Gratitude Challenge 2013: Day 2

Today marks day two into my reflections of what I am thankful for.  Of course, topping this list are my family, close friends, and work that I am truly passionate about. Today, I am thankful for the Internet. (Writing it out it sounds kind of funny, but it’s true.)  Before you freak out and start leaving me snarky comments, just keep reading and you will have a better understanding. 

It the years since I first got a computer (I was about 15) the Internet has become a huge part of my life. Back in the day it would help me to complete a project or email a friend but now...it is so much more. Because of the internet my children are able to enjoy a variety of foods thanks to the endless supply of recipe sites, I am able to do some extreme couponing and not waste all of my day planning trips or hunting down coupons, I have had the opportunity to enjoy free movie screenings, attend free concerts and visit some pretty wicked places for next to nothing (thanks to the internet), family outings can be planned in a matter of minutes and are actually a lot of fun, arts and crafts are second nature thanks to all the great ideas that others have "pinned" already. But my love for the internet is more than just the reasons listed above. 

I am thankful for the internet because it allows me to learn almost anything; I can look questions up and find information. When the Doctor told me my child has Ehlers Danlos: Hypermobility Syndrome I simply nodded. Yeah, that is right, outspoken me sat there silently thinking, "she has what now? Hyper who?" I remember asking him to write it down and the second I was home I typed it into the search bar (google is my fav!) and WHA-LA there was all the information I could ever want or need. Any question I had, there was already an answer. Today, I believe, she is living a better life because of my understanding and knowledge about her disorder. I have been able to educate my friends, family and her school about Ehlers Danlos: Hypermobility Syndrome so that they too can look for the signs that she is in distress. 

In my family we use Google Images to look up everything. "Mom what is a puffin?" Better than a description is a picture and BAM one search and my kiddos can learn all about puffins. We have looked up strange bugs that were hanging around the front porch, printed off maps to places we had never heard of, viewed pictures of the human body, and I have used various other visual aids to confidently answer questions that the kids have.

I use it for blogging, streaming movies, watching videos, playing educational games with the kids, checking Facebook, email and my photography business is basically run via the internet. With all this, how could I not be thankful for the technology that connects me to a vast network of information?!?!

In parting, I am also thankful that you stopped by. :) What are you thankful for today?

Purex More Time For Mom Sweepstakes

With the kiddos back in school, that means more time for Mom to shop, scrapbook, read and more! Each week through November 19, 2013 Purex will be giving away prizes during its More Time for Mom Sweepstakes. You could win the following prizes:

Oct. 23–29:  $250 Scrapbooking Shopping Spree

Oct. 30–Nov. 5:  $250 Home Décor Shopping Spree

Nov. 6–12:  $500 New Wardrobe Shopping Spree

Nov. 13–19:  Kindle Fire

Each weekly grand prize winner will also receive a FREE year’s supply of Purex liquid detergent. Second place winners each week will receive a Kindle eReader. Enter daily for a better chance of winning!

I have already entered today, have you?

Official Rules

Disclaimer: As a Purex Insider, information was provided to me by Purex. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. All quotes and stock photos are from the Purex website and email.  I will be entered to win a Gift Card, but no other compensation was received.

Gratitude Challenge 2013: Day 1

Gratitude Challenge 2013!  With so much turmoil all around us, I believe it is a really good thing to take a moment and focus on our blessings. I admit, I am guilty - sometimes I get caught up in the "if only … “ or “I wish I could …” or “what if's … ” I am not really a negative person but sometimes life seems to kick me when I am down. While I have come to terms with the fact that this is my life, I try to remain as positive as I can. Sometimes, that is not very much. :) 

"The grass is always greener on the other side" I have a love hate relationship with this phrase. Why do people always think they would be happier in a different set of circumstances? I am neither rich or poor but comfortably middle class. What if my other side would mean I have Section 8 housing? Or the opposite, what if it meant I would have to work 60+ hours a week at my corporate job and never see my family? No thank you! I will take my grass, even if it does tend to dry up and grow weeds. I am living a very hectic yet rewarding life. I am so thankful for my six awesome children (you will be "blessed" with the opportunity to read about them within the month of my "Gratitude Challenge 2013" posts, I promise.) I am thankful for my full time job and the opportunity I have been given to run my own company. There is just so much that I am thankful for and sometimes I tend to forget overlook it all, especially in hard times. 

But today, I am thankful for being born me. The good, the bad, the pretty and the ugly situations that I have experienced during the past 30 years of my life have shaped me into who I am today. While, at times, I may have thought, "My life is over..." in reality those events were simply ensuring I was being reborn into the person I am today! If you ask me, I am pretty freaking awesome so it was all worth it! 

If you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave a comment beneath this post for what you are thankful for today. We can all find something to be thankful for each day. I hope you will join me in counting the many blessings

.

So, what are you thankful for today?

Purina Farms Haunted Hayloft - St. Louis

          

Purina Farms spooks it up with their annual Haunted Hayloft going on October 18 to 20 and October 25 to 27. Have the kids go in costume!  There is a contest during the dog performance and the winner gets a $25 gift card to the Farm’s gift shop! There are two age brackets–kids 5 and under and kids 6 to 12.This not-so-scary event also includes: 

-Watching dogs perform high-flying acrobatic shows

-Kids can trick or treat in the hayloft

-Story-telling

-Watching talented dogs do a duck herding demonstration

-Touring the Farms on a tractor-drawn hayride

-Interacting with friendly witches and Checkerboard Charlie, a six-foot-high dog in the Haunted Hayloft.

-Catching the show-stopping magic shows performed by the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

-Grabing a pumpkin for $5 (while supplies last)

-Cow-milking demonstrations

-Adoptable animals

If you bring some dog or cat supplies to donate to local animal shelters, you’ll get a 20% off coupon to one item at the gift shop.

Haunted Hayloft will be held over two weekends, Oct. 18, 19 and 20, and Oct. 25, 26 and 27. Hours are 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; and 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. Haunted Hayloft is free to attend, but there is a $5 per car and $20 per bus parking fee and reservations are required. Call 314-982-3232 to make reservations

It’s not often that Purina Farms is open to the public after school hours, so this is a great time to come out for parents who can’t get away during a weekday! 

More information: www.purinafarms.com

*Use promo code "STL Parent Fun" at the gate and save $1 on parking (normally $5; event admission is free). Just say the promo code for an instant discount.

Ladies Home Journal Magazine Giveaway!

Enter to win the FREE Ladies Home Journal Magazine Subscription Giveaway! There will be up to (17,000) prize winners receiving a free 1 year subscription to Ladies’ Home Journal magazine. Your chances of winning are really great.

Limited supplies, so enter today for a chance to win! Sweepstakes ends: October 31, 2013 15:00

Frugal Confessions: Kroger Goodies :)

Finally got to go shopping today with my coupons. Oh how I have missed them. With the kiddos going back to school, I have to admit I really fell off the wagon wheel of couponing...until today! Almost forgot, I also purchased 2 Halloween window silhouettes that are not pictured. 

Total spent: $14.22 (includes tax)

My total should have been $31.98. Not to shabby for about 10 minutes of work. Yes, I was lazy and simply refused to fumble through all my older coupons that have been sitting quietly in my kitchen drawer, waiting for the day I finally cut them out. :P 

Now to plan out my relaxing Saturday with the kiddos and then Sunday the real couponing begins! 

House Party BEJEWELED & TWISTER Game Night Slumber Party

Anyone else ever apply to host parties on House Party? If not, let me tell you, do are missing out. I have had the opportunity to host the following parties:

Shake Your Udi’s, Boogie Your Buns House Party

REDBOOK + L’Oréal Paris Happy Hour House Party

Glade® Design the Air™ House Party

Durex® Girl Talk House Party™

American Ninja Warrior™ 2 Sneak Preview powered by House Party™

Pull-Ups® Potty Dance Day House Party™ 

The party packs are really awesome! You get all kinds of goodies from the company to help you through your party and there are even some fun printables, some are recipes, game ideas, etc... All tailored to the theme of the party you have been selected to host. 

Okay, now to my point, last night I was picked to host a BEJEWELED & TWISTER Game Slumber Party House Party! Thanks to Hasbro and House Party my kiddos and their friends will spend an evening  having a blast racing to match gems with the BEJEWELED board game, and playing the new TWISTER RAVE Ringz game!

My exclusive Party Pack will contain the following:

BEJEWELED face-to-face game

TWISTER Mat game

TWISTER RAVE Ringz game

Coupon for $10 off TWISTER DANCE RAVE game

Coupons for $5 off BEJEWELED Blitz

TWISTER glitter tattoos

BEJEWELED glitter tattoos

Simply CHEETOS® White Cheddar Puffed Corn snack bags

This was one of the things we did in hopes to get picked:

They usually have "announcements" that give you the opportunity to complete tasks, be it post a video, comment or photo to increase your chances of getting picked. Looks like it worked. 

Not familiar with House Party? You apply to host a party in your home on a certain date, you invite friends and you share the FREE party supplies that were sent to you directly from the companies. What are you waiting for? Go sign up! 

Pieces Of Autumn

Wow! What an awesome weekend. Could the weather have been any nicer? The girls all did really well in school this week so I decided to surprise them with a trip to a nearby orchard. Apple picking time! 

My oldest daughter, seen below, even climbed onto one of the lower limbs to pick the "perfect" apple for her little sister. 

 My baby preferred to just sit on my shoulder and pick the higher up apples, she said they looked "prettier" than the smaller, lower ones. 

All of our "hard" work was made worth it when we finally got bake home and began baking. Nothing beats a hot homemade apple pie! 

Hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful Fall weather. How did you spend you weekend? Or, maybe you have plans for this weeked? Feel free to share! 

The 'Art' of Stress Relief

Usually when I am stressed out I hop on the computer and edit photos like this one:

Lately, editing pictures just has not been reducing my stress to the point I would like it to. While photography is my number one passion and I really love having the opportunity to take a photo and turn it into a work of art I have been craving something more. 

That is when I turned to my next two favorite things to do:

Couponing

Crafts (chosen craft was painting)

I spent a great deal of my three day weekend, hands covered in paint and brush in hand. While I did not finish all of the rooms I hoped for, I have found that my stress is greatly reduced. Sitting silent and alone, locked away in a room, faintly listening to my two youngest playing in the living room brought me a sense of peace that I have long been wishing for. Hopefully tonight, for the first time in a long time, I will be able to get to sleep at a decent hour. That being said, it is 10 pm here...off to bed I go. 

Giveaway for today 8/31 only!

Giveaway for today 8/31 only!

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Today is the last day to enter the Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes; I must say this is yet another great gift. While I have never personally cooked on a gas grill I ate food that 

others prepared on gas and it was awesome! 

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 31

Giveaway for today 8/31 only!

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Today is the last day to enter the Purex 31 Days of Fun Sweepstakes; I must say this is yet 

another great gift. While I have never personally cooked on a gas grill I ate food that 

others prepared on gas and it was awesome! 

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 30

Giveaway for today 8/30 only!

Which would you choose?  Playstation or XBox?

Me I would like the Playstation. :)

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in?

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 29

Giveaway for today 8/29 only!

I entered, have you? Seriously, $400 in groceries?!?! Yes please!

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in? Remember, there are only a few days of prizes left! Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 28

Giveaway for today 8/28 only!

I have a surround sound home theater system and I love it. Who ever wins this prize is going to experience television and movies in a whole new way. 

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in?

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 27

Giveaway for today 8/27 only!

The littles would freak out if they came home from school and found THIS in the back yard.  Not to mention, this would be an awesome and easy way to get the kiddos outside more often in the Fall. 

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in?

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 26

Giveaway for today 8/26 only!

Have you entered? Um, why not? There are just a few hours left to enter to win today's $600 prize! 

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in?

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 25

Giveaway for today 8/25 only!

How awesome would this be?!?! I see may evening bike rides in our future! 

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in?

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 24

Giveaway for today 8/24 only!

Sadly, I will not be participating in today's sweepstakes. Not that I am against trampoline's, I strongly believe when supervised and using the trampoline correctly children can have a blast. Honestly, we owned one it the past. But my youngest daughter suffers from Hypermobility Syndrome and one of her "no-no's" is jumping on a trampoline. Look on the bright side...that means YOUR chances of winning are now higher by 1! 

Have  you been remembering to get your daily entries in?

Head on over to the Purex Facebook, give it a like, and enter to win before midnight! 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 23

Giveaway for today 8/23 only!

The more I have though about it the more I have my fingers crossed for this one. For years I have wanted to learn how to sew and this would ensure I have no more excuses to start learning. That being said, I do hope that the winner is someone who will find use for this. 

Go HERE to enter...Good Luck!

Purex 31 Days Of Summer Sweepstakes – Day 22

Giveaway for today 8/22 only!

In case you are new to my blog, let me fill you in on what has been happening during the month of August. Every single day, yes you read that correctly, every single day of this month Purex has been awarding a prize to one of their Facebook fans - over $10,000 in prizes to be exact! The awesome prizes are all listed above...pretty cool, huh? No need to be bummed out if this is your first time hearing about it, there are still plenty of cool prizes to be one.

What's the catch? Well, simply stated the catch is: 

You CAN'T win if you DON'T enter! 

Today's prize is...

Personally I am not in need of any baby neccessities, 6 kiddos is enough for me but I do have quite a few Mama-to-Be friends that I would love to share this prize with.