I have fallen a little behind.

I am really enjoying writing a blog. I am still figuring it all out, but it will come with time. I have gotten incredibly busy the last week or so, and fallen a little behind with my writing. I am working during the day watching a few kids and at nights at a call center. I am saving up money for some home improvements and a trip in March to Disneyland for Carson's birthday, so it will all be worht it, but it's been hard. We had a nice Thanksgiving,spent it with some friends, which was the perfect replacement to family since we didn't have any here. As usual immediately after Thankgiving us Wolf's proceeded to fill our home completely from top to bottom with Christmas flair! This year was the most fun I've ever had putting up decoration. Watching Carson ooh and ahh over each ornament, snow globe and light was so much fun. Children really do bring more joy to our lives than we realize and times like this are a great reminder. I am really looking forward to Christmas this year, and watching Carson open and enjoy each and everyone of his presents. I also can't wait to take him for a Christmas light ride, last year he was too little and slept through it but this year I am sure he'll enjoy it as much as we do if not more!

Family Time Tuesday - Holiday Cookie Idea

I was thumbing through a magazine the other day and came across a fantastic Christmas cookies Idea! This idea is so easy, that I think even my 20 month old son can have a fun time helping me. You start with a Nutter Butter Cookie as the face, then you attach chocolate chip eyes and M&M nose and use a twisted pretzel for the antlers. You just use plain frosting to attach these. So I thought this was such a great idea I wished I had thought of it myself. Then I started surfing the internet and found several different variations. You can make Nutter Butter Santa's. Take Nutter Butters and melted white almond bark. Dip both ends in the white chocolate. One end will be the beard and you will do nothing more to it. The other end you will place red sprinkles on and place a small mini marshmallow, place a dob of almond bark and place mini choc chip eyes and a red hot nose. So instead of mom's rushing around the kitchen to bake cookies for school or family or whatever, how about taking time to stop and let the kids help with this one!

Freebie Madness Monday!!

Here's my freebie finds of today!


Free Dr. Pepper!!

DR PEPPER EXTENDS FREE COUPON OFFER DUE TO CONSUMER DEMAND

Everyone in America has until 6 PM EST on Monday, November 24 to get a free 20 oz. Dr Pepper

http://www.drpepper.com/text/


A Free Mechanical Pencil

http://www.totallyfreecrap.com/Archive/2008/nov/pencil.htm


Get a Free $10 Pillsbury Coupon Book.

http://freecoupons.pillsbury.com/PB1Coupon/Default.aspx?source=507

A Free Power Built Socket Sample.
This might just make a great stocking stuffer for the man in you life!

http://alltradetools.com/pbsocket/

Time Saver Thursdays

I want to post ways to save time for those busy mom's. Even though I stay home and work a few part time type jobs, I still keep very busy and end up falling behind on housework, grocery shopping, and other things. So for the next 5 weeks I am going to provide MY top 5 time savers that I have been doing.

#5 Write Things Down.

I always keep a daily planner/calendar and write important dates down as well as things I need to do or remember. This WILL start saving me time when I remember to actually go back and look at what I've written down! HaHa!

Yes Like I've said I'm new to this whole Mom thing. I used to sit at a computer that had reminders pop up for everything, I even had it remind me when I needed to stop at the store and buy milk. So staying at home has caused me to become a little scattered and forgetful, but I'm getting the hang of it and my daily planner has become my friend!

What's for Dinner Wednesday!

BBQ BEEF SANDWHICHES
I had some left over steaks from one of those large grilling packages. We had grilled steaks for 4, but had enough to feed 7 or 8. So I wanted to figure out something to do with the left overs other than eating left over steak. So, I cut the steak into chunks and three them in my food processor and pulsed it up until it was like a shredded beef or beef chips consistency. Then I sauted some onion and garlic in a pan. Once the onions and garlic were cooked, I added the beef, 1/2 bottle of bbq sauce a little apple juice and a spoon full of brown sugar and simmered for about an hour. I served them on Kaiser rolls with a piece of melted Swiss cheese. They tasted fantastic and it was super easy! I served the sandwiches with some onion rings, Yum!

Family Time Tuesday!

I live in the Mid-West where we have long cold winters. Last Winter I was panicked as to what I would do with my son all day for a couple months of cold weather, so I started researching and saving some ideas up. Here is a cheap and easy project that you can do with your little ones.

Shaker Bottle

Materials

* Clean, empty 16-ounce soda bottle with cap
* rice and/or pasta, beads, sequins etc.
* Glue gun or quick-bonding glue
* Paint(Optional)

Directions

1. Let your little one paint the rice and/or noodles if you choose to.
2. Make sure the soda bottle and painted rice/noodles you are using are clean
and dry.
2. Place colored rice or pasta into the bottle add other beads, sequins
or whatever else you choose and glue the cap on.
3. Little ones will love to see what's happening inside as they shake and
rattle their bottle.


And the best part is you may have plenty of stuff around the house to make one of these, so You won't even have to spend any money!!

Monday Freebie Madness!

I pride myself as being that lady that probably annoys every mail carrier because I get at least one freebie a day! I love it, It's like Christmas 365 days a year. I spend numerous hours hunting the internet for freebie deals of the day. While, I enjoy the challenge of the hunt others may not, so for those of you that don't, just check out my blog every Monday for some great Freebie Offers!! Here are the offers for today!

Free Sunmaid Recipe Booklet
http://www.totallyfreecrap.com/Archive/2008/nov/sun.htm

I was pumped to see that I could get a free Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team Chevy Window Decal. Get your decal with your favorite NASCAR Chevy Driver here!
http://www.totallyfreecrap.com/Archive/2008/nov/sun.htm

Love Smelling Good for Free!! Win a Free Sample of Fancy a new Fragrance by Jessica Simpson Lucky is giving away 1000 of them!

http://www.luckylookout.com/luckyyou.asp?id=146

Be Green and Be Healthy
Get a free Tote bag or Water Bottle!
http://habborewards.com/promotion.php

Storage Bags are expensive get some glad Storage Bags for free!
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid56046.aspx