EcOnomical Mom

Easy Mini Meatloaves Recipe

2010-05-18T19:24:00.001-04:00

This has to be the simplest, quickest meatloaf recipe I have ever made. Not only is it quick {about 45 minutes from start to plate}, it absolutely delicious! There are sooo many different ways to customize this recipe to your family's individual taste. Enough talk...here's the recipe:

Easy Mini Meatloaves Basic Recipe

1 lb hamburger
1 6oz box of stuffing mix
1 c water
1 c shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine meat, stuffing mix, and water.
Spray or grease muffin tin.
Ball meat mixture into 12 balls. (The size of each ball should depend on the size of your muffin tin.)
Press each ball into a muffin cup.
Make an indentation in each ball for sauce.
Fill with sauce.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Top with cheese of your choice.
Bake 5 more mintues.
Enjoy!!

EcOnomcial Mom's Meatloaf Sauce.
(This is just an estimate...I tend to *eye* my ingredients for this sauce)

1 c ketchup
1 c brown sugar
1-2 Tblsp mustard.

Mix ingredients well.

There are soooo many different ways to customize these meatloaves. You could add garlic powder, or Italian seasoning, chili powder, or soy sauce to the meat mixture. As for sauces...salsa, barbecue, spaghetti, pizza, or sweet and sour. The possible combinations are endless. If you make these, write back and let me know which combinations are your favorite. I like to add Italian seasoning and a hint of onion powder, colby jack cheese, and my sauce.

These freeze well too.

Menu Planning Manic Monday

2010-05-17T15:53:00.002-04:00

I know that I have been absent for a couple of months. Sorry! Spring has always been a busy time. This year, however, I have been hit hard! XR is in kindergarten and I'm on the PTO...which makes spring especially busy. I have also started my own business. :) I have been crafting for...let's just say a long time! I've now taken my craftiness and turned it into an online business. Being the ecOnomical person that I am, I have been doing everything ALL BY MYSELF! ~~Why pay when I can learn to do it myself!~~ That has taken a considerable amount of this past month. There have been days that I've felt as though it was spent entirely on the computer. The bright side is that I've learned a LOT of tips and tricks and info using Blogger. In June, I will be adding a DIY blogger category to EcOnomical Mom!

Through all of this chaos, menu planning has kept my family fed. If I hadn't planned my meals, who knows what my poor family would have eaten. :( Luckily for them, and me, we had good, nutritious meals every night. Because I knew time was limited, I have been sticking with pretty simple meal plans. This week is not different.

Monday
Dinner: Grilled Chicken, baked potatoes, mixed veggies. (Due to the weather, I think I'll need to subsitute!)
Tuesday
Dinner: (Pizza Night) Regular
Wednesday
Dinner: (Crock Pot Night) Pork Loin Pot Roast w/ carrots and potatoes.
Thursday
Dinner: (Pasta Night) Mama's Choice.
Friday
Dinner: Individual Meat Loaves, mashed potatoes, home canned green beans.
Saturday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch
Dinner: Stromboli
Sunday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch .
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal

Tomorrow I will be sharing my recipe for individual meatloaves. This is the easiest, tastiest meatloaf recipe! My son LOVES these. Check back later for my stromboli recipe. Have a good week everyone! And thank you to those who actually missed me!

Menu Plan Monday for March 1st

2010-03-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the week again! I tried something new for the next two weeks' menu plans. Instead of planning my menu and then checking to see if I had the items, I took a food inventory and planned my menu with items I already had in stock.

It's really amazing the food I have stocked and the $$ I saved by doing this. So, my new menu plan resolution is to take a food inventory before planning. How do you menu plan? Do you create your plan and then take stock or vise versa?

Monday
Dinner: Cheeseburger Pie w/ mixed veggies.
Tuesday
Dinner: (Pizza Night) BBQ Chicken
Wednesday
Dinner: (Crock Pot Night) Pot Roast w/ carrots and potatoes.
Thursday
Dinner: (Pasta Night) Son's Choice.
Friday
Dinner: Sugar Snap Pea and Chicken stir-fry.
Saturday
Lunch: Home made Veggie Soup (from left over Pot Roast)
Dinner: Ham Steaks, roasted garlic & herb potatoes, home canned green beans.
Sunday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch .
Dinner: Venison loin steaks, mashed potatoes, and (homemade) creamy freezer corn.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!

Why you should wash fruit and veggies before you eat them.

2010-02-25T16:38:00.000-05:00

I know I said that I was taking the week off, but I HAVE to share this...

I took this picture after rinsing this apple for about 10 seconds. Just looking at it should explain why you should wash, not just rinse, fresh produce.

I won't disclose where I bought this from. I have a love/hate relationship with this store. I love the prices, but can not stand that 85% of their items are made in China. Back on point, these apples were supposedly organic and locally grown, or so they were trying to advertise. I am NOT stupid, there are NO apples ripe in PA right now. However, I bought them anyway...the price couldn't be beat. ~~At least not until my apple trees start producing!~~ I don't mean to gripe about the store. The point I'm trying to make...PLEASE wash, not just rinse, any produce you purchase. And by wash, I mean: wet it, scrub it with a veggie brush, rinse it off, and then wipe it dry. You may have to repeat these steps to completely rid it of *nasty stuff*, but it's well worth the effort! Just look at the picture...you wouldn't want to eat that would you??

A pile-up on route Mom...Menu plan to save the day.

2010-02-22T15:49:00.001-05:00

This week I am taking off from blogging. I will begin again next week.

I'm torn between a million projects and not a one is getting finished. It's very difficult being spread so thin. Sickness is running rampant through my house. My dining room is piled in the middle of the floor...I'm trying to get it painted. My husband has been working on our new entertainment center, so the living room has been a total mess. And of course, my son has been working on getting every single toy that he owns out ~~and he doesn't like putting them away~~. Besides all of our house renovation projects, the chores are beginning to pile up, and I'm getting stressed. So this week, I am mainly working on the house and my sanity. My goal is to finish at least 3 of the projects that have been started, laundry not included.

Blogging used to be a way to relax and take some *me time* to share information that I'm passionate about. Now I fuss over every word that I write, I'm rarely satisfied, and I keep second guessing myself. I have a million great tips that I want to share, but lately I stare at the computer feeling like it's another chore. And that is NOT what blogging means to me. I want to enjoy it and not feel like I'm working to a deadline. I'm not a journalist, I have no boss, yet I feel that way.

Besides all of the happenings here, I have opened an Etsy store. ~~I have been a crafter for quite a while now.~~ There is a LOT more work to be done than I realized. I'm not saying that I've got in over my head, it just seems overwhelming because there are soo many other projects going on right now and I haven't accomplished anything. However, like my picture, the sun is beginning to peek it's face above the mess. ~~This picture was taken in our last big snowstorm. We had over 36". To some that may not be much, to me...it was too much!!~~ Although it's snowing here again right now, I have a handle on the snow. And if I can do that, I can get a handle on my life. I'm in charge, so stress...get out of my life!

Also, around the beginning of March, I will be launching my crafting blog (Cre8ivaT). ~~Add that to the list I'm trying to accomplish.~~ I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe week! And may you get many things accomplished.

If everything goes as planned this week, this will be my menu. Menu plans help keep what little sanity I have intact. :)
Monday
Dinner: Pot Roast w/ veggies.
Tuesday
Dinner: (Pizza Night) Taco Pizza
Wednesday
Dinner: (Crock Pot Night) Chicken & Stuffing In a Pot
Thursday
Dinner: (Pasta Night) Mom's Choice.
Friday
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff w/ peas.
Saturday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch
Dinner: Fish , rice, and cauliflower.
Sunday
Lunch: Chicken nuggets & French Fries.
Dinner: Steak, Skillet Potatoes, and green beans.

Menu Planning Monday...back on track,

2010-02-15T09:02:00.001-05:00

Good Morning Dear Blogosphere! I hope everyone has survived the weather of late. I took this past week off to keep up with the weather, chores, and my son. It proved to be a real challenge. The first storm hit us on a weekend, thankfully. However the next snow storm ~~totaling 36"~~ hit during the week...so not only was my son home from school, but my husband headed into work each day. ~~He has this determination that the weather will never stop him! Thank goodness he's a good driver.~~ With all the added outside chores, having a menu plan really saved me this past week! I was able to spend most of the days outside and still have a nice hot meal on the table at a decent time.

***Side note***
In times like these, please remember your neighbors, especially the elderly or disabled. Not only could they need help shoveling snow, they might not be able to cook for themselves.

Without any more delay...

Monday
Lunch:Grilled Ham & Cheese w/ leftover Chicken Corn Chowder.
Dinner: Sweet & Sour Chicken with white rice and broccoli.
Tuesday
Dinner: (Pizza Night) Pepperoni/Bacon Pizza
Wednesday
Dinner: (Crock Pot Night) ~~Sunday~~ Wednesday Boiled Dinner
Thursday
Dinner: (Pasta Night) Dad's Choice.
Friday
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal
Saturday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch
Dinner: Fish Sticks, French Fries, and Carrot Sticks.
Sunday
Lunch: Spamwiches
Dinner: Chicken Lasagna with Salad

Check back later this week for my Chicken Lasagna recipe!

How to avert a water crisis ...

2010-02-03T21:54:00.001-05:00

It seems these days everyone is concerned with emergency rations and supplies. Let me just say that I am NOT an 'end of the world nut'. However, I do believe in preparing for emergencies. And there is somewhat of a point in some of their theories. Please let me explain...

Not only do I live out in the country, I grew up living way out in the country. Country life helps prepare you for emergency situations. In the country you don't just run down the block to get groceries or supplies from the hardware store. You need to be prepared.
One of my 'oddities' ~~as my husband like to call it~~ is that I keep quite a few gallon jugs full of water in our basement. He used to get such a kick out this. He could never understand why I did 'such a foolish thing'... until this past weekend.

My husband is an early riser; he's mostly up before 6 every day. On Sunday, when he awoke we had no water. After checking to see if the pipes were frozen, he discovered that our water pump's motor had burnt out. (Luckily my husband is quite the handyman and can fix these kinds of things!) Needless to say, he quickly found how much water is taken for granted...he couldn't flush toilets, or shower, or brush teeth, or most important...make coffee. The poor guy found out all of this before my son and I woke. Then a light bulb turned on; he remember all the jugs of water ~~that he made fun of me for~~ in the basement! By the time my son and I awoke, he had a jug in each bathroom, one at the kitchen sink, and was no longer laughing at me. He finally understood why I had all of those jugs of water. You see ~~although he laughed at me~~ I was preparing for emergencies, just not the kind he tried to associate it with. You never know when something is going to happen. You could loose power, your well could run dry, your pump could burn out, etc. And if you live out in the country, it isn't always easy to just run to the store.

Be ecOnomical and prepared... fill gallon jugs with water from your tap and store them. I recommened at least 2 gallons per person per day. I try to keep at least three days worth of water in our basement. And so it's always fresh, I water my plants each week (rotating two jugs). I know to some people it might seem crazy or over board, but it saved us this past weekend. Not only were we still able to have drinking water ~~and coffee~~, we were able to flush the toilets, wash ourselves, brush our teeth and do some dishes! And I've only rubbed the 'see I told you so' in a little bit!

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezee Menu Plan...plus an exciting new desert recipe!

2010-02-01T09:09:00.006-05:00

I have to confess, the only thing exciting about this week's menu plan is my new desert recipe! Things, as always, did not go as planned, so I was able to move meals from last week to this week. I love when this happens! I really do. It save me even more time. ~~I have always cherished time, but now that my son has gone into the big kindergarten; I cherish it even more!~~
Now onto this week's plan...

Monday
Dinner: Chili with White Cornbread Bake.
Tuesday
Dinner: (Pizza Night) White Bacon Pizza
Wednesday
Dinner: (Crock Pot Night) ~~Sunday~~ Wednesday Boiled Dinner
Thursday
Dinner: (Pasta Night) Dad's Choice.
Friday
Dinner: Sweet & Sour Chicken, White Rice, and Broccoli.
Saturday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch
Dinner: Individual Meatloaves, Home Made Mashed Potatoes, and Home Canned Green Beans.
Sunday
Lunch: BLT's made with wonderful turkey bacon!
Dinner: Breaded Tilapia, Sun Dried Tomato Pilaf, and Cauliflower

While at a craft show back in the fall, two ladies made this amazing, delectable desert. They were little pieces of chocolate heaven; a wonderful, crisp outer coating with a moist, melt-in-your-mouth chocolaty center. ~~I was hooked.~~ Months went by and I forgot all about these little pieces of heaven. Then miraculously, while searching for new recipes on AllRecipes, I came across a recipe for them! Now for the exciting part of this post...my new (found) desert recipe!!! I hope everyone enjoys these as much as I do!

Cake Balls...makes about 36.

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package (chocolate) cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container prepared (chocolate) frosting
1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating

Directions

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
Melt chocolate coating in a double broiler, a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water; stirring occasionally until smooth.
Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

This recipe is SOOO easy to make and easily tweaked. For Valentine's Day, I am using a strawberry cake mix and strawberry icing. I haven't decided whether to use a regular chocolate coating or white chocolate. What do you think?

Calling all Super Parents and Super Readers...

2010-01-28T10:00:00.001-05:00

Join in tomorrow (Friday, January 29th on your local PBS station) for a new kind of reading adventure...

Whyatt , best known as Super Why,and his friends embark on a reading adventure in a new kind of book (my favorite kind of book)...a cookbook!

Whyatt wants to bake his little sister a special birthday cake - but he doesn't know how. So Super Why and his friends soar into a new kind of book - and get the information they need from a rhyming chef with a silly sense of humor as well as a recipe for fun! In the end, Whyatt learns how to create the perfect birthday for Baby Joy.

As a parent, I have always loved PBS and their super fun, educational shows! And I am excited to help announce this wonderful new episode.In honor of this episode, here are some tips to help you cook up your very own yummy reading adventure.

Encouraging preschoolers to read recipes, signs and more helps them navigate their world and gives them a real reason to use their new-found literacy skills. Asking questions will expand their creativity as well as reinforce comprehension. It can also inspire them to write their own signs, recipes or stories!

        Pick out a simple and tasty recipe with your budding Super Reader. Ask them to point out all of the letters and words they already know in the ingredients

        Write a grocery list together, sounding out the words as you go along

        At the supermarket, have your kids help read the signs so you can find the ingredients you need

        As you cook, read the recipe out loud every step of the way

        Before serving your delicious treat, create colorful place cards for each member of the family, assisting your preschooler in writing out the names. Have fun – and bon appetite!

Each episode of Super WHY, the award-winning literacy series from Out of the Blue Enterprises, engages young viewers in fun, interactive alphabet and word games, as well as imagination-stimulating spelling, vocabulary and comprehension activities, helping to instill a life-long love of reading all along the way!

If you would like learn more about PBS and their wonderful shows, please check out their links below. (This is not a paid advertisement, I just love and support PBS.)

PBS for Kids
PBS for Parents & Teachers (there's a LOT of good information here!)

Here's some of my son's favorites: (I list only his favorite favorites ~~as he likes to say~~. He likes all the shows.)
Curious George
Word Girl
Word World
CyberChase
Caillou

Menu Planning Monday Returns!!!

2010-01-25T09:57:00.004-05:00

Hello again blogoshpere! I've missed you tremendously, but I choose not to dwell in the past. There will be changes happening here at EcOnomical Mom. Most will be subtle and go unnoticed. However, if you do notice a problem, e.g. a broken link, please contact me! I will try to get it fixed asap. Any comments, concerns, or questions are welcome also. Please feel free to contact me. I'm glad to be back!

Menu planning is one of the constants in my life. I've revamped my menu plans. Now that my son is in kindergarten and involved in other activites, I have simplified my plan. There are four constants... Tuesday is pizza night, Wednesday is crockpot night, Thursday is pasta night, and Saturday is Left Over's Lunch day! Taking the guess work out of these days has not only simplified my planning method, it considerably cut down on time spent planning! This week is a very busy week; all of my meals are very simple and time friendly. Without further ado...on to the menu plan...

Monday
Dinner: Chili w/white cornbread bake.
Tuesday
Dinner: (Pizza Night) BBQ Chicken Pizza
Wednesday
Dinner: (Crock Pot Night) New England Boiled Dinner
Thursday
Dinner: (Pasta Night) Kid's choice.
Friday
Dinner: Breaded fish filets, rice, and cauliflower.
Saturday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal
Sunday
Lunch: Mac & Dogs
Dinner: Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes, eggs, bacon)

Thank you for stopping by EcOnomical Mom! I have returned!

Today's Farm Freeze Dried Fruit Bag O' Gold Giveaway

2009-08-20T10:24:00.004-04:00

I am very pleased to announce that Today's Farm has offered one lucky reader a Bag O' Gold which contains a package of each of the four flavors! See my review of Today's Farm Freeze Dried Fruit for more information.

CONTEST DETAILS...

Contest begins Thursday, August 20 at 12:00pm and ENDS on Thursday, August 27 at 11:59am.

The winner will be posted (in the "GIVEAWAY WINNERS" on the right side of my blog) within in 24 hours.

Winner will also be notified either through blog or e-mail and will have 72 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.
{Please remember, if you are using anonymous to comment, you MUST leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I do NOT spam or sell your address!}

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner. I just really enjoy reading everyone's comments and tips.

*An additional note...this giveaway is open to US residents only. Sorry*

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

Each item counts as one entry only. Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Visit Today's Farm and tell me which flavor you would like.
Leave a lunch box tip, recipe, idea...these can be anything pertaining to a lunch box. {You may do this as often as you like!}

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

Follow my blog.
Follow me on Twitter (EcOnomicalMom)
Follow my blog in Facebook followers.
Retweet this giveaway. (Just click on retweet at the top of the post.) You can do this as often as you like, just comment for each tweet!
Add my button to your blog.
Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. ( I will be randomly checking.)

If you don't have a blog ~~or just want more entries~~... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, I won't know you sent them, and they won't count.)
Add this to your Facebook status

Healthy Lunch Box Snacks...Today's Farm Freeze Dried Fruit (Giveaway)!

2009-08-20T09:27:00.009-04:00

I would love to tell you how wonderful these snacks are, but... my son ate all four bags upon receiving them. Okay, to be truthful, he did give me one TINY piece from each bag. What I can tell you from those tiny pieces ~~when I use the word tiny, I mean that he took a huge bit and then gave me what was left between his fingers tiny!~~ is that they were packed with flavor and fabulous. It took Xr less then 5 minutes to finish all four bags! (Strawberry, Cinnamon Apple, Pineapple, and Peach) Needless to say, he had his full servings of fruit that day! The fact that he finished them off in such a short time is testimonial in itself!

Today's Farm Freeze Dried Fruit Snacks are wonderfully light and crispy. When you think of dried fruit, most of you are probably thinking of the leathery, chewy fruit that comes out of a food dehydrator. Not these snacks! Because they are freeze dried they are not exposed to the damaging heat. Instead they are exposed to super cold air that zaps out the moisture, but which leaves all the vitamins and minerals and flavor remaining in the fruit. That's why they print right on the bag has all the goodness of fresh fruit. They really do. One bag provides 1 1/2 to 2 servings of fruit!

Also because these fruit snacks are freeze dried, they are extremely light, virtually weightless. This makes them an outstanding snack to add to your child's lunch box! Since freeze dried fruit is constantly looking for moisture to rehydrate, they are packaged in quick to eat size packages, perfect for kids.

Hungry for some freeze dried fruit?? You can purchase them at Today's Farm or Amazon or enter here for a chance to win a Bag O' Gold.

Healthy Food For Lunch Boxes...Guiltless Gourmet Tortilla Chips

2009-08-19T09:36:00.006-04:00

Move over PB&J sandwiches...here comes a new lunch box favorite! Guiltless Gourmet tortilla chips are a versatile lunch box addition. They are great as part of the main food or splendid as an added snack.

When my family tried the Guiltless Gourmet Yellow Corn Tortilla chips we were pleased. Although we haven't been wild about baked chips before, we were really pleasantly surprised with these. Most baked chips that we've tried have been bland or completely tasteless, but not the Guiltless Gourmet. They have a nice bold taste and are crisper than others. Not only do they taste good, they are good for you ~~at least as far as chips go~~. All of their tortilla chips are baked, not fried and they are all natural, no preservatives or artificial ingredients! Click here to see their nutritional facts.

We have only tried the Yellow Corn , but they carry many other bold flavors that we're anxious to try... Black Bean, Mucho Nacho, Chipolte, Chili Verde, Chili Lime. If you child likes colorful food, try their Blue Corn chips.

The Guiltless Gourmet tortilla chips were a fabulous addition to my Mexican Skillet Meal. (It's a wonderful, versatile taco type creation I concocted one evening in my kitchen. Ground hamburger, taco seasoning, corn, and black beans are the base of the recipe) My son loves to eat the left overs as a cold dip. The Yellow Corn tortilla chips stood up to his scrutiny, they remained crispy under all that he piled on top. In his lunch box, I know I can safely pack these chips along with the MSM, feel secure that they will be completely devoured, and know that I have provided a healthy and pleasing lunch!

Here's a little more information about the Guiltless Gourmet Company...

Guiltless Gourmet pioneered baked, not fried, tortilla chips 20 years ago. In addition to their chips, Guiltless Gourmet also offers a variety of "better tasting, better for you" dips, frozen wraps, and dessert bowls. For more information about these or any other Guiltless Gourmet product, log onto www.guiltlessgourmet.com. Guiltless Gourmet is a wholly owned subsidary of The Manischewitz Company which offers a diversified line of premium kosher food products that covers over 60 different categories.

Wondering where you can buy these wonderful chips...Shoprite, Wegmans, Kroger, Safeway, Giant Eagle, and Albertsons are a few of the stores nationwide that currently carry them. They retail for $2.79, but if you buy in bulk from Amazon you can get a good deal on them. (Click on the flavors above to see them on Amazon.)

Also happening at Guiltless Gourmet is their "Go Guiltless in Sin City" sweepstakes. Until September 30th each of the eight flavors of Guiltless Gourmet chips will have a unique code that can be redeemed at www.guiltlessgourmet.com. You can win prizes on a daily basis and find out if you have instantly won! Each person that redeems his or her code will then be entered in the drawing for the Grand Prize trip to Las-Vegas (valued @ $5,600) which includes a 4 day/ 3 night stay at a 5 diamond resort, a $1,500 gift certificate to a world class spa, and $1,500 in cash! Check out the site for details, there are more prizes to be won!

Lunch Box Tips

2009-08-17T20:59:00.005-04:00

Throughout my online lunch box adventures, I have learned a great deal more than I thought possible about packing a lunch. I have been packing my husband's lunches for years now. After supper I place the left-overs in a rubbermaid lunch container, put it in the fridge, and I'm done. Packing lunch for my son is going to be a completely different ball game!

While packing Xr's lunch, I not only have to find a way to keep it cold or hot until lunch, I have to try to ensure that he eats it! ~~Slight Panic!~~ I can't rely on his kindergarten teacher to make sure he eats. Although she is wonderful, I do NOT expect her to be SUPER-TEACHER...up up and away! Coming back to reality though... I have found quite a few fabulous blogs and websites that have provided me with fabulous tips.

The best tip I have found so far is to include your child when packing his/her lunch. It makes sense, but honestly I hadn't even thought about it! Just like with a vegetable garden, if your kids help with it, they are more likely to eat it. My son loves all kinds of foods, but he is a kid...there are days that he just doesn't like certain foods. Which brings me to the next tip...

Don't pack something your kid has never tried...or doesn't like. No matter how wonderful and nutritious a lunch is, if he/she isn't going to eat it, there is no point in packing it! Not only will your kid go hungry, but it's also wasteful. Make sure to taste test any packed lunch ~~unless you already know your child likes it~~. It can take many tries before a kid will like it. The same rule for babies holds true for kids...and some adults too!

Variety may be the spice of life, but not all kids like spice! If your child wants and will eat the same thing packed day after day...pack it. My son has already told me that he just wants cold lemon pepper spaghetti for his lunch. He's the type of kids that likes to eat a certain food for days. However, when he's done with that food, he drops it and moves on to the next. I will gladly pack him the same thing day after day as long as it's what he wants and he will eat it. What I plan on doing, with his help and cooperation, is pack the same thing a week at a time. Which leads me to the next tip...

Make a lunch chart. I have read in quite a few places that moms make a chart for their kid to choose from. This such a great idea on many levels! You could list his/her favorite lunch and let them choose. Or you could list individual foods in groups and allow them to pick from each group. My personal favorite is Liz Ruff's chart idea on Family Fun. She has her kids list their favorite foods and then she chooses what to pack for the day.

Make sure the food you pack is easy to eat. This holds true especially for kindergartners and younger kids! Big bulky items are difficult for some kids to handle. Cut sandwiches into smaller portions or fun shapes. Cut up fruit into fruit salad sized bites. Don't pack food in difficult to open containers. There are certain times when they will have to have help from the teacher, but you should try to minimize it.
I read where the average eating time is only about 15 minutes and this has to include many, many distractions!

With all of the distractions in the lunch room, we not only need to be concerned about nutrition, we need to make their lunch fun too! Once again, the possibilities for this are endless!! You could cut their sandwiches into fun shapes...make unique lunch recipes...choose a theme lunch...add a note or a Kids Lunch Box Card...add a desert... the list could go on forever, but you get the idea.

Earlier I mentioned the fridge/microwave dilemma. Here are two of the best ideas and the simplest that I have found. Keeping Xr's lunch cold until lunch was a very large concern of mine. It would be HORRIBLE to pack his lunch and then have it go bad because it wasn't kept at a proper temperature. The easiest way to solve the fridge dilemma is to freeze their drink. This will keep their food cold until lunch time and the drink will thaw by that then...hopefully. One idea I read was to freeze half the drink and then in the morning add the other half. Then he/she would be sure to have something to drink. I personally like my ice packs. I'm going to place them on the bottom of his lunch box...just as a little reassurance.

I didn't think it would be possible to pack him a hot lunch. However, I found that using a thermos will provide a hot lunch. This thankfully solves my microwave problem! Just make sure to add boiling water into the thermos to heat it up. Pour the boiling water out and then add the heated food. VOILA a hot lunch!

There are sooo many wonderful tips out there... I hope these help ease any worry you have about packing a lunch for your child! These few tips have really helped me!

Lunch Box Recipes

2009-08-16T21:54:00.011-04:00

Getting my son to eat a nutritious lunch at school is a huge concern of mine. Who am I kidding....just getting him TO eat there is a huge concern. So... I have spent hours searching the web for nutritious lunch box recipes. Throughout my journey I've found a few great sites with recipes on how to make lunch box food fun and nutritious along with tips on how to make sure they eat it. In this post, I will be sharing links to some fabulous lunch box recipes. ~~I'll share the tips in a later post!~~

I've always packed my husband's lunch... but he has access to a fridge and a microwave. This was going to be a dilemma for Xr's lunches, but... some really creative moms have solved this problem for me! In some of these recipes they will share how they've overcome keeping their kid's lunches cold or hot. With these tips, lunch box recipes are as endless as your imagination!

Now onto the recipes...

The first place I looked was AllRecipes.com. Although they don't have a lot of lunch box recipes, they do have some very creative ones. This is where I learned how to pack a lunch without worrying about a fridge or microwave.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Super Hero Sandwich

Chicken Pops...this one has to be my favorite! So creative!

Quiche...the possibilities are endless!

Chili... or any other soups.

Lunch Box Hot Dogs

Lunch Box Special...an updated, unique twist to regular PB&J!

Lunch Box Pizza...topping possibilities are endless!!

Lunch Box 'Handwiches'

Another favorite site is Family Fun...LOVE the magazine too! Instead of giving you individual recipe links ~~there are a plethora of them on this site~~ here is a link to the recipes for back to school page! I will add some of my favs though!

Homemade ABC Noodle Soup and Rainbow Kebobs

Crackers and Fixings with Cream Cheese Glue

Soccer Ball Subs

Sandwich on a Stick

There are millions of recipes out there. Get creative with your kid's lunch! But make sure whatever it is your making, your kids have already taste tested it at home! Check back later for Lunch Box Tips.

If you have a lunch box recipe you would like to share, please use the McLinky below.

EcOnomcial Family's Menu Plan for week 34.

2009-08-16T21:17:00.005-04:00

I'mmm baaack!! Have you missed me?? For those of you that have, thank you and I'm sorry for being gone so long. For those that didn't, thank you too! (I don't feel quite so guilty.) Computer problems aren't quite fixed yet, but I'm doing the best I can.

I have greatly missed Menu Plan Monday and am glad to be back! This week is EcOnomical Mom's Heading Off to Kindergarten Event. (Due to computer...I'll call them issues, I haven't been able to do a lot of advertising.) So this is probably news to most.

I will be adding two menu plans this week. My first, this one, is our weekly menu. The second menu plan will consist of wonderful lunch box recipes/ ideas. I will be posting that one tomorrow. So don't forget to check back!! Oh, and if you have any great lunch box recipes, tips, or ideas...PLEASE e-mail me!!

On to this week's menu plan...

Monday
Lunch: Eating Out
Dinner: Grilled Ham Steaks, Grilled corn on the cob, Grilled cabbage
Tuesday
Dinner: Chinese Meatballs w/ rice noodles
Wednesday
Dinner: Easy Chicken Bake
Thursday
Dinner: Pasta Night.
Friday
Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie
Saturday
Lunch: Left Over's Lunch
Dinner: Campground get together making Green Beans w/ Ham
Sunday
Lunch: Grilled Ham & Cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Homemade Pizza

TIPsy Tuesday is back!!!

2009-07-14T08:55:00.004-04:00

Welcome back to TIPsy Tuesday!! As most bloggers know, Mr. Linky just isn't the same and doesn't always cooperate. I have been forced ~~okay so I chose~~ to look for an alternative. Lucky, a wonderful guy named Brent chose to create McLinky. Finally there is an alternative ~~that and the fact that my internet seems to be fixed~~ so I can assuredly bring back TIPsy Tuesday!! Doin' another happy dance! Now on to today's tip...

Did you know that, during the summer, children can forget many skills they learned in school, a trend called the “summer slide.” According to the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, two-thirds of the summer slide can be directly linked to a child's summer learning opportunities. Or should I say lack of learning opportunities. Research has shown that if you don't keep your child's brain working during the summer, he or she could lose, on average, 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency in math skills and as much as a year's reading level.

My tip for you today is to take every possible opportunity to teach your child during the summer. ~~And throughout the year for that matter.~~ When our children were babies and toddlers, we did everything we could to teach them. Their mind is like a sponge. Sometimes, when children head off to school, parents tend to stop teaching their kids and put that sole responsibility on the teacher.

Teaching our children is NOT solely the teacher's responsibility. As a parent, it is our responsibility to provide our children with every learning opportunity, reinforce what they are learning in school, and take the time to teach them one-on-one at home.

I know this might sound like a huge responsibilty...raising a child IS a huge responsibility!! Teaching them, however, can be easy. Teaching our children how to do chores and basic life skills will help teach them basic academic skills...like math and reading.

Take a look at your everyday life... you can find at least one teaching opportunity. Take that opportunity and teach your child during the summer. Let's diminish the summer slide!!

Today you can either link a wonderful tip OR you could link a teaching opportunity!

Menu Plan Monday for Week 29 with Grilled Ham Glaze Recipe.

2009-07-13T09:52:00.004-04:00

Happy Menu Plan Monday!! This morning I am doing the happy dance!!! For the past few days the internet has been hit and miss here. One second I have it, I try to do something, and then it's gone. While I know my computer is screwy and problematic right now, this is Embarq's problem. It seems that I'm not the only person experiencing this malfunction (with Embarq in Pa). That said...I apologize for not getting all of my grill recipes on this past week. I will be sharing them this week...~~if I have the internet.~~ Now on to my menu...

Monday
Dinner: Grilled Shrimp w/ Chow Mein Noodles in Black Bean Sauce & Sugar Snap Pea Stir-fry veggies.
Tuesday
Dinner: Quick and Easy Individual Meatloaves with noodles and carrots.
Wednesday
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff
Thursday
Dinner: Pasta Night.
Friday
Dinner: Sweet and Sour Chicken
Saturday
Dinner: Left Over's Day
Sunday
Dinner: EATING OUT!!

Last week I grilled Pineapple Ham Steaks. I had one of those moments...I went to the cupboard and found that I didn't have any pineapple. NONE...~~which is a very rare occasion in my home. I always have at least one can of pineapple!~~ This was moments before I was to put the ham on the grill... What was I going to put on the ham steaks?? Thinking cap on, I did find pineapple juice. So, I decided to make my own sauce/glaze ~~whatever it should be called~~.
My husband tends to give me those looks when I 'create' supper. ~~I'm sure you know the look I'm meaning!~~ He's a simple meat and potatos man and so is my father, who also happened to be there for supper. I like my food to have some flavor and flare...it can be a very hard compromise.
So, I whipped up this concoction with a bit of hesitation. To my delight, EVERYONE loved it. My dad even complimented me on the taste...and my dad does NOT compliment food or cooking. Since it went over soo well, I thought I would share it with everyone.

Casey's Grilled Ham Glaze

1/2 cup applesauce (I used smooth, but chunky would probably be good too!)
1/4 cup pineapple (I poured the juice into a different container and got the 'thick juice' that settles on the bottom.Pureed pineapple would work great too!)
1/4 tsp ginger paste (Since this was my first time using paste, I kept tasting the sauce until it tasted right. I normally use ground ginger and for that it would probably be about 1/8 tsp.)
Dash of Cinnamon
2 Dashes of Allspice

Mix all ingredients together.
Brush on the glaze every time you turn the ham.
Cook until done and enjoy. :)

Grilled Cabbage Recipe

2009-07-08T10:31:00.004-04:00

Grilled Cabbage

1 head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
Pepper (as per your taste)
1/4 cup butter or margarine(roughly), cut into pieces

OPTIONAL:

1 onion, sliced
1 green or red bell pepper, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat grill for medium heat.
Place individual cabbage wedges on a sheet of aluminum foil. Top with black pepper, and a pat of butter. (OPTIONAL: Add onion slices, bell pepper slices, and/or garlic) Fold edges of foil together to seal, then wrap entire package again with another sheet of foil.
Repeat for each wedge.
Cook on hot grill for about 30 minutes. (Turn about every 10 minutes.)

My husband loves adding vinegar once the cabbage is cooked. I hope you enjoy trying this grilled veggie recipe!

Menu Plan Monday Grill Style. Week 28.

2009-07-06T13:14:00.005-04:00

The beautiful weather has inspired me to grill this week. Thankfully most of this week is to be sunny and ~~finally~~ warm. Although I am proficient at grilling meats, I'm learning to grill veggies as well. Throughout this week, I will be sharing some recipes for grilled vegetables. Now for my menu plan...

Monday
Dinner: Teriyaki Grilled Chicken w/ Toasted Peanut Couscous and Grilled Cauliflower
Tuesday
Dinner: Grilled Pineapple Ham Steaks w/ Parmesan Potato Packets & Grilled Cabbage
Wednesday
Dinner: Grilled Shrimp w/ Chow Mein Noodles in Black Bean Sauce & Sugar Snap Pea Stir-fry veggies.
Thursday
Dinner: Pasta Night.
Friday
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal
Saturday
Dinner: Left Over's Day
Sunday
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff

If you have any great grill recipes, please share them in a comment. Or leave a link to your recipe! I need more inspiration and exciting recipes!!! Thanks.

A Funny Story...with a good moral!

2009-07-01T14:30:00.005-04:00

Since my computer and my browser are not cooperating ~~I can't get my 'real' posts to post or even get into copy them and post them a different way~~, I thought I would share this funny story a dear friend sent to me. If you need a good laugh...read on!

To Be 6 A gain...

A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what she'd like to have for her Birthday.

'I'd like to be six again', she replied, still looking in the mirror.

On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Lucky Charms, and then took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day!

He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster, everything there was.

Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park.
Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.

He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&M's.. What a fabulous adventure!

Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, 'Well Dear, what was it like being six again?'

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed. 'I meant my dress size, you retard!!!!'

The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is gonna get it wrong.

...but we love 'em anyway!

Efficiently Mowing 101: How to Efficiently Mow Your Lawn

2009-06-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

How to Efficiently Mow Your Lawn...

Keep the blades on your mower sharp and dent free. Dull blades don't clean cut the grass, they rip the grass which is does not promote a healthy lawn.

I'm all for DIY!!! However, when it comes to sharpening blades, it really is best left to the professionals. The sharpening itself can easily be done. However, it's difficult for most DIYers to also keep the blades straight AND balanced. I bought a lawn mower blade sharpener attachment for my Dremel with the intentions of sharpening our mower blades and maybe other peoples'. That's easier said than done! It is extremely easy to take more off of one side and throw the blade out of balance. And if blades aren't balanced, the mower will not work efficiently. You will also notice a difference in the cut of your lawn. It will look extrememy uneven.

It is also said that mowing in a circle from the outside in is the most efficient way to mow. They say that if the mower clogs, stop, rake the grass, and then begin again. The next best way, "they" say is to mow from inside out in a circular pattern. Mowing in a circular patterns eliminates the corners and turns. Or so they say. Me, personally, I disagree with them. I like my lawn to have the 'golf course' look. I like the pretty lines. And I don't feel that it's efficient to have to rake my yard. In this area, the pattern of mowing, I feel that efficiency is based on personal preferences. What may be efficient to me may not be to you. There is no right or wrong.

Using a mulching blades makes mowing extremely efficient...if you keep the grass mowed. Trying to mulch long blades of grass is not as efficient. It makes the mower work harder. Mulching blades virtually eliminate raking. To me, that's extremely efficient!!

In my area, PA, it is best to keep the blades of grass cut at about 2 1/2 inches. You don't want the grass to be too short. The blades need to make chlorophyll to keep the lawn healthy. Yet, you don't want the grass to be too long. Higher grass tends to harbor more pests, especially ticks. Check with your local extension office to find out the proper grass height in your area.

Do not mow the grass when wet. It makes the mower work harder to cut the grass. Some people even say that it will dull the blades.

Efficiently Mowing 101: How to Keep Your Mower Running Efficienly (part 3)

2009-06-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

How to Keep Your Mower Running Efficiently (part 3)

Today I will give you some tips on what to do before you store your mower for the winter.

You will want to make sure that you have cleaned the entire mower. Including under the deck. Any grass clippings or dirt has the capability of causing scratches or rust during storage.

After cleaning the mower, allow it to sun dry. Don't put your mower away wet because that too could cause rust.

Add a gas additive to the tank to keep the environmental additives in the gasoline from breaking down and harming the engine parts. Then completely fill the tank. This will help to keep water from accumulating in your mower's gas tank.

I have read in our mower's manual that you should also spray some kind of oil into the carburetor to remove any gas in the lines. I'm not sure what this does. Maybe by removing the gas from the lines, it will keep from freezeing and bursting the lines? If anyone knows why this should be done or how it helps with efficiency, please let me know.

What's In A Name Review and Giveaway!!!

2009-06-25T12:00:00.002-04:00

YouCanMakeThis.com is an innovative company. I used to be an avid sewer, but due to my lack of time, I hadn't sewn anything in quite awhile. ~~My wedding dress to be exact!~~ So when they contacted me about doing a review of What's In A Name, I was excited. I love to sew!

When I went to the website, I was really amazed with everything that they have offer. They have patterns for clothes, toys, hats, etc. And not only do they have sewing patterns, they also have woodworking patterns and polymer clay patterns and jewelry patterns... just to name a few. You name it and it's probably there!

The really cool thing about these patterns is that they're in a down loadable format. One click of the button and I had my pattern. Being an EcOnomical person, I appreciated the fact that I could choose what pattern pages I wanted/needed to print...unlike buying a pattern in the store which not only has the paper package, but also a lot of printed pieces that I wouldn't use. ~~I don't like waste.~~

The pattern itself is very simple with easy to follow directions. Even if this would be your first sewing project, you can do it! If you aren't comfortable with more complicated patterns, they have patterns specifically labeled for beginners.

Although the What's In A Name pattern isn't listed in the beginner page, it is easy and fun to make. I started my pillow with good intentions. However, it is still not finished. My son is making the pillow and I will applique his name. He is having soo much fun making this. Much to my husband's dismay and my delight, my son loves to sew!! This would also be a perfect pattern for a little girls sewing project.

I am delighted to tell you that they are offering one lucky reader the What's In A Name pillow pattern.

CONTEST DETAILS...

Contest begins Thursday, June 25 at 12:00pm and ENDS on Thursday, July 9 at 12:00pm.

The winner will be posted (in the "GIVEAWAY WINNERS" on the right side of my blog) within in 24 hours.

Winner will also be notified either through blog or e-mail and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.
{Please remember, if you are using anonymous to comment, you MUST leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I do NOT spam or sell your address!}

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner. I just really enjoy reading everyone's comments and tips.

*An additional note...this giveaway is open to US residents only. Sorry*

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

Each item counts as one entry only. Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Visit YouCanMakeThis.com and tell me another pattern that you would like to make. {You may do this as often as you like!}

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

Follow my blog.
Follow me on Twitter (EcOnomicalMom)
Follow my blog in Facebook followers.
Retweet this giveaway. (Just click on retweet at the top of the post.) You can do this as often as you like, just comment for each tweet!
Add my button to your blog.
Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. ( I will be randomly checking.)

If you don't have a blog ~~or just want more entries~~... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, I won't know you sent them, an they won't count.)
Add this to your Facebook status

Good Luck!!!

Effieciently Mowing 101: How to Keep Your Mower Running Efficiently (part 2)

2009-06-24T09:48:00.005-04:00

How to Keep Your Mower Running Efficiently (part 2)

Today I will give you tips on how to keep your mower running efficiently during the mowing season.

Check the oil level after every other run or so. You don't want the oil to get too low. Oil keeps the engine parts lubricated and running efficiently.
Low oil=Low efficiency.

Don't forget to change your mower's oil... depending on the size of your yard you may have to do this a few times throughout the season. Like your car, you don't want the oil to turn to sludge and ruin the motor. This is one of the easiest, yet least done steps to keep your mower running efficiently.
Sludgy oil=Low efficiency

Again, like your car, you need to check/change the air filter throughout the season. A clogged air filter will skew the air/fuel balance, thus reducing your mower's efficiency.
Low airflow = Low efficiency.

Don't forget to clean off the grass that has accumulated on the blades and deck, especially the underside. Doing this not only allows moving parts to move freely, it also helps prevent rust.
Clean mower=Happy mower.

Efficiently Mowing 101 {TIPsy Tuesday edition 25.}

2009-06-23T08:02:00.006-04:00

Today begins EcOnomical Mom's Efficiently Mowing 101. This is a three part mini-series consisting of 'How to Keep Your Mower Running Efficiently' and 'How to Mow Efficiently'. Today I will be discussing the former.

How to Keep Your Mower Running Efficiently (part 1)

In order to keep your mower running efficiently, there are certain steps that you need to take. Even though we're already into Summer, I'll begin at the beginning! Before you begin mowing in the Spring you should follow these important steps...

After winter storage you should change all filters {air, gas, and oil} and the spark plug. After sitting all winter they may have become dirty or horribly enough chewed by mice. This will help ensure that your mower is running at top efficiency.

You will also want to lube any ports or area that need lubed. I can't tell you where or what to lube. I don't know much about doing this, except my husband insists that it needs done to keep the mower running efficiently.

Step two will be continued tomorrow. But right now, I would love to read any tips, tricks, or ideas that you have! It doesn't have to be new, dig deep through your archives! Due to too much spam being sent {it was almost all spam}, I am only accepting links through Mr. Linky. Provided that he works today! I can't wait to hear from you!

Quick and Easy Sesame chicken kicks off this week's menu plan.

2009-06-22T06:58:00.009-04:00

Kicking off this week's menu is one of our favorites...Sesame Chicken. YUM!!! I love it soo much that I've decided to share my recipe ~~after I list my menu~~.

This week is an extremely easy week for me. XR and I are leaving to visit a friend on Wednesday and won't be back until Saturday! We have an exciting few days planned of hiking and/or kayaking...if the weather cooperates. {Keep checking back though, I have realized that it is okay to write and schedule my posts ahead of time. }

Monday
Dinner: Seasame Chicken w/ w.rice and broccoli.
Tuesday
Dinner: Cheesy Hashbrown Skillet w/ peas.
Wednesday
Dinner: J's on his own!!!
Thursday
Dinner: J's on his own!!!
Friday
Dinner: J's on his own!!!
Saturday
Dinner: J's on his own!!!
Sunday
Dinner: Hamburger's, potato packets and carrots on the grill.

Now for the wonderful recipe...

Quick and Easy Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:

Package of Chicken Nuggets (I use 25.5 oz GV Chicken Breast Chunks.)

1 c chicken broth
1/2 c white sugar
2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp chile paste (optional)
1/2 tsp clove garlic, minced
1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 c water
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

2 c rice (Directions for both parboiled and minute rice)
2 c water

1/2 bag of frozen broccoli florets

Directions:

{If using parboiled rice}Add 2 c water and 2 c rice to hot pot (turn on).
Cook rice for 25 minutes. (You will need to keep checking to make sure the water hasn't all evaporated. Add more if needed.)
Preheat oven according to package ~~of chicken nuggets~~...usually 350.
While oven is preheating gather all ingredients.
Cook chicken according to package directions...usually for 15-18 minutes.
{If using minute rice}Add 2 c water to hot pot and turn it on.
Bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.
{If using minute rice} Add 2 c rice to hot pot, turn it off, and let it sit.
Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce.
Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.
With about 5 minutes left on the timer, heat frozen broccoli in microwave for about 4 minutes. (It may need more/less time. Depends on the microwave.)
Serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy!!

Happy Father's Day '09!!!

2009-06-21T11:17:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a Happy Father's Day. This post is dedicated to my dad...the best in the world. I know raising me was not always an easy task. I can be difficult and stubborn ~~at least I get it honest~~! I didn't always take the road you wanted me to or even the right road sometimes, but I've always found my way back and been able to get find the right road...with your help. Thank you dad for all that you have taught me. I know I don't say it often, but you mean the world to me. I love you.

And to Bapa, you are sadly missed and lovingly remembered.

Here are some great Father's Day quotes I have found...

"When I was a kid, I said to my father one afternoon, 'Daddy, will you take me to the zoo?' He answered, 'If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.'" -- Jerry Lewis

"A father carries pictures where his money used to be." -- Unknown

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad" -- Unknown

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong." -- Charles Wadsworth

"The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!" -- Unknown

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." -- Unknown

"My father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it." -- Abraham Lincoln

You can find these and other quotes here at the Associated Content.

Freebie Friday... Orange Julius Free Light Smoothie!!!

2009-06-19T10:40:00.004-04:00

Today, June 19th, is Orange Julius's Free Light Smoothie Day!!
They have three new light smoothies which all sound delicious. So, click here to download your coupon for a free light smoothie and try one today!!!

Wright Group/McGraw-Hill Summer Reading Giveaway!!!

2009-06-18T22:00:00.004-04:00

So...has everyone been thinking about their best summer reading tip(s)???
Tonight begins the Wright Group/McGraw-Hill giveaway!!! They are offering one lucky reader a series of three readers! {The books will be grade/age appropriate.}

MY TWO BEST READING TIPS:
1.Read to your child as young as possible. Even in the womb!
2.Let your child see you reading for your own enjoyment! Even if it's only for a few minutes, it will have a huge impact. Monkey see, monkey do!

CONTEST DETAILS...

Contest begins Thursday, June 18 at 10:00pm and ENDS on Thursday, June 25 at 10:00pm.

The winner will be posted (in the "GIVEAWAY WINNERS" on the right side of my blog) within in 24 hours.

Winner will also be notified either through blog or e-mail and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.
{Please remember, if you are using anonymous to comment, you MUST leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I do NOT spam or sell your address!}

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner. I just really enjoy reading everyone's comments and tips.

*An additional note...this giveaway is open to US residents only. Sorry*

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

Each items counts as one entry only. Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Leave me a comment telling me your best summer reading tip and the age or grade of the child receiving these books. {You may do this as often as you like!}

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

Follow my blog.
Follow me on Twitter (EcOnomicalMom)
Retweet this giveaway. (Just click on retweet at the top of the post.) You can do this as often as you like, just comment for each tweet!
Add my button to your blog.
Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. ( I will be randomly checking.)

If you don't have a blog ~~or just want more entries~~... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, I won't know you sent them, an they won't count.)
Add this to your Facebook status

Summer Reading Tips part 2.

2009-06-17T19:53:00.004-04:00

* Even if you are not reading the same books as your children, talk to them about what they are reading. Ask them questions such as what happened in the story or what might happen next, who is their favorite character, or who is the villain. This builds summarization and recall skills, and your interest can help increase their interest.

* If your children’s school program provides materials for home activities, absolutely use them.

* Suggest your child read a popular series that has been turned into movies like the Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia books. When your child finishes reading the book, rent or go see the movie and discuss how each differed from the other and whether the book or movie was more enjoyable.

* Look for materials beyond fiction. Kids often prefer to read about facts, including books and articles about the environment, animals, current events, sports, and other factual topics. Talk to them about what they like and help them find reading materials that match those interests.

* Try to set aside at least one TV/video-game-free night per week for family reading. Make your family’s favorite snacks, get new books at the library and make it fun!

Be thinking of your best summer reading tips, tomorrow will be the giveaway!!!

TIPsy Tuesday edition 24 Summer Reading Tips

2009-06-16T21:31:00.002-04:00

This TIPsy Tuesday is going to be a bit different. ~~Maybe by the time this mini-series is finished, Mr. Linky will be working properly!~~ This will begin a two part series of Summer Reading Tips provided by McGraw-Hill Education. They have kindly supplied me with these tips from Wright Group/McGraw-Hill’s author Charlene Cobb, Ed.D. In the second part of this mini-series, they are offering to send one of my readers a series of 3 of their books.

These books will be grade-level specific. ~~I will post details of this contest in the next post.~~ Now for the wonderful reading tips...

* Create a summer escape in your home perfect for reading. Make sure there is good light and comfortable seating to entice your kids to spend time there.

* Even if your children can read by themselves, take turns reading to each other. This helps build their skills as they listen to your tone and inflection throughout the story or article. Before, during and after you read, talk about the material. Ask you child questions and encourage you child to ask you questions.

* Whether you are reading to your children or they are reading themselves, plan an event or activity that ties to the reading material. For instance, book reading can lead to picnics, museum and zoo visits, ballgames, or even family vacations.

* Look for opportunities for your child to read. If you have a manual for a new DVD player, ask your child to read you the directions. Grocery lists and “to do” lists are also good items to help kids practice reading in “real life.”

* Share the reading experience with your child by reading the same book or material they are reading so you can discuss it.

Homemade Bug Spray

2009-06-15T09:23:00.003-04:00

Being outdoors in this beautiful weather has inspired me to share a homemade remedy for deterring bugs. This is not a cure all, permanent fix, but it will help keep the bugs away.

In an empty spray bottle, mix 1 part water to 3 parts Listerine. Then spray your plants!

It's great for outdoor picnics or parties. It has kept bugs away from the area and off of my plants for hours, ~~even days on some plants~~. I also use it on some of my vegetable plants. The best part is that I don't have to worry about the spray hurting my son or my animals.

Much to my husband's dismay, I have even used it on us! He says it did nothing for him, but it kept the gnats off of me and my son.

A great gift idea for Father's Day.

2009-06-14T09:42:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to let you know about the wonderful Father's Day deals from EyeBuyDirect.com.

Starting June 10 and running until June 21 EyeBuyDirect has...

20% Off Gift vouchers -Buy day a $100 voucher, pay only $80

20% Selected Frames- Can’t wait until father’s day? Want to select dad’s new glasses yourself? Choose one of three bestsellers discounted 20% from now and until father’s Day.

Hundreds of frames- Fashionable frames, classic frames, designer frames, sport frames and protective goggles.

Each order comes with a protective case and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

Each order is 100% satisfaction guarantee, 14 day money back.

Check back in a few weeks for my review of EyeBuyDirect.com and my experience of buying glasses online!

The winner of the KidsFunCards is...

2009-06-11T21:56:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 30. Congratulations goes out to 1stopmom.

A Super Natural Home Book Review and Giveaway

2009-06-11T19:52:00.012-04:00

I have been racking my brain for days now wondering how to present this book review. ~~This is my first book review.~~ I'm just going to jump in head first...

Super Natural Home in my opinion is excellent! It is a well written, simply explained, very concise book. It will help to open your eyes to all the toxins in your surroundings. Not only in your home, but your work, schools, restaurants, hotels, everywhere! Beth Greer tries to cover it all. And does a great job!

On average, I'm a Spring Green colored person and feel fairly comfortable with my knowledge. I am proud to say that I already knew a lot of what she wrote. However, there has been sooo much more that I have learned from this book! Sometimes it is very scary and overwhelming to stop, think, and realize all of the toxins in your environment. The fabulous thing is, she not only points out where the toxins are/can be, she also gives you easy to follow steps to rid them. She goes from room to room, step by step throughout your home. It's not just your environment she discusses, she also covers what you're putting in your body and on your body!{This book makes for a great reference book!}

After the normal forward and acknowledgements, Beth Greer begins the book by explaining a bit about herself and why she had to change her life. Then, before jumping into the heart of the book, she gives you a small quiz...don't worry...nothing's graded...she even gives you the answers! First she asks the question, gives you a hint, tells you what the problem is, and then gives you the solutions (chapters). This was my kind of quiz!

In each chapter she gives a few paragraphs explaining the what and wheres. She gives you facts not just opinions and tells you where you can find them. She has many wonderful websites listed. She then gives you a succinct what you should know section. After which, she gives you ~~normally three~~ steps to on how to fix the problems. She even provides a where to shop section in almost every chapter! I know I keep repeating myself, but this really is a very concise book! I would ~~in my opinion~~ call this a How To Be Green (Concerning Toxins) bible.

About the author...

Beth Greer, Super Natural Mom, is an award-winning journalist and holistic health advocate. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications, including US magazine. She is founder of SuperNaturalHome.com, a website devoted to providing healthy, natural strategies and advice. As former president and co-owner of The Learning Annex, the largest private alternative adult education company in the US, Beth has helped thousands see new possiblities and feel empowered to make changes in their lives.

I also want you to know that Beth donates a portion of her proceeds to two charitable organizations: Search for the Cause and Healthy Child Healthy World.

You can purchase a copy here or enter for a chance to win a copy of Super Natural Home!

CONTEST DETAILS...

Contest begins Thursday, June 11 at 12:00am and ENDS on Thursday, June 18 at 12:00am

The winner will be posted (in the "GIVEAWAY WINNERS" on the right side of my blog) within in 24 hours.

Winner will also be notified either through blog or e-mail and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.
{Please remember, if you are using anonymous to comment, you MUST leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I do NOT spam or sell your address!}

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner. I just really enjoy reading everyone's comments.

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

Each items counts as one entry only. Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Leave me a comment telling me how you make your environment less toxic.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

Name an article written by Beth Greer. You can find them on her website.(Unlimited entries)
Follow my blog.
Follow me on Twitter (EcOnomicalMom)
Add my button to your blog.
Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. ( I will be randomly checking.)

If you don't have a blog ~~or just want more entries~~... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, I won't know you sent them, an they won't count.)
Retweet this giveaway. (Just click on retweet at the top of the post.)
Add this to your Facebook status

Good luck!

TIPsy Tuesday edition 23

2009-06-09T08:24:00.004-04:00

Summer is here ~~sort of~~, the weather is nice, and we would all rather be outside. So, I'll KISS this tip...

Use a mulching blade on your lawn mower.

Mulching the grass while you mow will save a lot of time and money!! If you mow often enough you won't need to rake the grass! (Saving time and your energy.) And there won't be any clumps of dead grass killing your growing lawn. Instead, the small pieces of cut grass will fall through to the dirt below and help fertilize it. (Saving $$$!)

What great summer tips do you have to share?

FREE Ice Cream at Friendly's!!

2009-06-06T08:01:00.006-04:00

Guess what?!?!?! I have another freebie for you!
Today only, from 12 pm to 5 pm, Friendly's is celebrating the beginning of summer and treating customers to a scoop of ice cream {dish or cone}. Free ice cream!!!

Make sure when you go to Friendly's today to take your camera along with you! They will be giving out prizes for the best pictures from today...Free Ice Cream Day! You can either upload your pictures to their facebook page or follow them on Twitter @eatfriendlys and use TwitPic to upload your pics!

Friendly's also has a quiz, "What Ice Cream Treat Are You?", that you can take on their facebook page.

Enjoy your free ice cream!!

Happy National Donut Day and a wonderful Freebie Friday!!!

2009-06-05T10:58:00.005-04:00

I have wonderful news everyone!! Today is not only a Freebie Friday, it is National Donut Day! You know what that means....Free donuts!! Today only, the first friday in June, is National Donut day and in honor of this day Krispy Kreme is giving away a free donut!! No purchase necessary. After visiting Krispy Kreme, head on over to Dunkin Donuts to get another free donut with the purchase of a drink. Two awesome deals in one day!

Also on National Donut Day, Dunkin' Donuts will announce the winner of its first-ever "Create Dunkin's Next Donut" contest. From nearly 130,000 donut contest creations submitted online, one of 12 finalists will win a $12,000 grand prize and have their winning donuts sold in Dunkin' Donuts locations throughout the country. Americans can vote for their favorite finalist online at www.dunkindonuts.com/donut.

National Donut Day, held the first Friday of June each year, was started by the Chicago Salvation Army more than 70 years ago. According to Dunkin' Donuts' Brand Marketing Officer Frances Allen, the day holds particular relevance in 2009. "From office meetings to Sunday get-togethers, donuts are one of those foods that lift people's spirits and bring genuine delight to any situation. And now more than ever, Americans are seeking those small moments of happiness," she said. "We hope our free donut offer will create an opportunity for people to celebrate donuts and bring some extra happiness to their day."

Happy National Donut day!!!

Show your children you care...KidsFunCards style! {Review/Giveaway} !!ENDED!!

2009-06-04T20:27:00.021-04:00

Are your kids going off to summer camp? Spending the night with a friend? Or, like mine, starting kindergarten in the fall? No matter where they're going or how long they'll be gone...you'll want to send these cards with them! Their size is perfect for adding them to a child's lunch box, backpack, or suitcase. Heck, as big as some of the pockets are in kids coats, you could put them in there too! Another awesome feature about these cards...they are post cards that you can mail!!!
The Kids Lunch Box cards are the perfect way to say 'I love you' or 'I'm thinking of you'! They'll not only be a hit with your child, but with the other kids too.
Even though the cards are geared more for elementary school age, I sent a few to preschool with my son. Thankfully he had wonderful teachers who read the cards ~~to all of the kids~~. The teachers said the kids thought the cards were 'the funniest thing'. Of course, his class is mostly boys and I sent the eeeww, that's gross cards. {His teachers even decided to keep a few to read to the other classes!}

KidsLunchBox cards have 5 different cards per pack and they currently have 5 different theme packs. Each pack is $4.99. If you buy more than 4 packs, shipping is FREE!!

First impressions can really mean a lot. The kids' first impression was one of hilarity. My first impression was one of welcoming and friendliness. When I first visited the KidsFunCards website that was the atmosphere I felt. The friendly, welcoming atmosphere has been carried throughout this entire review. Every conversation I've had has been very friendly and personal. The picture you see to your left is how I received my cards. This is how everyone receives their cards. It's a very nice gesture! A nice personal touch in a mostly impersonal world. It made me feel special and every mother/woman needs that too!

KidsFunCards also has another wonderful gesture...they are offering to give one of my lucky readers a set of KidsFunLunchBox cards!! All you need to do is visit KidsFunCards.com and tell me your first impression.

CONTEST DETAILS...

Contest begins Thursday, June 4 at 10:00pm and ENDS on Thursday, June 11 at 10:00p

The winner will be posted (in the "GIVEAWAY WINNERS" on the right side of my blog) within in 24 hours.

Winner will also be notified either through blog or e-mail and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.
{Please remember, if you are using anonymous to comment, you MUST leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I do NOT spam or sell your address!}

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner. I just really enjoy reading everyone's experiences.

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

Each items counts as one entry only. Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Leave me a comment telling me which pack of FunLunchBoxCards would be your favorite. (This is required. If this step is not done, NO other entries will be counted!)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

Leave me a comment telling me which is your favorite card theme.
Sign up for their newsletter. (Comment to let me know)
Visit their Cool Ideas page, comment and tell me which is your favorite lunch idea.
Follow my blog.
Follow me on Twitter (EcOnomicalMom)
Add my button to your blog.
Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. ( I will be randomly checking.)

If you don't have a blog ~~or just want more entries~~... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, they will not count)
Retweet this giveaway. (Just click on retweet at the top of the post.)
Add this to your Facebook status

GOOD LUCK Everyone!!!

TIPsy Tuesday edition 22.

2009-06-02T09:38:00.005-04:00

Due to the 'tips' that have been ~~trying to be~~ submitted, I have removed TIPsy Tuesday from BlogCarnival. If you are coming from there, you will need to submit your tips through Mr. Linky or by adding your link in a comment. **Please note that outrageous links will be deleted.**

Now that the unpleasantness has been dealt with...on to TIPsy Tuesday.

Yesterday in my menu plan, I gave two simple tips to save money while grocery shopping. Today I am continuing with that topic. Another great way to save money while grocery shopping is to...

MAKE A LIST... ~~stick with it and don't forget to take it~~!

This is one of the biggest ways that I save $$$. On the horrible occasion that I get to the grocery store and find that I have forgotten my list, I end up over my budget. The most horrible thing about this is I never get everything that I needed and always end up with items I didn't! Now admittedly on almost every trip I end up with items that weren't on my list!Especially when XR or J comes shopping with me. Luckily, I have budgeted for this!!

***Due to some complications with Mr. Linky, it may take a little while for your link to appear.***

Week 23 menu plan and grocery shopping tips.

2009-06-01T17:43:00.005-04:00

Menu Plan Monday has crept up on me again! Every time I turn around, it's Monday!
This week is a pretty busy week for us. We have appointments every day the rest of this week. AND a lot of outside work that needs to be finished.
In order to accommodate our schedule, I have made this week's menu quick and easy...and all for under $10 a meal!!! {Except for today's dinner...It's our anniversary! Even then it was still under $20 for all of us! SUBWAY is a very economical and healthy choice!!}
Today's tip to keeping meals under $10 is to buy items ~~especially meat~~ on sale. My other tip to keeping meals cheap is buying items at discount or bent-n-dent stores. You just have to be especially careful to check the expiration dates!

Monday
Dinner: Anniversay Dinner

Tuesday
Dinner: Steak-um sandwiches w/ FF

Wednesday
Dinner: Pasta night

Dessert: {Something chocolaty!}

Thursday

Dinner: Pot Roast, potatoes, carrots {crock pot}

Friday
Dinner: Veggie soup from Thursday's leftovers.

Saturday
Lunch: Left Overs Lunch
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal

Sunday
Lunch: Deli style sandwiches
Dinner: Hot dogs in mac-n-cheese.

Have a wonderful week!!!

Free Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries at Walmart.

2009-05-29T20:12:00.005-04:00

I just wanted to let everyone know about this wonderful find at Walmart. The other day while waiting in line at the pharamacy, I saw a display of Rayovac batteries. The astonishing thing was the word FREE written on the display. I almost picked some up ~~some of XR's toys take hearing aid size batteries~~, but...people with hearing aids need them more than XR's toys do!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know of this Fabulous Friday Find. I'm not sure if there would be any left or what Walmarts are carrying them. It's worth checking or at least mentioning to someone you know that uses a hearing aid! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

EcOnomical (Eco-friendly) Entertainment... an Eeboo review

2009-05-28T18:56:00.005-04:00

My EcOnomical tip for you today can help save you $$$ and bring your family closer together. Instead of spending over $25 just to get into the movies ~~that's not including food or drinks~~, stay home and play board/card games with your children!

You will save yourself a tremendous amount of money by doing this. Most games out there cost less than $25 and you will be able to use them over and over and over again.

As a supporter of family game night, I am always looking for new, exciting, and educational games. When I first heard about Eeboo I was really excited! Eeboo is a company that makes their products out of recycled gray board and use soy based inks. {This is one of the first companies that I have found that acutally uses ec0-friendly materials ~~and not just say that they do~~.

While browsing the Eeboo site, I found many, many exciting games and products for my family. After contacting Eeboo, I was sent their Fairytale game to review. First, let me remind everyone that I have an (almost) 5 year old boy. I was afraid that the Fairytale game would be a flop. To my suprise, he actually liked playing the Fairytale game. Granted, being a boy, he wasn't as excited with this game as he would have been with the others, but he will play it. {Eeboo also has lots of other exciting games and products that would be great for boys!}

The first thing I noticed when we received the game was the astonishing, vibrant illustrations. They use the original art of well-known and well-loved children's book illustrators.

After opening the game, we had to punch out the game pieces. At first glance, this seemed like a lot of waste to me. Luckily, we reuse and recycle. Instead of throwing the 'waste' away, I'm going to cut out the insides and keep the wonderfully illustrated border of the 'waste', add some magnets to the back, and have a fabulous refrigerator picture frame!

Once we had everything ready, J read the instructions which went something like this...

Spin for a Hero, and something to ride,
A Rival, a Treasure (to find or to hide)

Choose a cave, or a castle with fortified towers
A friend and an object with magical powers,

Get all of them first and you'll get the glory,
Of winning, and using them all in a story!

As we listened, XR played with the spinner. The spinner was the only other fault I have found with the Fairytale game. ~~Excepting the fact that the game is geared more for girls.~~ The actual spinner arrow is made out of clear plastic and is very hard to see. Other than that we had a marvelous time playing!! I think the best part is the end, when you get to take all of your items and create your own fairytale story. Or as my husband would rather call it...legend. XR's favorite part was trying to collect the Rivals. Boys will be boys no matter what you play!

Eeboo's Fairytale game is a fabulous board game that is not only fun, but makes your children use their minds too! We have spent hours of fun as a family playing this game. Thank you to Eeboo for sending us this game to review. If you would like to learn more or purchase the Fairytale ($16.95 + S/H with an option for gift wrapping!) or other Eeboo games, check out their website www.eeboo.com .

TIPsy Tuesday edition 21

2009-05-26T09:05:00.007-04:00

Good morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day.
Today's tip isn't about being ecOnomical...sorry. It's more of a personal challenge.

When life seems overwhelming, too hectic, or too stressful...
Take a step back and give yourself a time out.

I know that this will be quite difficult for a lot of people. It was for me! Many of you will have noticed that I have not posted anything new in over a week.
Life was getting more hectic. I was feeling frustrated and sometimes neglectful. Besides being a mom, maid, wife, cook, chauffeur, therapist, crafter, etc... blogging was beginning to take up a lot of my time. ~~It takes a lot of time to get everything set up, work out the kinks, etc but...most of you already know all about that!~~ On top of all that, we now have 8 chickens and one pet duck. We've had to build a coop and get everything ready for them too! And let me tell you...having a baby duck as a pet is like having a newborn baby!!!
There was soo much going on that I needed to step back from something and try to find a workable balance. Blogging was the only thing I could really step back from...but I'm glad I did.
Life not being so hectic gave me enough time to figure out that balance. And thank you everyone for patience while I did.

So my tip for anyone out there feeling too stressed or overwhelmed...
Take a step back. Give yourself a break! Even if it's only just eliminating one chore for one day, it will help. Try it.

I APOLOGIZE...MR. LINKY SEEMS TO BE HAVING SERVER PROBLEMS.
INSTEAD OF LINKING TO TIPSY TUESDAY THROUGH MR. LINKY, YOU WILL NEED TO ADD THE LINK TO YOUR POST IN A COMMENT. THANK YOU ALL FOR UNDERSTANDING!!

FREE Chocolate Friday!!!

2009-05-15T11:44:00.003-04:00

I have found great news everyone!!! Actually, Saving with Sara posted this wonderful find. Thank you Sara!

Today, Mars is giving away 500,000 free chocolate bars! Visit here to fill out their form and receive a coupon for a free bag of M&M's or other Mars candy bars! Hurry!!! They're only giving away 500,000!

Free Shipping from Lands End until May 25.

2009-05-14T21:05:00.005-04:00

With summer right around the corner, one can’t help but fantasize about a tropical getaway. In celebration of the season, Lands’ End has just launched “The Island” at www.landsend.com/getaway, where one can enjoy a virtual island getaway. Amidst the backdrop of a private island paradise, you and your community can shop for Lands’ End swimsuit styles, enter an exciting sweepstakes and share the experience with friends through popular social media channels.

To celebrate the launch of The Island, Lands’ End is providing a promo code for free shipping starting Monday, May 4, and ending Monday, May 25. Simply enter the promo code and pin number below at http://www.landsend.com/ checkout and you will get receive free shipping off your entire order.

Promo Code = ISLAND

PIN = 5262

While visiting The Island, you can scroll through the multiple Lands’ End swimwear collections (including our Swimwear That Slims, high-performance Aquaterra Separates, Beach Living Separates and Resort collections) in a fun and highly-interactive format. Also, all your finds can be easily shared with friends and family through built-in share tools for Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Digg and email.

I just wanted to share this deal with everyone. Hurry though, it ends on Monday the 25th!

How to make homemade rolled biscuits.

2009-05-13T08:10:00.005-04:00

Making homemade biscuits are easier to make than you might think...especially when you already have the basic baking mix. From start to finish, you could be eating warm homemade biscuits in less than 30 minutes!

For variety you could add toppings to the biscuits. I will list some of them at the end of the recipe. If you by chance don't have milk, you can use water in the recipe instead...they just won't taste as yummy.

Homemade Rolled Bisciuts

2 cups Baking Mix
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine mix and milk and beat until smooth. {If dough feels too sticky, add more mix. BUT ONLY up to 1/4 cup.}
Turn dough out on a dusted surface {either with baking mix or flour}, roll dough into a ball to coast, then knead gently about ten times.
Roll dough into 1/2 in thick snake. {Kids love helping with this part!}
Cut about every 2 inches. {You should end up with about 10-12 biscuits.}
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush tops with milk to brown.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Voila! Yummy homemade biscuits. Now for yummy varieties. Just before baking...

Melt 2 Tbsp butter.
Brush tops with butter.
Sprinkle with Cinnamon and Sugar.
Bake.

Brush tops with milk.
Sprinkle poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or any seed you like.
Bake.

MMmmm.

TIPsy Tuesday edition 20 of '09

2009-05-12T08:17:00.006-04:00

Good Morning! Last week I began giving examples of how I use pantyhose in the garden. This week I am continuing that quest. Besides using pantyhose to grow my garden vertically, I use them to support other plants.

Use pantyhose to tie tomato and pepper plants to stakes.

Doing this allows support without cutting into your precious plants as they grow. Strong enough to hold, yet able to give...pantyhose are wonderful garden helpers!

As always, your tips can be about anything. However...if you have gardening tips, I would love to hear them!

What do menu plans and moving tips have in common?

2009-05-10T20:35:00.006-04:00

This week has been quite hectic! My MIL is selling her house so, this past week, we have spent the majority of our time there. The silver lining is that I will save myself some time with my next set of menu plans. I barely followed my menu plan and can transfer it to next week!

This past week has also reminded me of a great ecOnomical moving tip ...

Use boxes from your local grocery store when moving.

Instead of purchasing moving boxes, ask your local grocery store or dollar store...heck, any local store when they receive their shipments. Most places ~~at least ones I have dealt with~~ will save the boxes for you or tell you what day you need to pick them up by. This is just one way to cut down on moving expenses, cut back on consumerism, and help reduce landfill waste! I would say EcOnomical!

{Egg boxes from grocery stores are quite sturdy and make excellent moving boxes.}

Now for this weeks menu plan...

Monday
Dinner: Lasagna w/ salad

Tuesday
Dinner: Roast Turkey, potatoes, carrots

Wednesday
Dinner: Breakfast for dinner...Pancakes, Eggs, and Bacon

Dessert:

Thursday
Lunch: Eating out.
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Dinner: Pizza

Saturday
Lunch: PB&J Sandwiches
Dinner: Left Overs Dinner

Sunday
Lunch: Grilled Cheese w/ tomato soup
Dinner: Sweet&Sour Chicken w/ w.rice

Have a wonderful week!!!

The IE Mommy In Praise of Mom...Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-09T19:48:00.003-04:00

A few weeks back, I was honored to host a giveaway for Dr. Laura promoting her newest book and her live viewing of In Praise of Mom. When I announced the winner, I thought to myself Wouldn't it be nice if I could somehow share a bit of the experience with everyone?! When I contacted Christine (IE Mommy) she was very excited, so I took a chance and asked her to share her experience. She graciously accepted and has gladly described her evening for all of us!

I have something to admit. I was a closet Dr. Laura fan. I am not sure why I was in the closet about this....but it was just something I never really talked about. I would listen to her advice show, nod my head in agreement and then mosey along, never ever telling anyone.

For years that has been routine.

Recently that changed. It changed fast...in the drop of an e-mail! I was the fortunate winner to win two tickets to see the Live showing of Dr. Laura - In Praise of Mom! Rock On!!

From that moment on....every person I knew or even saw learned that I was going to see Dr. Laura. Heck, even my mailman knew! I was telling people on the street. I came out of the closet in a big way!

When I received the email from Casey at EcOnomical Mom that I was the winner of the tickets and a signed copy of the book, In Praise of Stay At Home Moms....I was floored! I must have sent her a million emails gushing about how excited I was and "thank you". Poor girl, she must have me on block by now.

When I told my husband he was so sweet....he instantly said "I want to go. I'd like to support you because you're a great mom" Well, how could I say no to that!

We planned a fun date night with dinner and a babysitter. I even purchased these ultra cool heels to wear to the event...I was all set.

The baby sitter arrived and we were out the door. Our tickets were for a theatre in Palm Springs. I love Palm Springs. It's a tad too hot for me in the daytime but during the evening it is beautiful

Now...I was imaging this grand "Hollywood" style event. You know complete with balloons and Dr. Laura books, t-shirts and tapes. I thought I would see a huge line of people (especially moms) waiting for the show to begin. My husband and I arrived 30 minutes early just so we could have a great seat!

We really didn't have to worry...let's put it this way...I personally knew 20% of the attendees there...doing the math? Yep, there were five people at the movie theatre. No balloons, no books...Nada! It was evident that the "live" showing in Irvine, California was packed and sold out. But our little group was only 6 strong. I am sure the closer you were in location to the real event the more packed it was.

But being the Dr. Laura fan that I am... (whew, it feels good to admit it...Hello, my name is Christine and I am a Dr. Laura fan...yes, much better)...I kept a positive perspective and was determined to have a wonderful evening regardless of how many people were in the theatre.

It gave me a lot of room to snuggle in with my hubby and laugh or cry as loud as I wanted.

You know...Dr. Laura did not fail me on my expectations of a great show...not one bit. Oh my goodness is that lady funny! I really did not know she had it in her. It was like having our very own personal performance. I laughed so hard my sides hurt.

Her thoughts and theories on being a stay at home really touched my heart and spirit. She talked about the honor, the duty and the joy of being able to raise our children. She also talked about how sometimes being a "stay at home" mom is like using a dirty word.

It was a very hard transition for me coming from the "business" world and no children for 11 years to not only being a mom, but a stay at home, home schooling mom. No one in my family has ever been a stay at home mom, nor have they home schooled so the transition wasn't a easy one. Come to think of it...no one else has twins either.

But you know...I can firmly and confidently say... I am my husband's wife AND I am my kid's mom! Thanks Dr. Laura for reinforcing God's plan for my life is exactly where I am and a big shout thanks to Casey for having a great giveaway.

Dr. Laura ROCKS!

--
Christine
The IE Mommy
www.iemommy.wordpress.com

"Faith, Family, Fashion - Trying to Live to His Glory"

**Join me on Twitter - www.twitter.com/iemommy

Thank you Christine for sharing your experience with us! Please ~~everyone~~ show her thanks and visit her wonderful blog.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day.

Welcome Ducky McDuckerton and the McNuggets.

2009-05-07T19:00:00.005-04:00

Meet Ducky McDuckerton, the newest member of our family. He is ~~supposedly~~ an 11 day old Mallard. This past Tuesday we purchased 8 chickens and the cutest little duck. Duckerton, as I call him, has been an instant hit with everyone who meets him. I would have to say this was the best $4.50 we've ever spent! I have been extremely busy with him and will be for the next few days. It's like having a newborn again, oddly enough.

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce him to everyone. I'll be starting my new blog Ducky McDuckerton and the McNuggets soon. {I have just created it.} Check back in the next few weeks to see everyone's growth and to share in my follies as one ducky mama.

What's everyone doing on National Mom's Night Out? Me,I'm learning to be a mom...again! {A bird mom that is.}

TIPsy Tuesday Edition 19 ('09)

2009-05-05T08:14:00.006-04:00

Good Morning wonderful blogosphereians! We are now in the ~~hopefully soon~~ gorgeous month of May. During this month, I will be concentrating on gardening tips. It's that time of year! Actually, it has been that time for awhile now. I'm just now getting in gear though. As always, your TIPsy Tuesday tips can be about anything... they don't need to be new either! Be EcOnomical with your posts...search through your old posts and see what you can reuse!

My tip for today...

Grow your garden vertically with pantyhose to save space!!

If you are limited on gardening space ~~and who isn't~~ you can use pantyhose to help you. If you like to grow melons of any kind, they eat up a lot of space in your garden. Growing them on a fence, trellis, or posts with strings attached in the middle will help you out tremendously! {Grow vertically, not horizontally!} One of the problems you will run into is the melon's weight. Once they get so big, they will pull themselves off of the plant. I have remedied this problem by using pantyhose to support the melons weight! I cut pieces of pantyhose and tie it around the melon and onto the fence. {Make sure you leave extra, so it can stretch.} As the they grow, the pantyhose will stretch with the melon without cutting into it! Growing melons vertically helps prevent flat or rotted spots on the melons too! Problem solved!

More tips on how to use pantyhose in your garden coming soon!

How to make homemade waffles.

2009-05-04T13:22:00.003-04:00

In my last homemade how-to post I explained how to make pancakes using the homemade baking mix. This post, I will explain how to make homemade waffles. Here's the recipe...

2 cups homemade baking mix
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 egg
1 1/3 cups milk

Combine all ingredients until smooth.
Pour into a hot waffle maker and close the lid.
Cook until they stop steaming.

Once again, I use a buttermilk mix and water instead of milk. {1 Tbsp buttermilk mix to 1/4 water.} The cooking time varies greatly. So you'll need to keep an eye on them, but don't open the waffle maker too soon. You end up with two messy halves instead of a nice waffle. Trust me! As with the pancakes, berries and chocolate chips are wonderful additions.

Coming next Monday...Homemade Rolled Biscuits!

Menu Plan for week 19.

2009-05-03T17:13:00.003-04:00

It's that time again. And believe it or not, I actually had my two week menu finished Sunday afternoon! Rain makes it much easier to get inside work completed!

Once again I KISSed my menu plans. It's not that I mind cooking...I just enjoy being outdoors more ~~and I have tons of work that needs done~~.

Monday
Dinner: Eating @ MIL's.

Tuesday
Dinner: Beef Roast, potatoes, carrots. (crockpot)

Wednesday
Dinner: Eating @ MIL's.

Dessert:

Thursday
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Lunch: Deli-style sandwiches
Dinner: Fish fillets w/ w.rice and cauliflower

Saturday
Lunch: Left Overs Lunch
Dinner: Meat Loaf, couscous, and broccoli

Sunday
Lunch: Brunch Casserole
Dinner: Chicken Tetrazinni

Winner of the Firefly giveaway is...

2009-05-02T14:11:00.003-04:00

Entry #70.
Congratulations Shelly!!!

How to make homemade pancakes.

2009-04-30T08:12:00.004-04:00

A few posts ago I explained how to make your own baking mix. Today, I will give you the recipe for making pancakes using that homemade baking mix. Without further ado...

2 cups Homemade Baking Mix
1 cup Milk
2 eggs

Combine and mix all ingredients until smooth.

Thaaaat's alll folksss!!

It's an extremely simple recipe and very easy to make! It's also easily enhanced. My family likes buttermilk pancakes. So instead of using milk...I substitute 1 cup of water and 4 tablespoons of buttermilk mix. (You can find buttermilk mix at most grocery stores in the baking isle.) This recipe is also good with frozen blueberries, fresh raspberries, or chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless!

This recipe ~~at least for me~~ is what I consider thick. If you enjoy thin pancakes, you may want to add more milk. Enjoy!

TIPsy Tuesday for April 28, '09

2009-04-28T08:13:00.005-04:00

Good Morning Everyone! I'm glad you could join me. If you are new to TIPsy Tuesday, please read this page first and welcome!

I am going to KISS my tip today. {Keep It Simple Sister!} My poor little guy just got over his cold and is now sick, sick.

The wonderful weather we've been having has inspired me to share this tip...

Hang your clothes outside to dry!

It not only saves electricity, but it gives you a breath of fresh air too. I can't wait to read everyone's wonderful tips. Have a good day!

Menu Plan for week 18.

2009-04-27T18:38:00.002-04:00

A little venting before I give you my spring-simple menu. We have been ~~supposedly~~ getting our roof redone for over three weeks now!! It's not just that rain that has been causing delays!
We had to take XR to get his new cast on today ~~which is why this is so late~~. The contractor was supposed to be here early 8am. Due to delays and ~~I'll call it~~ difficultiesJ wanted to talk to him before we left. Long story short, the contractor is, now, supposed to have a crew of 4 to get the roof finished in 2 days...before the rain comes again. He shows up today at 8:10 ALONE! {Taking a deep breath...} After J talks to him and he explains that due to more difficulties, the rest of the crew will be there by noon. We leave, have a good day, and return around 5...Only to find that NO ONE is here and NOTHING has been done!!!
Normally I am a understanding person, but this has been going on THREE weeks now! Seriously people, get your act together!! I am lucky to have a husband who is great at almost everything. If something breaks, he can fix it. If we want something built or remodeling done, he can do it. I have never had to deal with contractors before and thankfully, will never deal with one again! I hope! My heart goes out to everyone out there who is dealing with a contractor that is constantly having difficulties!

Thank you for letting me vent. Now for this weeks menu. Once again, it is very simple and allows me to get meals on the table in minimum time. The weather is just too beautiful to stay inside cooking and cleaning! And I'm running behind already in my gardening.

Monday
Lunch: Eating out.
Dinner: Cheeseburger Pie w/ carrots.

Tuesday
Dinner: BBQ Chicken Pizza.

Wednesday
Dinner: BLT Sandwiches.

Dessert: Going to Hershey has made us hungry for chocolate, so I will be choosing a recipe from my Hershey's Chocolate Treasures cookbook!

Thursday
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Dinner: Roasted Turkey, potatoes, & veggies.

Saturday
Lunch: Left Overs Lunch
Dinner: Pigs-in-a-blanket, Mac-n-cheese, & cauliflower

Sunday
Lunch: Grilled Cheese w/ tomato soup
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

How to make your refrigerator more energy efficient (Step #5)

2009-04-26T16:19:00.008-04:00

The placement of your refrigerator is an important factor in it's energy usage. Now, I realize that you may not have the option of moving your fridge. If you don't, then just follow my other steps. ~~There's nothing you can do about it.~~ However, if you're building a new home, remodeling, or are just lucky, then you should keep in mind the 'heat factor'. Common sense ~~hopefully~~ tells us that the hotter it is, the more the fridge will need to work. Now I know most of you have the kitchen's room temperature in mind. Yes, that's one them, but there are three that you should be concerned about. Can you think of them? Good.

I know people who are concerned about the room temperature in their kitchen, yet they put their fridge right next to the stove! Okay, maybe their common sense went on a vacation. To me, this screams INEFFICIENT!!! But...that's just me and may be why you read my blog, so you can be more energy efficient. ~~I'll do the thinking for you, and you can use your energy on something else.~~ Hey, works for me!!

Anyway, there are three main sources of heat in your kitchen.

The Stove/Oven
Sunlight
Your home's heat source

While there isn't a whole lot that you can do about the actual room temperature, there is concerning the sources of heat. I've read where experts say it won't make a difference in your electricity bill if your oven and fridge are placed side by side. Refrigerators and ovens are insulated, yes. But as to the 'experts' opinion, I beg to differ! {Please keep in mind that I am not, by any means, and 'expert'!} I am, however, able to say with certainty that there could be a change. And it's always better to be safe than sorry!

Now, I can't tell you where you should place your fridge. It's your kitchen, not mine. But I can tell you where you shouldn't...and that is near a heat source. The first thing to look at is the placement of your oven. I suggest having at least a few feet of distance between the two...the further the better! The second thing to consider is where the sunlight shines in your kitchen. Try to avoid placing your fridge in direct sunlight. If your kitchen's like mine, there isn't a spot that doesn't get direct sunlight at some point in the day. Last, you need to consider where your home's heat source is, be it a register, duct, or whatever you have. Avoiding this can be tricky unless you're able to design a new kitchen. Once again, the further apart the better. And don't forget the kitchen triangle!

A toothbrush my son will actually use!?! Review and Giveaway (Closed)

2009-04-25T00:00:00.004-04:00

Now that I have your attention, let me start off by saying that when they sent me the Dr. Fresh Firefly toothbrushes to try, I was very skeptical. They looked wonderful to me, but this was my son we're talking about! XR hates brushing his teeth. ~~And hate is a word that we very rarely use or at least try not to! It's just not allowed in my house.~~ It is a constant battle to get him to brush his teeth! Normally I end up brushing them for him. Okay, so he may be a bit old (4) for Mommy to be brushing his teeth. At least this way I know they are getting clean. ~~His idea of brushing his teeth was to brush his tongue, suck off the rest of the toothpaste, and spit it in the sink. That's it!~~

I had tried superhero and cartoon toothbrushes, toothbrushes that played music, and the battery powered kind that does most of the work for you! I thought I had tried them all. So when I heard about this toothbrush, I thought what the heck maybe this will finally work.

IT DID!!!

Now, I'm not saying that this will work for every child. It won't, but... it worked for mine. When we received the toothbrushes and I told my son that we were going to review them, he just gave me one of those looks. And all mothers out there know what I'm talking about!! I didn't tell him what it did at that time, I just let him choose what color he wanted. He liked the fact that he would have a toothbrush that was actually red. ~~Not pink pretending to be red.~~ (He's also excited that there's a picture of his toothbrush on Mommy's blog.

An amazing thing happened though when it actually came time to brush his teeth. Once I started the lights on the toothbrush, there was no fussing. ~~I would say arguing, but it takes two to argue!~~ Yeah, the first night I still brushed his teeth, but there wasn't a peep out of him!! When we got up in the morning, he actually brushed his own teeth without a complaint! Wow could this really be happening?!? Then later that morning, he came into the kitchen and asked if he could have his toothbrush. I was a bit skeptical ~~Mothers of boys, and some girls, will understand!~~ but, I let him get it. When I checked on him after a few minutes, he was actually brushing his teeth in the living room. Granted, no toothpaste, but still IMPRESSIVE! I wish I could say that he brushed happily ever after...but I can't. He brushes his teeth in the morning and I still brush them at night...At least there is no more fussing! And this way, I still know his teeth are being thoroughly cleaned.

If you have tried everything else and you still can't get your kid to brush his/her teeth...hey, it's a cool toothbrush and you can't beat the price!! (.99) As an adult, the head of the toothbrush is a tad small. And yes...I use one too. ~~I was 'given' the pink one.~~ But what can you expect, it is a child's toothbrush! The bristles, to me, are great. They are soft enough to not to scratch my gums, yet able to thoroughly clean my teeth. My son sometimes checks his teeth to see if they are squeaky clean. ~~You know, rubbing your finger on your teeth to see if they squeak.~~ They pass his test with this toothbrush. And believe it or not, that's with him brushing!

The other cool feature I really like about this toothbrush is it's lights. To a kid, the fact that it flashes is alone pleasing, but the lights are actually a timer too! It will blink for one minute; a good amount of time for brushing teeth. If you have a non-cooperative brusher, it could show them when they are allowed to stop. If your child is a cooperative brusher, you could use it to tell them when to switch from their top teeth to their bottom and then when stop; You would just need to reactivate the lights. That sounded a bit confusing , but I'm sure everyone understands what I mean. The other feature with the lights is that the battery should die in about three months which is when you are supposed to get a new toothbrush. It's hard enough finding a toothbrush for 99 cents, let alone one that is also a timer, twice over! A toothbrush can't get much more ecOnomical than that!

On the other side, the one thing I don't appreciate is that if you throw it away and don't recycle it...you're not only donating a toothbrush to a landfill, you're also donating a battery too. My advice, as always, recycle it!!!

So, my rating for this toothbrush is: (4 out of 5)

Now for some really awesome news!!! I have been given the honor of suppling one lucky reader a year's supply of Firefly toothbrushes for a family of four!!! If you're like my DH and don't want to use one yourself, being an adult ...that just means more for your children. Now how great is that!?!

Here are the details:

Contest begins Saturday, April 25 at 12:00am and ENDS on Saturday, May 2 at 12:00p

The winner will be posted (in the "GIVEAWAY WINNERS" on the right side of my blog) within in 24 hours.

Winner will also be notified either through blog or e-mail and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.
{Please remember, if you are using anonymous to comment, you MUST leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I do NOT spam or sell your address!}

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen. NO exceptions.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner. I just really enjoy reading everyone's experiences.

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

Leave me a comment about your funniest teeth brushing experience. (This is required. If this step is not done, NO other entries will be counted!)
=10 entries

Leave me a comment about your best teeth brushing tip.
=5 entries

Follow my blog.
=5 entries

Follow me on Twitter (EcOnomicalMom)
=5

Add my button to your blog.
=5 entries

Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. ( I will be randomly checking.)
=5 entries

OR
If you don't have a blog ~~or just want more entries~~... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, they will not count)
= 1 entries per e-mail

Twitter about this giveaway.
=1 entries

Add this to your Facebook status
=1 entries

List and tally all of your entries in one comment.
=5 entries

Fav this blog in Technorati ( I have a button for it on the left side of the blog)
=5 entries

GOOD LUCK Everyone!!!
I can't wait to hear all the funny stories!!

How to make your refrigerator more energy efficient. (Step 4)

2009-04-24T12:56:00.005-04:00

Another way to help your refrigerator to be more energy efficient is to make sure that everything is properly covered. Liquids, if containers aren't tightly sealed, will evaporate ~~which makes the compressor work harder~~ and then condense on the top of the fridge ~~which will cause drips~~.

The same holds true for food that you put in the fridge. Always make sure that the food containers are closed tightly and that the food has cooled down. If you place hot or very warm items in the fridge, that too can make your refrigerator work harder. Allowing food to cool before placing it in the fridge is an excellent idea, provided you don't let the food sit out at room temperature for too long!

So step #4 is:

Always make sure food and liquid containers are tightly sealed when in your fridge.

What's everyone doing on Arbor Day?

2009-04-23T23:59:00.001-04:00

So, I just wanted to quickly ask...What's everyone doing for Arbor Day?

How did you celebrate Earth Day?

2009-04-22T21:50:00.004-04:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Earth Day! How did you spend your Earth Day? Horribly enough, I spent mine indoors. I did some cleaning and organized my poor laundry room. It was so cluttered with 'homeless' items, that you had to wade through to get to the washer and dryer. Not anymore though! You can now see the floor and everything found a home. Well, I guess I did manage to get my tomato seeds started!

The highlight of my day was my son. ~~He normally is.~~ All afternoon he was frantic because it was Earth Day and he kept insisting that we needed to go to the recycling center so he could recycle something...anything on Earth Day. (He's only 4!) He was too cute! I know, I probably should have taken him...

We did some recycling of our own though. We made our own planters!! I will share this wonderful tip later in May. Which by the way, during May I will be focusing mainly on gardening tips.

Have a good night everyone!

!!CLOSED!!S.H.O.P. Totes Earth Day LIVE Giveaway!!!! 9am to 9pm (EST)

2009-04-22T08:23:00.009-04:00

HAPPY EARTH DAY Everyone!!
In honor of this beautiful day, even though it's raining, I am proud to announce EcOnomical Mom's first LIVE giveaway!
Together with Calypso Studios, I am able to offer one lucky reader a set of beautiful S.H.O.P. Totes AND a piece of their wonderful jewelry!!

First let me tell you a bit about Calypso in case you haven't read my previous post... If you have not read it, please do. They are also having a wonderful Earth Day giveaway!

Calypso Studios first introduced the S.H.O.P. Totes ™ on January 1, 2009. The company together with American artists created these wonderful totes adorned with beautiful, stylish art. Start Helping Our Planet totes are an ecOnomical way to help save the environment.

Now for more exciting details. As I said, I am able to offer one lucky reader a set of S.H.O.P Totes (a $20 value). Just take a look at these wonderful, stylish designs.

The spacious bags are 17” x 19” when opened and easily roll up into a 2” x 3” size. Three bags are conveniently stored in an 8” x 6” wristlet carrying case. Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes were also chosen as one of the celebrity giveaway swag bags at the Academy Awards in February. Celebrate Earth Day carrying the bag the celebrities use!

I'm very excited about this giveaway. The S.H.O.P. Totes alone are wonderful, but...I am also proud to include a piece of Calypso Studio's beautiful jewelry. They have many different styles made with different materials. Their jewelry is very stylish and unique. You have to see their collection to really appreciate it. My little pictures don't do them justice.

On to the details of the contest...

Contest begins Wednesday, April 22 at 9:00am and ENDS on Wednesday, April 22 at 9:00pm. This is a live contest!

The winner will be announced at contest's end.

Winner will be notified either by blog or e-mail and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen. NO exceptions.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner.

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

1) Visit Calypso Studios ...comment and tell me which Tote set is your favorite.
=1 entries

2)Leave me a comment telling me which piece of jewelry you like the best and second best. (The giveaway for the piece jewelry is to be valued between $15 and $45)
=1 entries

3)Follow my blog.
=1 entries

4)Add my button to your blog.
=1 entries

5)Post about this giveaway on your blog. Please provide the link to your blog.( I will be randomly checking!!)
=1 entries

OR

5)If you don't have a blog... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, they will not count)
= 1 entries per e-mail

6)Twitter about this giveaway.(Please provide a link or your Twitter id.)
=1 entries

7)Add this to your Facebook status
=1 entries

This giveaway is a bit different from my others. You may comment as many times as you like. Please leave a comment for each entry. If you need to use anonymous, please leave your name and a way for me to contact you. Do not combine entries into one comment. Please comment for each entry. Thank you and let the contest begin!!

Earth Day giveaway @ Calypso Studios

2009-04-21T20:20:00.009-04:00

Show this awesome company, the environment , and yourself some love on Earth Day. Visit their site to enter their Earth Day giveaway. They are my kind of company...very EcOnomical! I LOVE their totes! The bags are 17” x 19” and roll up into 2” x 3”. Now how awesome is that!?! I don't have one...YET. They not only carry S.H.O.P. Totes, they have jewelry too!

Here's a little bit of info about them...

In keeping with the spirit of Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes ™ (Start Helping Our Planet), the company is excited to launch its first annual Earth Day Event. Calypso

Studios wants to promote this important day in our world by donating $10,000 worth of its S.H.O.P. Totes ™.

Calypso Studios launched the S.H.O.P. Totes ™ January 1, 2009. The company collaborated with American artists, such as Lori Siebert, Emma Hand, Robin Roderick, Tina Higgins, and Andrea Tachiera to provide beautiful art on the totes. The totes are a fashionable way to Start Helping Our Planet by using reusable bags. The spacious bags are 17” x 19” when opened and easily roll up into a 2” x 3” size. Three bags are conveniently stored in an 8” x 6” wristlet carrying case. Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes were also chosen as one of the celebrity giveaway swag bags at the Academy Awards in February. Celebrate Earth Day carrying the bag the celebrities use!

Our Earth Day mission is to encourage everyone to get in the habit of carrying reusable bags on every shopping excursion – whether to the grocery store, mall, or on vacation. We want to Start Helping Our Planet by discouraging the use of plastic and paper bags.

Plastic bags are harmful to the earth in several ways:

Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide
According to the EPA, over 380 billion bags are used in the USA every year, which is more than 1200 per resident and it takes about 12 million barrels of oil to make this many bags.
Over 46,000 pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans worldwide
Each reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1000 bags over its lifetime.

To participate in our Earth Day Event please register on the retail website: www.calypsostudiosinc.com This event begins at 12 noon est on April 1, 2009 and will end at 12 noon est on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. A drawing will be held on the evening of April 22 to select the winners. These lucky individuals will each receive an Acts of Kindness S.H.O.P. Tote ™..

Please carry your bag with you on every shopping trip to show that you are helping your planet by not using plastic or paper bags. Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. Totes ™ are fashionable, convenient, and affordable. Let’s end the waste of plastic and paper bags and keep our world clean and green!

Please stop by and visit their site! Hurry, the giveaway ends at noon!

TIPsy Tuesday for April 21,

2009-04-21T08:37:00.007-04:00

Good Morning Everyone! The sun is shining ~~at least for the next couple of hours~~ and it's going to be a great day! If you're new to TIPsy Tuesday, please read this. As always, I can't wait to read your wonderful tips!

My tip for today, continuing with How to Make Your Refrigerator More Energy Efficient is...

Clean the coils!!

Yeah...that simple...just clean the coils. I clean mine once a year. ~~I realize that it should probably be done more than that, but for now, it's once a year.~~ I take my wonderful Swifter duster and dust the coils. It can be a bit difficult and frustrating trying to get everything out of those tiny grates. Then I take a slightly damp wash cloth and wipe the back surface of them. Please note that this is how I do it...I don't know what the manufacturers say. For specific cleaning information you should check with the manufacture of your fridge.

I hope everyone has a wonderful TIPsy Tuesday!
Jessica Nagel presents Yard Sale posted at Sustainable Halo.

Dr. Laura, In Praise of Stay-At-Home Moms

2009-04-20T18:34:00.004-04:00

They number in the millions and they are incredibly important to families and to our society, yet they are underappreciated, little respected, and even controversial.

Who are they?

Ohh...ohhh...I know, I know...pick me!!!!

They are the stay-at-home moms.

These are women who know in their hearts that staying home to raise their children is the right choice for the whole family. Some do it from the outset of their marriages, while others make the difficult transition from career-driven women to homemakers. Either way, it is a choice that is incredibly rich and rewarding, not to mention challenging.

Has this peaked your interest!?! It did mine. If you're still thinking, take a look inside her new book and enjoy.

Okay, now brace yourself...I am lucky enough to offer one reader an autographed copy! See my contest for more details...

Menu Plan for week 17 of '09

2009-04-20T09:14:00.004-04:00

Good Morning all you lovely people!! It's pouring down the rain...AGAIN! And I'm trying to stay in a cheerful mood. I think I'm one of those people with 'seasonal' depression. My mood tends to plummet when it rains...especially when I have sooo much that I need to get done outside. Oh well...
On the bright side, I'm actually getting my menu plan posted on Menu Plan Monday!! There were a few dinners from last week that I have moved to this week. And once again, my menu is very simple. Most of the dinners for this week are under 30 minutes...my kind of meals!! There are a few slow cooker meals, but even they take me less than 30 minutes.

Now...on to my menu...

Monday
Dinner: Easy chicken bake

Tuesday
Dinner: New England Boiled Dinner (crockpot)

Wednesday
Dinner: Hearty Hashbrown Dinner

Dessert:

Thursday
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Lunch: Chicken nuggets & FF
Dinner: Fish fillets w/ w.rice and broccoli

Saturday
Lunch: PB&J Sandwiches
Dinner: Left Overs Dinner

Sunday
Lunch: Spaghetti O's
Dinner: Shredded Venison Sloppy Joes, FF, and mixed veggies.

How to make your own baking mix.

2009-04-19T12:09:00.002-04:00

I am a huge fan of Bisquick. I consistently use this mix for making everything from breakfast to supper to desserts. The possibilities are endless. Today, I want to share with you a recipe I have for making your own baking mix. This homemade mix can be used in many recipes. (It can be substituted for Bisquick in many instances, too)

To begin, you will need: either two knives, a pastry blender, a food processor, or ~~I use~~ a Kitchenaide stand mixer and the following ingredients.

10 cups flour
1/3 cup baking powder
1 Tbsp salt
2 cups shortening

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.
Using one of the above listed items, cut in the shortening one tablespoon at a time.
The mixture should be the consistency of cornmeal.
(If you are using a food processor, make sure you stop often to check the consistency.)

Keep your baking mix in an air tight container. It will keep in the pantry, or a cupboard, for up to 6 months. If you live in a very hot or humid climate, you'll want to keep the mix in your fridge. And storing extra mix in a cold cellar is not recommended... trust me!

In the next few weeks, I'll be adding recipes that use this mix, e.g., pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and more.
If, like me, you use a lot of Bisquick or other baking mixes, you will want to double or even triple this recipe.

Mother's Day giveaway...(In Praise of Mom) 2 tickets and an autographed book.

2009-04-16T11:00:00.011-04:00

Today is such a wonderful day for a couple of reasons! First and foremost...the sun is finally shinning!!! ~~At this point, that makes any day wonderful.~~ Second, I have wonderful gifts to offer one lucky reader!!

As a SAHM, I am consistently reminded of the fact that mothers everywhere are extremely under-appreciated. The day to day grind and no appreciation can lead to a very testy mommy at times, but...such is the life of a mother! Until now.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger invites moms and their families to celebrate Mother’s Day and join her in a special tribute to the women who receive little recognition for their devotion to motherhood. Known for her no-nonsense advice on the popular internationally-syndicated radio program, Dr. Laura will recount her own life as a career woman turned stay-at-home mom showing her journey from mis-conception to conception and from birth to the joys and struggles of parenting during this live stage show.The show will also feature audio and video vignettes about moms from sons, daughters, grandparents, dads and moms.

In Praise of Mom comes to the big screen LIVE on Tuesday, May 5th
followed by a taped encore on Wednesday, May 6th at 8:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm CT / 6:00 pm MT and 7:30 pm PT (tape delayed).

In case you are unfamiliar with Dr. Laura and her work, here is a little info about her.

As one of the most popular talk show hosts in radio history, Dr. Laura Schlessinger offers no-nonsense advice infused with a strong sense of ethics, accountability, and personal responsibility; she's been doing it successfully for more than 30 years, reaching approximately 8.25 million listeners weekly. Her internationally syndicated radio program is also heard on Sirius/XM Radio, and is streamed on the Internet and podcast via StreamLink.

She's a best selling author of eleven adult books and four children's books, which range from the provocative (New York Times chart topper "The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands") to the poignant (children's book title "Why Do You Love Me?"). Her support of children and family values is legendary, and she is, indeed, "her kid's mom." She writes a monthly column for NewsMax, a daily blog (www.drlaurablog.com), and posts videos weekly on The Dr. Laura YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/drlaura).

DRUMROLL PLEASE...

Now for the exciting news you have all been waiting for!! I am able to give one lucky reader 2 tickets to In Praise of Mom AND a signed copy of her book!!!! I'm soo excited for everyone. For a list of theaters near you, please click here.
Now...for the details of the contest.

Contest begins Thursday, April 16 at 11:00am and ENDS on Wednesday, April 22 at 11:00am.

The winner will be announced in a separate post within one hour of the contest's end.

Winner will be notified either by blog or e-mail and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.(Due to time constraints, please contact me as soon as possible!!)

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen. NO exceptions.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner.

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

1) Comment and tell me why your mom is special to you.
=5 entries

2)Leave me a comment telling me your best mom advice/tip.
=10 entries

3)Follow my blog.
=1 entries

4)Add my button to your blog.
=2 entries

5)Post about this giveaway on your blog. Please provide the link to your blog.( I will be randomly checking!!)
=5 entries

OR

5)If you don't have a blog... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, they will not count)
= 1 entries per e-mail

6)Twitter about this giveaway.(Please provide a link or your Twitter id.)
=1 entries

7)Add this to your Facebook status
=1 entries

8)List and tally all of your entries in one comment.
=5 entries

i.e.,
She has always been my friend, even when I was difficult. =5
Don't lay your baby on his/her belly when sleeping.=10
I already follow your blog =1
I already have your button =2
I posted a link about your giveaway =5/
(or I e-mailed 5 people =5)
I twittered about this giveaway =1
I added this giveaway to my Facebook =1
I have tallied the entries =5
For a grand total of 30 entries.

GOOD LUCK!!!

How to make your refrigerator more energy efficient. (Step 2)

2009-04-15T09:30:00.004-04:00

Step two in how to make your refrigerator more energy efficient is very simple, but one that probably not many people will have thought about. It makes sense if you stop and think about it. Which is a key step in being efficient at anything.

Keep your refrigerator and freezer full.

Some people I know like to keep their refrigerator tidy and looking nice inside. This means they don't like to see all of the leftovers and other items just stashed in the fridge. They are constantly throwing out items, removing containers, and creating empty space so they can see the beautiful shelving in the fridge. Although there is nothing wrong with wanting to have an aesthetically pleasing, organized refrigerator, there is with wanting to have the empty space.

Compare it to heating your house. The higher the ceilings, the more space you have to heat. {Most people, nowadays, are becoming more aware of the fact that, while aesthetically pleasing, cathedral or vaulted ceilings are inefficient. I.e. , you're heating a lot of dead space.} The same holds true for your fridge. The more space you have in the fridge, the more the compressor has to work.

Keeping your refrigerator and freezer full helps void the empty space. The items in your fridge can remain at the correct temperature longer than the air will. If you don't have a lot of items in the fridge, one way to help is to add containers of water. I reuse my gallon jugs and juice containers.

Adding containers of water is ecOnomical for a few of reasons. 1.) It voids the empty space, saving your compressor. 2.) You will always have cold water available to drink. 3.)If the electricity goes out, it will help maintain the temperature inside longer, keeping your food cold. These are just a few reasons...if you think of any other reasons please add them below.

And remember...

Keep your refrigerator and freezer full.

Menu Plan for week 16.

2009-04-14T19:30:00.004-04:00

As always, I am short on time. Here's the weekly menu...a day late, but better late than never!

Monday
Lunch: Sausage dogs w/mac-n-cheese.
Dinner: Eating out.

Tuesday
Dinner: Eating out.

Wednesday
Dinner: Sesame Chicken w/ w.rice and broccoli.

Dessert: Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Thursday
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Dinner: Mexican Skillet Meal.

Saturday
Lunch: Left Overs Lunch
Dinner: Easy Chicken Bake

Sunday
Lunch: PB&J's
Dinner: New England Boiled Dinner

TIPsy Tuesday for April 14

2009-04-13T22:47:00.006-04:00

Guess what day it is?!? It's TIPsy Tuesday! Okay... it's really Monday night. Yes, I realize that it was Menu Plan Monday and I have not posted my menu, but ... I've been away and it's at home. ~~I'll be posting my menu tomorrow evening.~~ So on to TIPsy Tuesday!

If you have any questions, please click on TIPsy Tuesday link above. And remember...there is no such thing as a stupid tip! I can't wait to read everyone's tips!!

How to make your refrigerator more energy efficient. (Step #1)

2009-04-10T10:49:00.012-04:00

Your refrigerator is one of the most important appliances that you own...AND it can also be one of the biggest energy hogs. Even the energy star efficient ones can be inefficient if you are not energy conscious. Now I'm not suggesting that you go out and buy a new fridge. ~~Unless of course, you're in the market for one. Then you can add that to the list of reasons of why you need a new one.~~

However, what I am suggesting is that you become aware of where and how you're being inefficient. No one is perfect. It takes an effort to look at yourself and say 'hey...this is what I need to change'. It makes it a bit easier when your trying to be more ecOnomical...especially when you can save yourself some $$$$!!

'We're not trying to air condition the house using the fridge!'

Sound familiar? That's one of the biggest ways to be inefficient with your fridge...leaving the refrigerator door open.

You want to pour a drink so you leave the door open while you're pouring.

You stand with the door hanging wide open while you decide which kind of sandwich you want to make.

You don't check to make sure the door has actually sealed when you pushed it shut.

Make sure the refrigerator door is closed ~~sealed~~ shut when not in use.

Yeah...it's that simple. The first step to having a more energy efficient refrigerator is to become energy conscious yourself and shut the door.

Another way to ecOnomically water your plants.

2009-04-08T09:33:00.003-04:00

Do you run a dehumidifier? What do you do with all of the water it collects? Trying to come up with a use for it? Me, I use it to water my plants.
There are times, even when it's cold out, that I need to run a dehumidifier in our basement. When I do and it's still too cold to set my plants out in the rain, I reuse this collected water to give them a drink. Always pour it into another container though. If you don't, you could have a huge mess to clean up. Trust me!

When I run the dehumidifier during the warm seasons, I save the water in gallon jugs. {I smell another ecOnomical tip coming later} This way, I have collected water to use when it's cold outside. This is very ecOnomical and a great way to conserve water.

So, my tip for you today is...

Instead of dumping the water collected from a dehumidifier down the drain and wasting it...water your plants with it!

Menu Plan Monday for week 15.

2009-04-06T13:25:00.003-04:00

Do you know what day it is?!? It's Menu Plan Monday!!! And I actually have my meal plans finished today!!!

I have been working on my time management skills. When the sun shines, I feel the need to be outside. Especially with all of this rain we have been having! And that means that my inside chores are put on hold. I am getting better though!

Anyway, in the hopes of having more sunshine and being outside more, I have made my next two weeks meal plans very simple. All of the meals are extremely easy to make. Minimal time in the kitchen...maximum time outside!!!

Monday
Dinner: Mexican sour cream rice and chicken bake.

Tuesday
Dinner: Breakfast for Dinner? Pancakes, eggs, and turkey bacon.

Wednesday
Dinner: Roasted Pork Loin with mashed potatoes and broccoli.
Dessert: Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Thursday
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Lunch: Deli-style sandwiches.
Dinner: Sweet and Sour Chicken.

Saturday
Lunch: Left Overs Lunch
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff with egg noodles and peas.

Sunday
Lunch: Easter Lunch at MIL's.
Dinner: Easter dinner at M&D's.

The winner of the Shidonni Pro giveaway is...

2009-04-06T07:33:00.003-04:00

Entry #99.
Thank you to everyone who participated. I will be contacting the winner soon. Have a good morning!!!

Water your plants EcOnomically.

2009-04-03T09:48:00.006-04:00

This is one of my favorite ecOnomical tips. Every chance I have, I always set my house plants out in the rain. Granted, it has to be warm enough outside so that the plants don't get shocked. You wouldn't want to do this in the winter.

This has to be the most ecOnomical way I know to water my plants. ~~There are other ways, but I will discuss them at a later time.~~ You don't use electricity and rain water costs nothing!!

Plants LOVE the rain. They always seem to thrive more when I water them using this method. The fresh air also helps keep them healthy. BUT...you do need to keep in mind their sun tolerance. Just in case you leave them out when it stops raining and the sun comes out. Shade loving plants would not be happy sitting in direct sunlight!

So, my tip for you is:

Water your plants EcOnomically, set them out in the rain!

Use alcohol to disinfect.

2009-03-31T20:49:00.007-04:00

Today's tip is one that I follow every day. I no longer buy the pricey disinfectant cleaners for my kitchen or bathroom. Okay, so I do keep a bottle of Green Works by Clorox (the dilutable stuff) in my closet. BUT, I only break that out in dire situations where my other cleaning methods just didn't get the job done which is very rarely.
I cleaned out a used, empty bottle of name brand disinfectant and used that to hold my disinfectant solution. This way everyone still knows what it's for, there's no confusion, and I'm being ecOnomical reusing an old bottle!

The solution I use is about 45% alcohol and 55% water. Every now and again I'll spice things up by adding an orange or lemon peel. It adds a nice scent. I had someone ask me once why I didn't just use alcohol alone. Open a bottle of alcohol once and take a small wiff. Nasty smelling stuff and it dries too quickly. Using the 45/55solution, I can get everything cleaned and disinfected without using large quantities of cleaner or having a wet surface.
Some people choose to clean with just water. I have nothing against cleaning this way, I just prefer using alcohol along with the water. This way, I don't have water spots...the alcohol helps the water evaporate quicker.

I feel that I should add that I am referring to rubbing alcohol. There are people out there...

TIPsy Tuesday Week 14, 2009

2009-03-31T11:02:00.010-04:00

Better late than never... I am finally getting TIPsy Tuesday posted. (I'm really trying to work on my time management skills.) Lately, besides catching up on chores, I have been busy with my gardening. Hence everything has been late. Sorry.

Anyway, I am going to do something new with TIPsy Tuesday. Participation so far has been minimal...I can understand...it's spring time and everyone is busy and TIPsy Tuesday is still fairly new. So, what I will be doing is adding some links that I have found useful. If you own the link that I have added and wish to be removed, please e-mail me with your request. {ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com}

Also, you do not have to have a blog to add a tip...just comment the tip and use anonymous as your identity. TIPsy Tuesday (the Mr. Linky) is open ~~normally~~ beginning Monday evening to Sunday evening. For more detailed instructions, click here.

I can't wait to read everyone's tips!!!

Shidonni Review and Giveaway!!!

2009-03-30T09:35:00.017-04:00

For the last couple of days, the first thing my son says when he wakes up has been "Can I play with Lakenosey?" This might not seem astounding to anyone except me, but it is. He only asks one of these three questions when he wakes up... 1) I'm hungry, what's for breakfast? or 2)Where's Daddy? or 3) It's not a preschool day is it? That's it...except for the past couple of days. Now you're probably wondering who Lakenosey is.

Lakenosey is XR's animal that he drew on Shidonni. It's a red dinosaur that lives in a world that XR also created...and it 'came to life'. XR and Lakenosey ~~along with his parents and grandparents~~ have spent hours drawing, playing games, and completing star missions. But let's start from the beginning...

Shidonni is a (safe) virtual world for children ages 4 and older. Shidonni is based on creativity and imagination. I, along with XR, have spent hours ~~days~~ reviewing this site. Instead of writing everything out, I would like you to watch this wonderful video that Shidonni has but together. It will save you the time of reading all of my musings. Make sure your children aren't watching it with you...I would like you to finish reading and they will want to immediately go to Shidonni!

Isn't it a great video...everything summed up in two minutes. It would have taken at least ten to read everything that I wrote explaining the how's of Shidonni. (Just being EcOnomical!) Now for what you didn't see or hear in the video...

Although you did hear one of the songs, I must tell you that I'm sold on all of the music. Every song that plays is engaging, yet still calm and very catchy! I also love that they kept with the creative theme and used drawings for the graphics. I need to tell you though, that when creating a world, you need to add as much color and images as possible. One of the games is a puzzle. The puzzle picture used is the world you create. I'm tell you this because when XR created his first world it was a green line for the grass and a small brown house. When it came time for the puzzle most of the pieces were plain white!

After playing a few games, it kinda bothered me that there were no actual instructions. I like it when, on a kid's website, the instructions are spoken to them. Everything explained upfront, especially for those who aren't able to read yet. There is very minimal instruction on Shidonni, e.g. , pictures of the arrow key pad blink when you need to use arrows or an arrow blinks when you need to choose your animal to play the game. That's about it though. I would like to see more instructions, however, my son had no problem. He played until he figured out what was expected. A parent's view vs. a kid's. And it does make them use their cognitive abilities. So, no real complaint, just an opinion.

The other aspect of Shidonni that I really value is that this world isn't based on money or competition. Kids aren't playing the games to earn money so that they can buy things or to see who is 'the best'. They are playing to play and learn! Although I am teaching my son about the value of money and being ecOnomical, I don't want money to be the center of his life. I want him to be a kid! For keeping money and competition out, I highly praise Shidonni.

Another reason Shidonni receives such praise from me is that Shidonni is a SAFE virtual world for children. Although they are able to invite friends, there is NO chatting involved in this world. And in order to invite a friend they have to know the exact name of their friend's character. They also have cute invitations that your child can print out to send an actual invitation to their friends. TOO cute!!

If you have questions or would like to learn more about Shidonni, please read the following information.

Letter to Parents

Shidonni FAQ's

Shidonni White Paper

Now for the good news!!! Shidonni is free to register! Almost everything you have seen or read about Shidonni is FREE!!! Please go and register your child today! Would you like some even better news!?! Shidonni has offered one of my lucky readers a THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO SHIDONNI PRO!!!

Shidonni Pro give your child access to magical paintbrushes, stamps, extra colors, a wardrobe for their creation, a huge galaxy with loads of new worlds, extra music, and more!!!

DETAILS OF THE CONTEST:

Contest begins Monday, March 30 at 12:00pm and ENDS on Sunday, April 5 at 12:00am.

Winner will be posted in a separate post within one week of the contest's end.

Winner will be notified either by blog or e-mail and will have 4 days (96 hours) to claim their prize. Time begins when I post the winner.

If the prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new winner will be chosen. NO exceptions.

Entries will be entered into and chosen by Random.org. I have NOTHING to do with choosing the winner.

HOW TO OBTAIN ENTRIES:

1) Visit the Shidonni website, come back to this post and tell me what you liked or disliked about Shidonni. (This is required. If this step is not done, NO other entries will be counted!)
=5 entries

2)Join Shidonni (free version).
=20 entries

3)Follow my blog.
=10 entries

4.Add my button to your blog.
=15 entries

5)Post a link to this giveaway on your blog. Please provide the link to your blog.( I will be randomly checking!!)
=10 entries

6)If you don't have a blog... E-mail your family and friends the link to this giveaway. CC my e-mail address ecOnomicalmom@gmail.com. (If you don't CC my address, they will not count)
= 2 entries per e-mail

7)Twitter about this giveaway.(Please provide a link or your Twitter id.)
=10 entries

8)Add this to your Facebook status
=10 entries

9)List and tally all of your entries in one comment.
=15 entries

i.e.,
I really like the Shidonni music =5
I joined Shidonni...username Lakenosey =20
I already follow your blog =10
I already have your button =10
I posted a link about your giveaway =10/
or I e-mailed 5 people =10
I twittered about this giveaway =10
I added this giveaway to my Facebook =10
I have tallied the entries =15
For a grand total of 100 entries.

GOOD LUCK!!!
And if you don't have a child that could use Shidonni...it would be a great gift for a grandchild, niece or nephew, or a friend's kid!!

Buying generic or store brands.

2009-03-25T12:37:00.002-04:00

EcOnomical Tip #13...

Today's tip is short, sweet, and very simple... ~~I have an overwhelming amount of chores that I have to get finished~~ ...and can potentially save you lots of $$$!
Some people out there swear by name brands and that's all they'll buy. I'm not discouraging this...there are certain foods of which I will only buy a specific name brand. (Like peanut butter and stuffing.) However, there are many items that I will buy the generic or store brand. In doing this, I save at least a dollar or more per item. That adds up to a lot of savings over the year!

So my EcOnomical Tip of the day is: Buy generic or store brand items...when possible.

TIPsy Tuesday is back!!

2009-03-24T14:25:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone!!! Long time...no words. I am starting back up with TIPsy Tuesday...sorry for it's absence!
I know it has been awhile since I have posted any tips, but I will be starting them again tomorrow. My life will be back to normal by then...at least as normal as it ever was!

Hopefully everyone has a tip to share this week!!! If you have any questions about the how-to's of TIPsy Tuesday, please click on this link. As always...if you do not have a blog, please use leave a comment and use anonymous as your identity.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's wonderful tips!!

Menu Plan for week 13 of 2009!

2009-03-24T13:34:00.004-04:00

I realize that some of you may believe I had fallen off the face of this beautiful planet. My apologies...
I have been away for the past three weeks ~~enjoying myself in the warm Florida sun~~ and my internet time was extremely limited. Have no fear though...I am back. It will still be a day or so until I can get my tips started again. It's amazing how much house work can accumulate. I am just now getting my meal plan finished. Better late than never! I had to go through and take inventory of what food we had in the house...
I wish I had a grocery scanner device at my house. I could scan everything in when I brought it home from the store and then scan the item again when I use it. A constant, updated inventory of what is in my house! Okay...someone out there probably makes some device that does this. If you know of this device contact me! Not that it would be in my budget, but I would LOVE to do a review of one!
Anyway, enough daydreaming...

Here is my meal plan for this week.

Monday
Dinner: Beef Smoked Sausage with pork stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and peas.

Tuesday
Dinner: Herbes de Provence chicken tenderloins with white rice and green beans.

Wednesday
Dinner: Venison steaks with roasted garlic potatoes, black eyed peas, and broccoli.
Dessert: ?

Thursday
Dinner: Pasta night

Friday
Lunch: Steak-um sandwiches and FF.
Dinner: Mexican Skillet meal.

Saturday
Lunch: Left Overs Lunch
Dinner: Lasagna with a salad.

Sunday
Lunch: Grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup.
Dinner: Herb crusted Fish fillets with parmesan cheese couscous and cauliflower.

TIPsy Tuesday for Week 11 of 2009

2009-03-09T18:34:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone!
It's time for TIPsy Tuesday again. I know that I haven't been posting any tips lately and I apologize. I am on vacation and I haven't had the opportunity to get onto the internet. ~~I'm lucky to get this post up!~~

I will get started back with the tips next week. Enough of my rambling...here is Mr. Linky!

Kreative Blogger Award.

2009-03-06T16:37:00.007-05:00

I have kindly been awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award by Coco at Frugal in Paradise. If you are into saving money and finding great deals...check her out!

With this award, I am to name 7 things/people that I love.

1. My son XR and everything we do together.
2. My husband.
3. My family...and it's a large extended family.
4. My friends...you know who you are!
5. Blogging
6.Crafting/Sewing/Cooking/Gardening
7. Being EcOnomical and finding a great bargain.

The 7 blogs that I nominate are: (these are in no particular order)

1. Why is the House a Mess?

2. Green and Frugal Living

3. 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven

4. I became my mother

5. Saving with Sara

6. Bargain Becky

7. Frugal Plus

All of these blogs are very deserving blogs!!! Check them out! (PLEASE)

TIPsy Tuesday for week #10 of 2009.

2009-03-06T15:44:00.004-05:00

Once again, I apologize for it's lateness!

If you are new to TIPsy Tuesday, please visit this post to view the how-to's. If you do not have a blog or a blogger account, you can still leave a comment using anonymous.

I can't wait to see all of the wonderful tips.

My absence...

2009-03-06T13:17:00.006-05:00

I have read where you should not apologize on your blog for your absence. I, however, feel that I owe everyone an apology. My son and I were to leave for vacation last Monday morning. As most of you know ~~at least those of you living on the east coast~~, the weather was horrible, so we changed our flight and left early. We made it safely to Florida very late Sunday evening. To make a long story short... besides being very busy for the first few days, I was also without the internet until yesterday.

I apologize, please forgive me. And thank you for your patience!

P.S. I will be putting TIPsy Tuesday on today and leaving it on until the next TIPsy Tuesday.

How to make your own styptic pen.

2009-02-28T10:37:00.008-05:00

If you're a pet owner, one way to be more ecOnomical is to groom them yourself. This can potentially save you a considerable amount of money throughout the year. I understand that for some, it's a matter of convenience. I can sympathize; it can be a daunting task if your pet's uncooperative. Enlist some help, it's always easier with two people.

You're probably wondering where the title of this post comes in...
Trimming your pets toenails can be tricky. You don't want to cut them too short or you cut into the quick. :( (The quick contains blood vessels and bleeds easily and continuously.) If this happens you will need a styptic pen.

For those of you who have never trimmed a pet's toenails or are just nervous about doing this, you should ask your vet to give you a demonstration or supervise you in their office. If you feel comfortable enough, you can visit this tutorial on how to trim pet's nails.

During college I managed a pet store and loved helping our vet tech groom the puppies. She taught me a lot. Because of this, I am very comfortable trimming my dog's nails. That said, I still fear cutting them into the quick...just like I did earlier today.

If this happens ~~and it will at some point~~ a styptic pen will stop the bleeding. If you're like me, you won't have one on hand at the time. If this happens, you can make your own styptic pen. All you will need are Q-tips, cornstarch, and water. Slightly dampen the Q-tip and dip it in the cornstarch. Then apply the cornstarch directly onto the toenail. That's it. Just make sure to watch your pet. Mine likes to lick off the cornstarch!

I've heard some people recommend using flour. You could, but cornstarch thickens much faster than flour and the point is to stop the bleed right now. That's why I recommend using cornstarch.

Don't forget to stay calm and rub your pet's head while all of this is going on. You don't want them to be afraid or associate fear with getting their nails trimmed.