Recharge Your Battery!

We all need a "pick-me-up" from time to time and here is a quick and easy solution.  Massage peppermint oil on your temples and wrists!  Aromatherapy studies show the scent cues your brain to wake up and focus.  Another benefit - you'll smell good too!  To find essential oils check with your local health food stores or online Amazon.com.

Wordless Wednesday!

DIY Ice Packs

Forget about paying big bucks for ice packs ever again. It's easy to do and anyone with a Ziploc Bag and some cheap dish soap can make them by the dozens if you like.

DIY Ice Pack Recipe
1.    Select Ziploc Bag size of Choice (double or triple bag to protect against leaks)
2.    LOTS of cheap Dish Soap
3.    Load up the Ziploc about 1/2 – 3/4 full. Close, re-bag a couple of times squishing out the air each time and freeze.

Being frugal, you can do the same thing with Ziploc Containers for your food. Just fill a Ziploc bag pretty full and fit into a Ziploc Container.  You could seal shut with a few drops of Super Glue to ensure no leakage.

Thanks to Attention Deal Shoppers for this great tip.

So Lucky to be an American!

Wordless Wednesday!

 

Proud Otter Mom!!!!

White Christmas!

We all know the song "I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas"....and I didn't have to dream this year.  It sure is beautiful but the goats and chickens don't agree.  We have approximately 8 inches and it's still coming.  Here are the icicles that were on my back deck.

If Mary and Joseph Used FaceBook!

Target Freebies

Air Wick Candles – $2.99
**Price cut through 1/1/11
Cherry Tart or Warm Spice, Frosted Apple & Cinnamon Velvet, or Frosted Lavender
$2/1 Air Wick Candle printable
$3/1 Air Wick Candle, exp. 12-26-10 (SS 11/14/10)
As low as FREE each after coupon

Beneful Prepared Dog Food Entrees – $1.69
$2/1 Any Purina Beneful Product, exp. 12-31-10 (RP 10/10/10)
FREE each after coupon

Bounty Basic Paper Towels (1 ct.) – $0.99
**Regular prices may vary by location
$1/1 Bounty Towels, exp. 4-30-11 (P&G Everyday Savings Book)
$1/1 Bounty Towels or Napkins (P&G MIR Booklet)
$0.25/1 Bounty Towels or Napkins, exp. 12-31-10 (P&G 11/28/10)
As low as FREE each after coupon

Carefree Pantiliners (22 ct.) – $0.97
Original, Scented, or Body Shape To-Go
**Regular prices may vary by location
$1/1 Carefree Ultra Protection Product printable
$1/1 Carefree Product, exp. 3-31-11 (Good Housekeeping, Feb)
FREE each after coupon

The Good Life Recipe Food for Cats (3.5 oz.) – $97
**Regular prices may vary by location
$1/1 The Good Life Recipe Food for Cats Product printable**
FREE each after coupon

Rayovac Batteries – $1
**Found in the Dollar Spot. Keep watch, they come and go.
$1/1 Rayovac Alkaline Batteries printable
$1/2 Rayovac Batteries, exp. 12-31-10 (SS 10/31/10)
As low as FREE each after coupon

Reach Dental Floss or Flossers – $0.99
**Regular prices may vary by location
$1/1 Reach Floss, Flosser or Toothbrush, exp. 4-30-11 (RP 10/10/10)
$1/1 Reach Dental Floss or Access Flosser, exp. 1-31-11 (RP #2 1/3/10)
$1/1 Reach Dental Floss or Access Flosser, exp. 12-31 (RP 03/07/10)
$1/1 Select Reach Products, exp. 12-31-10 (RP 05/16/10)
FREE each after coupon

Suave Naturals Hair Care – $0.97
Shampoo or Conditioner
**Regular prices may vary by location
$1/1 Suave Hair Care Item Target printable
FREE each after coupon

Tic Tac Packets (1 ct.) – $0.99
**Regular prices may vary by location
$0.75/1 Tic Tac Product, exp. 12-31-10 (RP 10/03/10)
$1/1 Tic Tac Product, exp. 12-31-10 (RP 10/03/10)
FREE each after coupon

Tums Rolls (3 pk.) – $1.99
**Regular prices may vary by location
$1/1 Tums Product printable
$1/2 Tums Product, exp. 1-31-11 (RP 11/14/10 #2)
$1/1 Tums Digestive Aid Item Target printable
As low as FREE each after stacked coupons

Read Target 101: What You Need to Know to Save to find ways to save more money at Target!  Plus, check out more deal at Target and more store deals.

Thanks You InGoodCents!

Harris Teeter BOGO

Always in hunt of ways to save money, I love it when stores have BOGOs.  Here is what Harris Teeter is offering this week.  HT doubles coupons up to $.98 everyday.

Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables
Blackberries
Blueberries
Brown & Serve Rolls
Chex Mix & Bugles
12-Pack Cans Coca-Cola
Edwards Key Lime Pie
Feit Light Bulbs 4-count
HT Organic Ice Cream
HT Latex Gloves
HT Spaghetti
Lay's Potato Chips
Mrs. Smith's Cinnabon Apple Crumb Pie
Nabisco Snack Crackers
Ocean Spray 100% Juice 4 pk.
Simply Potatoes
Sister Schubert's Parker House Rolls

FREE JEWELRY!!!!

What red-blooded female doesn't like jewelry????  Especially FREE jewelry.  I found a great site that has beautiful jewelry and you can get some of it for FREE.  I tried it and here is what I paid:

Sub Total:    $276.79
Shipping:     $26.33
Insurance:    $1.10
Discount:     $276.79
Total:        $27.43

The jewelry is beautiful and the company is very easy to work with.  The company is Darcus Tori.  When you check out there is a place for a promo code.  Use "0704" and "0801".  You can use them both on the same order.  Choose the pieces that you would like to have, enter 1 code then go back and enter the 2nd code.  You will quickly see what items were not covered under the codes and you can remove them from your order...or keep them if you like!  They come in gift boxes too!

Buy THIS, NOT That!!!!

Came across this article and thought everyone should know!!!! Start replacing items you normally buy with these money-saving options and notice the difference at checkout.

Buy THIS, NOT That

Cleaning House

Do you like to clean house? I don't...but it's one of those necessary evils you can't deny so I'm always looking for ways to make it quicker and easier.

My children are grown and have families of their own now but I would have given my right arm for a Hoover FloorMATE(tm) when they were babies. It seemed that no matter how often I mopped the floor, when they were in the crawling stage, their pants would always have dirty knees and the bottom of my socks would be dirty too. This meant that my floors weren't clean and then the guilt trip would start. "O NO...I'm a horrible mother."

One day, while using one of those old string mops...UCK, I started thinking about what I was doing. I realized the only time that mop was clean was when I used it for the first time. After that, no matter how well you rinsed it out, it was still dirty. So I tried rinsing it in bleach. YEAH...that would clean it and kill the germs too! NOT. Oh it did clean and kill for the moment but as soon as you used it again you were back to dirt and germs again. Not only that, but once you made the first strokes on the floor and then rinsed it out to go again... you were only moving the dirt around on the floor where it would stay and wait on some friends to join. I was never going to get the dirt off my floor!!! So I lived with it and did the best I could.

Now with the arrival of grandchildren I again found myself with the thought of dirty knees on pants. One day, while browsing through Walmart, I spotted something that gave me hope. It was the Hoover FloorMATE (tm). It could be used to both vacuum dry debris and wet clean non-carpeted floor surfaces such as vinyl, tile and sealed wood. It was a wet/dry vacuum with little scrubbing brushes. That meant it would scrub my floor and then vacuum the water AND the dirt off the floor. The floor was almost dry when you were done. How many times have you mopped a floor and then realized there was something in that room that you needed? So here you go tippy-toeing across the wet floor, leaving behind MORE dirt and risking the possibility that you will fall and go boom (as I usually did).

I purchased my FloorMATE(tm) and hurried home to do battle. My kitchen floor had a raised design and had become dingy over the years. With great anticipation I unpacked my toy, read the directions and went to work. Now I am slightly skeptical about new products and have to see appreciable results before I will get excited and tell others about it. WOW! Suddenly my floors started to brighten up and the dirty water container started to fill up with BLACK water. I was appalled and ecstatic at the same time. OMG that came off my floor???? My floors were finally clean and I was pouring the dirt out and not leaving it on my floor!!!

Long story short - I would recommend this product to everybody that wants a nice clean floor, especially those that have, or will have, babies on the floor. Doesn't matter what kind of mop you are using, you are still only moving dirty water around on your floors. I will never use a mop again!!!!

Saying Goodbye to Dull Skin?

I've used baking soda for many different things but this was a new one to me.  Did you know you can use ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to Exfoliate Face and Body?

Welcome autumn by saying goodbye to dull skin. Give yourself an invigorating yet gentle face and body scrub with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. Removing dead skin cells will leave your skin soft and smooth, perfect before application. Make a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean. Gentle enough for everyday use!

Mouth Watering Apple Cake!!!

I have a lot of Twitter friends and I truly enjoy exchanging information with them.  I have one such friend on Twitter that you really need to meet!  You can find her at @Freshapplecake.  One thing I've learned about her is that she actually makes Fresh Apple Cakes!  OH and are they ever good!!!!!  She contacted me the other day and asked if I'd like to have a Fresh Apple Cake.  Food...you don't have to ask me twice....of course I wanted one of her cakes.  So today I received my luscious goody!!!  Here's what it looked like when I got it.....

First of all it looked wonderful.  But best of all......it melted in your mouth!!!!!  OMG!  And here's what it looks like now....think it's time for a trip to Maggie Valley!!!!

They are called Mrs. Millers Apple Cake's and they are delicious.  They are handmade and distributed in Maggie Valley, North Carolina and are sold there locally.  So if you're ever in that area make sure to look for them and stock up.  However, you can go to their web sight and get more information about this wonderful cake and the family behind it.  Mrs. Miller is now in her 80's but her daughter, Susan (@Freshapplecakes), is continuing the tradition.

Her son wrote a song about his mom's cakes and they made a really cute video.  Check it out!  Hope you enjoy.   Mrs. Millers Apple Cake's can be ordered on line and they sure would make wonderful, tasty gifts!!!!

Harris Teeter BOGO

These BOGOs are good through 9/14/10.  Make sure you have your VIC card.  At HT most of the BOGO deals you can buy 1 and get it for half price.  As always, check the policy of the store for sales and coupons.

Strawberries - 1 lb Pkg
Boneless Chicken Breast BOGO get 2 free!!!!!!
Vlasic Kosher Dill Wholes 46 oz
Nabisco Oreo Tray Back
Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn
Budweiser Wing Sauce/BBQ Sauce
Biltmore Dressings or Marinades
Tostitos Chips Family Size
Mrs. Butterworths Syrup
HT Corn, Peas or Green Beans Buy 2, Get 3 Free
Feit CFL Light Bulbs 4 pk
Top Care Allergy Cetirizine
Keri Lotion or Bath Oil
Arm & Hammer Toothpaste
SAMY Hair Products
Breyers Ice Ceam
TGI Friday's Steak Fajita Skillet Meals
New York Garlic Texas Toast
Chef's 3 Cheese Omelet
Barber Stuffed Chicken Cordon Bleu
Coca-Cola Products 6 pk
Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink 12 pk

See you at HT!!!  LOL

Remembering 911

"Out of Respect"

"Out of Respect"...this is a term I heard my parents say many times.  It used to mean offering or showing respect for something or someone.  Apparently I’m behind the times!

Growing up one thing that really impressed me was to see cars pull over and stop when a funeral procession would drive by.  "Out of Respect" for that family's loss we would pull over and stop until the first few cars went by. I remember how it made me feel when my parents died and I saw the cars stop "Out of Respect" for my parents.

Today I happened upon a funeral procession coming toward me and I found myself slowing down and pulling over to the side.  I knew I wouldn't be able to stop in the middle of the road but I had this uncontrollable urge to show my respect for their loss. The other cars continued to fly past me and the funeral cars. It was at this point that the term "Out of Respect" came to my mind.  Why didn't they, at least, slow down "Out of Respect" for this family I thought?  It was then that I realized that the meaning of "Out of Respect" has changed.  It now means exactly what it says...we are Out of Respect...people no longer have respect for anything.  Children have no respect for their parents and are no longer taught respect for their elders, others, manners or being polite!  Why?   The lack of "Respect" is rampant in today’s society!!!!  What happened?  Where did it go?  When did we decide that “Respect” was unnecessary?

U.S. Marine "answers" Dixie Chicks Song

Everything Is Hot!

It been really hot around here lately!  The heat index was around 104 the last few days!!!!  Everything and everybody is looking for a way to cool off.  Thought this was a cute video and made me feel good and cool.  Just wanted to share.  Stay cool everybody! =-)

Missing Mom!

Today would have been my mothers' birthday.  She's been gone 33 years but at times it feels like it was just yesterday.  It doesn't matter how old you are...sometimes you just need your mom.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!