat down at night! This is the example given:<br />
<br />
Lowering your thermostat from 70 to 68 for a 24 hour period saves 6%<br />
Lowering your thermostat from 68 to 60 when away from home or sleeping for 8 hours saves an additional 16%<br />
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These savings add up to 22% and for every $1000 you use to heat your home, that's a savings of $220!!! Holy Cow! I really think I need to be better about this at night! I freeze all winter long so I'm guilty of not turning it down. I think I'll change my plan since we're not applying for HEAP this year. <br />
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This one hits home for me as a SAHM with a cake business...on average it costs .17 per hour to run my gas stove!!! Puts my costs more into perspective and makes me think twice about what I'm charging for cakes!<br />
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I've got more info but no time. I hope some of this info helps you and gives you the desire to change! Have a great weekend!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-31878955841139219532010-10-27T08:15:00.000-04:002010-10-27T08:15:59.669-04:00CSN Stores $35 Coupon Code Giveaway!Head on over to my cake blog and enter for a chance to win a $35.00 coupon code to use on your next purchase from CSN Stores! Giveaway ends on 11/5 so hurry over!<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><a href="http://littlemissmuffinscakes.blogspot.com/2010/10/csn-stores-35-code-giveaway.html#comments">ENTER HERE!</a></div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-39170387482745235652010-09-11T16:19:00.001-04:002010-09-13T09:31:03.361-04:00CSN StoresIf you haven't had the chance to visit CSN Stores from my previous posts, you're surely missing out. I'm happy to be working with them again for another review. It's been a busy summer so those reviews will be coming up now that the kids are in school again. CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from from <a href="http://www.allcoffeetables.com/">coffee table</a> to fantastic fitniss equipment to cookware.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for my review and in the meantime go visit one of the <a href="http://www.csnstores.com/">200 CSN Stores</a> and shop!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-30384713535637443112010-08-16T09:04:00.000-04:002010-08-16T09:04:48.889-04:00Oh so far behind!I've been MIA again. I guess it's just my blogging style to post in spurts..sorry! It's been such a busy, busy summer that I honestly haven't had time to sit and write. We've done summer camp, short vacations, swimming lessons and I've been incredibly busy with cakes. I'll be back for a bit as I've got some reviews to share with you! Stay tuned....Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-50808011495427656202010-07-19T08:05:00.000-04:002010-07-19T08:05:19.676-04:00Wilton GiveawayHead on over to my cake blog and enter for a chance to win 2 great Wilton products.<br />
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<a href="http://littlemissmuffinscakes.blogspot.com/2010/07/wilton-giveaway.html">Surrounded By Boys Wilton Giveaway</a>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-4957990684284740932010-06-30T08:20:00.000-04:002010-06-30T08:20:59.501-04:005 minutes for me<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcKeErwnWgyyGLERY8viAQnuWbgvhisRImiZVH5dyNDH07jTBGftIVjX_dHylWH8VH_NzSK6KP0NC-MmOg4zxbcCfMQNYlPqziMVUQTW5R1kFuleeQsDzh2BfzPeHI7UmreKHlm_o/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcKeErwnWgyyGLERY8viAQnuWbgvhisRImiZVH5dyNDH07jTBGftIVjX_dHylWH8VH_NzSK6KP0NC-MmOg4zxbcCfMQNYlPqziMVUQTW5R1kFuleeQsDzh2BfzPeHI7UmreKHlm_o/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HL0KNIE2iWZCePn_3QTt2m5I8mf4NQcvIeCph962k5tS_VMLlpsrG17XenELokGBXEVuo5RomjM4zhcUU5p_O_ewExO1q9uZVpTeaBLfbVNvKFVj3XpAcG0_5toAGM3jYqU72VJ2/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HL0KNIE2iWZCePn_3QTt2m5I8mf4NQcvIeCph962k5tS_VMLlpsrG17XenELokGBXEVuo5RomjM4zhcUU5p_O_ewExO1q9uZVpTeaBLfbVNvKFVj3XpAcG0_5toAGM3jYqU72VJ2/s320/IMG_0532.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg956hF89YmTRwdzEj5QSsYCRrX7XG59j43XjB5xLqJunmOprCwabLrtPfy42liHVjtZiiaxP5liXlR2NG573OEmUq5q3docDCnXWIoT83htS2SGl_EXeSuO-5YGDH9XgdG2Kv5OBPM/s1600/june10+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg956hF89YmTRwdzEj5QSsYCRrX7XG59j43XjB5xLqJunmOprCwabLrtPfy42liHVjtZiiaxP5liXlR2NG573OEmUq5q3docDCnXWIoT83htS2SGl_EXeSuO-5YGDH9XgdG2Kv5OBPM/s320/june10+012.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QAHNbusED7n-0dQHQW5AQgRTtJDrnVNkHFqVyVMMVIYd5PFUkLn29AajtB4QSqDT5n4gg49c1cUPrxdTxN0-6auWV4t4GWmRYJzFmHbaDI7FDpihJBKr-S5ky9S48WJsquti3-42/s1600/june10+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QAHNbusED7n-0dQHQW5AQgRTtJDrnVNkHFqVyVMMVIYd5PFUkLn29AajtB4QSqDT5n4gg49c1cUPrxdTxN0-6auWV4t4GWmRYJzFmHbaDI7FDpihJBKr-S5ky9S48WJsquti3-42/s320/june10+011.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GCnsv_PlUy20HvWC6NkQNvwptl4ZBFkYblVu6aGrrABwtJrp99Edh1ur7qSb_oBQtivWKLHwRUNLh3dXlkFIXSZKeZ-1TFttWIB1KFmh4wYrkPa46G0ro7DGwyBcxUyCF5qu2uZS/s1600/june10+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GCnsv_PlUy20HvWC6NkQNvwptl4ZBFkYblVu6aGrrABwtJrp99Edh1ur7qSb_oBQtivWKLHwRUNLh3dXlkFIXSZKeZ-1TFttWIB1KFmh4wYrkPa46G0ro7DGwyBcxUyCF5qu2uZS/s320/june10+007.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8E-k0dyZn7YwSSYwsTNCyNX9azqydOZ8_V0GPU5riyR_rKhxBhW3NJTB6UWrVU0mrjHBBGHuOOoeMRzNbeHoiOmI4dxKa7eNbm_dwXR9jiM3VNHAzFMmrV1wAkmcKaOqiQ53hCJN/s1600/june10+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8E-k0dyZn7YwSSYwsTNCyNX9azqydOZ8_V0GPU5riyR_rKhxBhW3NJTB6UWrVU0mrjHBBGHuOOoeMRzNbeHoiOmI4dxKa7eNbm_dwXR9jiM3VNHAzFMmrV1wAkmcKaOqiQ53hCJN/s320/june10+003.JPG" /></a>As you know, I've been pretty much absent for a couple of weeks. I've been crazy busy with cake orders, the end of baseball season and school and everything else in between. I had a total of 11 orders between the last two weekends. I'm so thankful! But that also means less time to spend on my blog. I have to say that I've been missing it and sort of feel guilty. I have a feeling such will be the case the rest of the summer. I'd like to get back to my Frugal Friday's at least because I know a few of you were looking forward to it. So, this is what I've been up to.... I didn't take pics of all of the work since some was repeat of other cakes and plain cupcakes.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOiWNY0kTegGheypjH3zstnC6X46w0sYyLVFcqAokSkW2QEQtfQGq9GKAqSZGJzCHJmClwofEO2wbqW_uhUlLbZMTTgWK0WBVTOIWlx2lARYON_Brgj8DDZORUFOqWP5oOiigGGql/s1600/june10+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOiWNY0kTegGheypjH3zstnC6X46w0sYyLVFcqAokSkW2QEQtfQGq9GKAqSZGJzCHJmClwofEO2wbqW_uhUlLbZMTTgWK0WBVTOIWlx2lARYON_Brgj8DDZORUFOqWP5oOiigGGql/s320/june10+005.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZkOzPLmTfBUzNaqd7rkRAsol4rRHsOffMJNt5iuYscp3h3k2EKkvwW66YsOtT0eNOEdseymYDpVZlIPneRFLw2fBjA3P9roZ7aHdIhc0gvvBkmhJhByBVIenfSQahyphenhyphen1gpQP_BDO3/s1600/june10+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZkOzPLmTfBUzNaqd7rkRAsol4rRHsOffMJNt5iuYscp3h3k2EKkvwW66YsOtT0eNOEdseymYDpVZlIPneRFLw2fBjA3P9roZ7aHdIhc0gvvBkmhJhByBVIenfSQahyphenhyphen1gpQP_BDO3/s320/june10+001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufqrsN4Fqlh7GuVDI0Xfm_9MymbgA6AwoUnaiXTss7KR5QVWpk4DDhdolXV6ydUet5lJsQGbUCtkuA5I36WctUgcK9mNJhb7D6JKLTIyima-ANPKftDHhLyMfNQNYeevEvSoLkX4x/s1600/june10+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufqrsN4Fqlh7GuVDI0Xfm_9MymbgA6AwoUnaiXTss7KR5QVWpk4DDhdolXV6ydUet5lJsQGbUCtkuA5I36WctUgcK9mNJhb7D6JKLTIyima-ANPKftDHhLyMfNQNYeevEvSoLkX4x/s320/june10+002.JPG" /></a></div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-80056459279021170922010-06-11T19:17:00.000-04:002010-06-11T19:17:59.789-04:00Frugal Friday 6/11<div style="text-align: center;">This turned out to be a busy week since I got 2 large last minute cake orders. I hope you all enjoyed my first edition of Frugal Friday last week. Earlier in the week before my 2 orders came in, I thought to myself that I should write my post for Friday just in case and I never did. Big mistake! So, I'm taking a break from caking to bring you some more tips.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This week...<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">IN THE KITCHEN!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Homemade Stock</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have to say that nothing tastes quite as good as a homemade stock when making soup. And I know what you're thinking..".stock? I'm NOT making my own stock. There are so many good ones on the shelf of the grocery store!" Not only is this a better tasting stock but you control what goes in! And, not only are you getting a great tasting stock, you're also cutting down on household waste!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's what you do:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Every time you get ready to use a vegetable, wash the outside thoroughly, even onions and garlic. Get yourself a freezer container or baggie and every time you peel a vegetable, stick the peelings and ends that get cut off into this container in the freezer. When it's full, add it to water and boil it. Strain and voila! stock!</div><div style="text-align: center;">You can use anything you like in it. Carrot peelings and ends, zucchini ends, pepper tops, onion and garlic skin, green trimmings (collards, escarole, etc), celery tops and bottoms, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower stalks, honestly the list is endless!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">No more expensive extract! (Citrus)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">I'm a baker so I know how expensive flavoring extracts can be and lots of them don't even really taste good. If you do any baking with orange or lemon extract, stop buying them! Before you peel that orange to eat the inside, use a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">microplane</span> grater and get all that flavorful zest off! EVERY time. Keep your zest in a small <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">ziploc</span> baggie in the freezer and each time you eat an orange, get that zest off. And the same with lemons. Zest it before you cut it open and save it in a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">ziploc</span> bag. Each time you need lemon or orange flavor for a recipe, pull out some and stick it in your recipe!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">That's all I have for today. I know it's not fabulous but I'm actually in the middle of making 2 last minute cakes. I'm making a 20" standing Dewar's bottle and a club penguin cake, both for the same family. They've been very time consuming and not very cooperative..sigh. Until next week....</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-44900598215400477372010-06-07T22:35:00.000-04:002010-06-07T22:35:18.392-04:00Who's leaving the plastic baggies at the store?And the winner of the PB Green Re-usable Lunch Set chosen by random.org is.....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZh6zyEWfgbnyVR3nacymmPWDUTgZ_R-TcCgw4VSnPJOzHMXqEVVdav5z7CTu-JjghakCMvwUUsShqVZVqzweuh6YF66eQ4s92m7c2OUC9XgfM48IzEJez8aLL2d27WEkp_0u3gOj/s1600/random.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZh6zyEWfgbnyVR3nacymmPWDUTgZ_R-TcCgw4VSnPJOzHMXqEVVdav5z7CTu-JjghakCMvwUUsShqVZVqzweuh6YF66eQ4s92m7c2OUC9XgfM48IzEJez8aLL2d27WEkp_0u3gOj/s320/random.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Keira</span>! Congrats <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Keira</span>, I'll email you shortly with contact info so you can order your new lunch set.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you to<a href="http://pbgreenbags.com/"> PB Green</a> for working with me on my first giveaway!</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-68274808443462656982010-06-07T10:33:00.000-04:002010-06-07T10:33:05.949-04:00You've gotta speak up!For quite some time now, when I receive a product that's damaged in any way or not up to standards, I contact the company. You've gotta speak up when you spend your hard earned money on something and end up not being able to use it.<br />
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Recently, I had purchased Wilton gum paste on 3 separate occasions at Michael's and AC Moore. When I opened them, all three of them, I found that the top portion of the gum paste was already hardened and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">un</span>-usable. Now this stuff is expensive and there's not much in the package, so when you're having to cut a portion of it off to get to the usable stuff, that's upsetting! <br />
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I got on the phone with Wilton customer service and guess what they did? They replaced all three bags! Nice, right! It came via FedEx in less than a week. Now that's how a company should react to such problems. Thanks Wilton!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-53316765674932265622010-06-07T06:38:00.000-04:002010-06-07T06:38:16.926-04:00Last Reminder!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHHTf9JYs6WQSryfh_SszhwxjyN-3g0I6cca_Xp5dNU5WOHj1M1IokZTGvEmBx0XKN2_qN7hMZinMmqDR3KdyvIHAzTXd0ooJ5Q5wgxojCWkWXKd2_bZXlUrndODviYeXPirc4Y-h/s1600/review+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHHTf9JYs6WQSryfh_SszhwxjyN-3g0I6cca_Xp5dNU5WOHj1M1IokZTGvEmBx0XKN2_qN7hMZinMmqDR3KdyvIHAzTXd0ooJ5Q5wgxojCWkWXKd2_bZXlUrndODviYeXPirc4Y-h/s320/review+005.JPG" /></a></div>Tonight at 9 pm EST the PB Green giveaway ends. Don't miss your chance to win a re-usable lunch set including 2 snack bags and a sandwich wrap! Enter here -------><strong><em><a href="http://oh-dear-lord.blogspot.com/2010/05/pb-green-review-and-giveaway.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">PB GREEN GIVEAWAY</span></a></em></strong>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-32630906582629861352010-06-04T21:56:00.000-04:002013-02-25T10:26:57.917-05:00FRUGAL FRIDAY! 6/4<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" gu="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJq30tpURu760tbZWzAH7jr1TG8fTTlfgxYhQF_mvJzmz6Metz0wvaQSrwmMCDEM7oCUwMC19mvvequBmoSCCzvxQoeA19xZXyfqHrwpcSDciicmVrHufNGcTE92aqCIVxqScWrbG/s200/frugal-money.jpg" width="168" /></div>
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I'd like to start a weekly post to share tips on how I try to be more frugal. I'm hoping that you will learn something new and it will help you and your family. What better day than "Frugal Friday"!! </div>
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And so, here's the first weekly installment of Frugal Fridays. I'll be asking for guest <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">bloggers</span> from time to time to share your ideas so if you're interested, please email me at <a href="mailto:littlemissmuffins2@gmail.com">littlemissmuffins2@<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">gmail</span>.com</a>!</div>
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<a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:OTgWgMrOG7r_zM:http://theopportune.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/dirty-laundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:OTgWgMrOG7r_zM:http://theopportune.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/dirty-laundry.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This week I'd like to talk about your dirty laundry. A while back I gave you the recipe and instructions, complete with pictures, on how to make your own <a href="http://oh-dear-lord.blogspot.com/2010/05/homemade-laundry-detergent.html"><b><i>laundry detergent</i></b></a>. Don't worry, it's really easy! You don't need to be Suzy homemaker to do it, I promise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So how much does a bottle of Tide cost these days? Like a hundred bucks? No, seriously, it's really expensive and it's one of the worst ones out there as far as polluting the environment. Check out this article from<b><i> </i></b><a href="http://naturalnews.com/"><b><i><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Naturalnews</span>.com</i></b></a> to read all about it. </span></div>
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<a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:M7HFhP0ahcuP5M:http://www.globalgiants.com/archives/media/Tide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:M7HFhP0ahcuP5M:http://www.globalgiants.com/archives/media/Tide.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">So let's say you pay $12.00 for a 64 load bottle of Tide. The 64 load estimate is for small loads. Do you only fill it to the bottom line? Let's even say you do. That's .1875 cents per load. I'm guessing you only get more like 50 loads and therefore pay more like .24 cents per load.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The recipe I shared with you<b><i> </i></b><a href="http://oh-dear-lord.blogspot.com/2010/05/homemade-laundry-detergent.html"><b><i>HERE</i></b></a>, cost .71 cents for 64 loads! That's a whopping .01 cent per load! If you need me to post the breakdown I will but trust me, it's accurate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I ask you, will you please try a batch or 2 of this? You won't be disappointed! I do an average of 10 loads per week so it costs me .10 cents per week to wash my clothes. If you use Tide, you're spending $2.40 per week, $124.80 per year. Mine costs me $5.20 PER YEAR! I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but if you add that to 5 or 6 other things you save over $100 on, you've just freed up an extra $500 or more per year!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope you're inspired. It's cheap and green!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">NOTE: From reading several other reviews on homemade laundry detergent, I've decided to use Ivory soap next time as several posts have reported color fading from using the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Fels</span> <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">Naptha</span>. I have not experienced this color fade as of yet.</span>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-66493914167592480822010-06-04T13:43:00.000-04:002010-06-04T13:43:21.433-04:00PB Green Giveaway Ends Monday 6/7 at 9 pm EST<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5I81d1oaVsp2dcFqOw5RvQPRLjQtcBESaxl4s-jt7PpJPK1bAf0Kx8Q2erpkUtFAKQdBni3oQkC9zKCqfGfKcMg9KuG-0OUmxxxSwcbRNVuRw900M5vzau27WsFblZyeMklLT_P_/s1600/pbgreen+pic.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5I81d1oaVsp2dcFqOw5RvQPRLjQtcBESaxl4s-jt7PpJPK1bAf0Kx8Q2erpkUtFAKQdBni3oQkC9zKCqfGfKcMg9KuG-0OUmxxxSwcbRNVuRw900M5vzau27WsFblZyeMklLT_P_/s320/pbgreen+pic.PNG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A reminder to all you wonderful followers, that my PB Green Giveaway will end in just 3 days. Be sure to visit the post and enter for your chance to win a FREE set of re-usable snack bags and a sandwich wrap in a pattern of your choice! These are wonderful high quality items that you shouldn't be without! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">BUY THEM! <strong><em><a href="http://pbgreenbags.com/"><span style="color: lime;">PB Green Bags</span></a></em></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">WIN THEM! </span><span style="color: lime;"><strong><em><a href="http://oh-dear-lord.blogspot.com/2010/05/pb-green-review-and-giveaway.html">Surrounded By Boys!</a></em></strong></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Please stop by the post and enter! And please visit PB Green Bags to see her beautiful items!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-75316822189112678092010-06-02T07:44:00.000-04:002010-06-02T07:44:01.574-04:00Wordless Wednesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzlEVFnhFk28XkaBFQ67VNVh6pO0vf3m0zhhC-IlI1NSMTfibBjwwWat954GiL8qKL4BtQ1Wtl63yaMgK9PZmYE23v4ZwZz5WIPvvHm7mgs7WvTMUWUV9pExgnuXeWbXFqHlqEXMR/s1600/may+10+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzlEVFnhFk28XkaBFQ67VNVh6pO0vf3m0zhhC-IlI1NSMTfibBjwwWat954GiL8qKL4BtQ1Wtl63yaMgK9PZmYE23v4ZwZz5WIPvvHm7mgs7WvTMUWUV9pExgnuXeWbXFqHlqEXMR/s320/may+10+001.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNVnIYfUDK3ZAoRvX7H-QMsPhKQOGungfZVQHIz3fME8_S9rTxdCeL1xLDLU4KS_T8muwAfKAfG69RQ1NPXgzpD5fo31rL_lv97__wK234f0VLheFHB80GoYhWMYHbUHSx38eVKHD/s1600/may+10+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNVnIYfUDK3ZAoRvX7H-QMsPhKQOGungfZVQHIz3fME8_S9rTxdCeL1xLDLU4KS_T8muwAfKAfG69RQ1NPXgzpD5fo31rL_lv97__wK234f0VLheFHB80GoYhWMYHbUHSx38eVKHD/s320/may+10+003.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlDPTv5Kb_mSKGnD5BivNEapVQmwuXia8XLJIKJku7mNYoZ-cLKDk9HfIdDQXDrFQV8gh0p6TIuBPVW34bp8mnutbWyoIiqrttY1Iej52bfHyTy_3URdRpsy5MHk7rGiArVAYZwrx/s1600/may+10+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlDPTv5Kb_mSKGnD5BivNEapVQmwuXia8XLJIKJku7mNYoZ-cLKDk9HfIdDQXDrFQV8gh0p6TIuBPVW34bp8mnutbWyoIiqrttY1Iej52bfHyTy_3URdRpsy5MHk7rGiArVAYZwrx/s320/may+10+005.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mama's little apprentice? Looks like my 22 month <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: yellow;">old's</span> gearing up to take over my cake and cookie business one day!</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-86972488969764603522010-06-01T08:10:00.000-04:002010-06-01T08:10:27.141-04:00PB Green re-usable snack bags and sandwich wrap giveaway reminder<div style="text-align: center;">Just a reminder to enter for a chance to win a re-usable snack bag and sandwich wrap set from PB Green. Your odds are good as there are only 19 entries right now! You get to choose which pattern you would like to have for yourself. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Enter Here--------------------------><span style="color: lime;"><a href="http://oh-dear-lord.blogspot.com/2010/05/pb-green-review-and-giveaway.html">PB GREEN GIVEAWAY</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Please do not enter any comments for contest entry below this post. You must visit the original contest post to leave your entries. Thanks!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-51063754486220927952010-05-31T19:11:00.000-04:002010-05-31T19:11:49.044-04:00Orginazational Genius, I'm NOTI'm desperate to be more organized and I don't even know where to start. We've got so many things in this house that just don't have a proper place. In every room! We've got the junk collector in my bedroom, aka my giant desk. In the kitchen, it's a large junk bowl. The living room, it's the bottom shelf of the end table. The dogs room/laundry room it's the large filing cabinet. I could go on and on. I need help and I need it FREE! Who has tips for me? I don't know where to start!Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-72954381138215858162010-05-27T13:02:00.000-04:002010-05-27T13:02:13.024-04:00Wilton Giveaway (sadly, not here)Please visit<a href="http://www.twoofakindworkingonafullhouse.com/2010/05/wilton-complete-line-of-ultragold.html?showComment=1274978924460_AIe9_BF3AiB0wT-3FSeiwp3wLellMMnEyaOyCFQpNszjbX0-qLXVDFfzJu8sYOYXdvpdZ1Uu8tZEYzEtndbVso2oRUHYmqE8l1SQeAQbE-pcDAgGdIWzSyGOU5_9A2T5eyT4G7Pt0pRzWnyP5JjYSQ00BLgBnH5A0wLsmxg6kj9whRL1bfHDReblDDa3Bunps9iYHbjcEwHlKgJzHl8L9FcXEc0YHbI47iUOYWTnUQEMTtcIyk51QhUnewvLAnHPO107sKqApSlP#c2209215027065749652"> Two of a kind, working on a full house</a> and enter to win a set of Wilton UltraGold Bakeware valued at $180.00.<br />
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Being a cake decorator, just the name Wilton gets me going. So many products I couldn't live without! Who better to win these than an avid cake decorator!?<br />
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Go ahead, visit <a href="http://www.wilton.com/">Wilton</a> and see all the fabulous products I dream of having.....all....at....once! If only my pocket book said yes.Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-28269350319223529122010-05-24T10:35:00.003-04:002010-05-24T11:12:43.122-04:00Family Reunion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwPiinQjKjb0GfICHi8upNGLgR6C4J6olOeCwSiVJuH6aFm584ryLpkIUdCysuSWD26H9cT-BIEDYUB4b4EpNHTy7C8o8aPgNC6DWSdhmlXWpaiJ45DP_ln8xRIId6kn3OmfDw9OQ/s1600/may+10+314.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474854601788872322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwPiinQjKjb0GfICHi8upNGLgR6C4J6olOeCwSiVJuH6aFm584ryLpkIUdCysuSWD26H9cT-BIEDYUB4b4EpNHTy7C8o8aPgNC6DWSdhmlXWpaiJ45DP_ln8xRIId6kn3OmfDw9OQ/s320/may+10+314.JPG" /></a><br /><div>This weekend my family gathered together for our annual BBQ. We don't all make it each year but we try. We have such a good time, I wish we could do it more often. We joke and laugh. We eat and drink. We chase kids and take walks to the river. We enjoy the sassiness of our beloved eldest member and cherish each moment with her. We talk about chocolate and the restaurant we'd love to open together. We make precious priceless memories that I'm thankful for. God has blessed me with a wonderful family.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So to each of my family members: I couldn't have hand picked a better family! I love you all very much and feel incredibly blessed to have each and every one of you bunch of smart alecks! Until next year........</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961528776478585822.post-25470690157292940892010-05-20T20:50:00.000-04:002010-05-20T21:03:05.080-04:00Stay tuned for my 1st giveaway!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUq0HBcEJZ-tBQ_6YjWGItJJTjeytEv8H02J5eXSOhSYKvdgylP_P4iCsfbS9SqJ8zFkMJj3aznnzrDnTMtJEftjK3RqjnEBoOmRqHWndDCu03Z0DdD7TVKxjpmAR_QdeitnwPhvC/s1600/gift.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 137px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 65px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473522264790262594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUq0HBcEJZ-tBQ_6YjWGItJJTjeytEv8H02J5eXSOhSYKvdgylP_P4iCsfbS9SqJ8zFkMJj3aznnzrDnTMtJEftjK3RqjnEBoOmRqHWndDCu03Z0DdD7TVKxjpmAR_QdeitnwPhvC/s320/gift.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="center">I'm very excited to announce my first review and giveaway! This is something I've wanted to do for a while and it's finally becoming a reality. I'm joining the mommy-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">bloggers</span>-giveaway club! </div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">Head on over to<a href="http://www.pbgreenbags.com/"> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">PBGreen</span> </a>for a sneak peak at what's on it's way!</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16475702175095605831noreply@blogger.com4