personal blog
I’m headed to the Big Apple with my daughter to celebrate her birthday. This trip has been planned for a few months and we are both super excited. We will be in New York City for a few days and are looking for some fun (and frugal) things to do while we are there.
If you have any suggestions leave them in the comments. I won’t have my computer with me, but I can check on my phone so tell me your best tips!
For those of you who subscribe to The Happy Housewife by email, I have changed subscription services. You don’t have to do anything, and you will continue to receive your free daily updates. You will notice that the look of the email has changed slightly but the content is still the same.
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The following is a guest post from my good friend Lauren. While I would not normally use this blog to ask you to go vote for someone you don’t know ( I save that for my Facebook friends) I am making a special exception for Lauren.
It takes less than a minute to register and vote, and by registering you are automatically entered to win your mortgage/ rent paid for, for an entire year!!! I’ll let her explain the rest…
I can think of plenty of answers to that question – some noble, some not so noble. Roll a giant debt snowball down the hill, Dave Ramsey-style. Enjoy weekly sushi dates with my husband. Give. Save. Get pedicures at a spa where people drink Evian and wear cucumbers on their eyelids. Replace the kitchen chairs that are currently held together with a product called Monkey Glue. Take a trip.
These were the thoughts that propelled me down the sidewalk with my video camera, looking like a regular Francis Ford Coppola with a baby on my hip as I shouted, “Good! Good! Now one more time around the block!” Only it wasn’t Al Pacino I was directing; it was my four-year-old son, Noah, and we were filming our entry for Taylor Morrison’s “Homemade Memories” video contest. The challenge was to create a short video about our most treasured memories of home, and the prize – $18,000 – was enough to make me suspend all normal household operations (laundry, cooking, showering, reading Happy Housewife) in order to capture my family on film. With a hope and a prayer, I submitted my entry into the contest.
And now – I AM ONE OF TEN FINALISTS COMPETING FOR THE BIG PRIZE.
Just the thought of it makes me need to sit down and put my head between my knees. The winner will be determined by vote – an agonizing process requiring me to bite my fingernails to the quick and ask everyone I’ve ever met (and their spouses, parents, friends, uncles, and second cousins twice removed) to PLEASE VOTE FOR THE WEEK 2 VIDEO: “Memories Made from Scratch.” At this rate, I am going to need to add manicures to my list of post-contest indulgences.
What’s in it for you, apart from the knowledge that you are helping keep a friend from hyperventilating? Every person who votes will be entered into a drawing to receive an identical prize: your mortgage or rent paid for one year. Which, my fellow Frugalistas, is a fabulous prize. If your debt snowball needs padding, this will turn Frosty the Debt Snowman into the Abominable Debt Snowman. Or, even better – the Abominable Frosty Debt Ninja Assassin. I think I might suggest that to Dave Ramsey for his next book.
Each voter must be age 21 or over and can vote one time. Click here and vote for “Week 2: Memories Made from Scratch” (the second from the left).
Thanks, friends! I hope to see you in the Winner’s Circle!
After traveling almost 7,000 miles we are headed home. We had a great month spending time with family and friends. My kids even had the pleasure of meeting some online friends turned “real life” friends when we spent time in Texas hanging out with my good friend Joy and her kiddos.
I also met someone who’s blog was one of the first sites I ever read. I’ll tell you more about that experience next week.
We are tired, but happy and look forward to getting back into our routine. My six year old told me that she didn’t remember what her room looked like, and for a moment I couldn’t remember either. We made many wonderful memories, but it’s time to go home.
Until next week….
The kids from The Happy Housewife, Five J’s and Mom’s Toolbox
It is rare that I have an hour alone (with my eyes open) let alone four. But a recent airline flight afforded me the opportunity to have four hours alone; no phone, internet, or television, just me. (Well just me and my iPod, I don’t do silence)
It got me thinking about time and how it is a commodity just like money. Often we focus on the things in our life we can touch – money, food, cars, stuff. We think a lot about how to better manage our money, how to eat better, how to get better gas mileage, or how to organize the school books.
I think we don’t spend a lot of time considering how we invest our time. I know for me, many times I wake up and there is already a crisis in my house. Someone has wet the bed, thrown up, or dropped a gallon of milk on the kitchen floor. Sometimes it feels like you put on your armor and jump into battle every morning.
As I sat on the flight, alone, I realized I want to be more intentional with my time. What is most important to me? For me it is:
Do my days reflect my priorities? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I have found that if my priorities get mixed up my days don’t go very well. Whenever I try to put something first that shouldn’t be the day falls apart.
Twenty years from now what time investments will have big returns? My portfolio needs an adjustment, how about yours?
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, there is another Bible in 90 Days group starting July 5, 2010. This program is hosted by my sister-in-law, Amy who blogs at Mom’s Toolbox. If you want to participate in the summer group, sign up on her website.
There are two ways you can read through the Bible in 90 Days. You can follow the reading plan using your own bible, or you can purchase the Bible in 90 Days bible. I prefer the 90 Days bible because it is easier to read and has large print. 🙂
The folks at The Bible in 90 Days have given me one 90 Day Bible
To enter to win the bible please leave a comment. Giveaway ends June 23, 2010.
I absolutely LOVE photo books. It is a great way for those of us who don’t have a lot of time to make lasting albums filled with memories of family and friends. For our military families, photo books are great gifts for those who are deployed. I know when my husband was in Iraq I took pictures of the kids every day. I didn’t want him to miss a thing. If I had known how easy it is to make a photo book, I would have made him one for each month and sent it to him as a gift. Photo books can also be a great way to document your time at different duty stations and make a great retirement gift.
You can make a photo book on the Inspired Gifts website in less than an hour by uploading your photos and then arranging them in an album. The program will even arrange the photos for you if you are short on time. It is easy to upload your photos and they have a huge variety of photo gifts; hard cover books, themed books, greeting cards, day planners, journals and more. I am thinking this might be the best way to give my four youngest kids baby books!
In order to celebrate Memorial Day and Father’s Day, the folks at Inspired Gifts would like to give away an 8×8 photo book to one of my military readers. I am in the middle of creating one and I am loving it!
To enter:
The giveaway is open to military and their family members only.
Visit the Inspired Gifts website then comment on this post about your favorite item.
For additional entries follow Inspired Gifts on Twitter, Facebook, or their blog.
Leave an additional comment for each entry.
This giveaway ends June 13, 2010.
Thanks to MommyPR & Inspired Gifts for Sponsoring this Review and Giveaway opportunity and supporting our troops!
When my oldest child was a toddler I felt very alone. My husband took our only car to work each day and I was stuck at home with few friends and little support. These were the days of dial-up internet and 14k modems, so finding support on the web was not an option…
Read more of my article about purposeful relationships over on the BornFree Mom site.
Does it seem like some most days are all work and no play? I know as moms we tend to serve others first and worry about ourselves last. It is just part of being a mom. However, it is easy to harbor resentment or grow bitter towards your husband or children on those exceptionally long and trying days.
One thing that helps me maintain a cheerful heart and attitude is to place inspirational quotes in places I frequent during the day. These little nuggets of wisdom or instruction help keep my heart in the right place and remind me of what is most important. I often read these words and am encourage to finish the day strong.
My favorite verse (when it comes to working around the house) sits right above my sink, a place where I spend a considerable amount of time during the day. 🙂
If you struggle with maintaining a cheerful attitude throughout the day I would encourage you to fill your home with verses or inspirational quotes to help remind you of what is most important in your life.
One thing that struck me when I visited Dave Ramsey’s studio was that the walls were filled with inspirational quotes from a variety of sources. Even reading them as I walked through the halls motivated me to be a better steward of our finances.
Words are powerful, so use them to encourage you throughout the day. Hang them on your walls, your bathroom mirror, or above your kitchen sink. Not only will it encourage you, it will make a positive impact on those around you as well.
Here is something you might not know about me, I collect cups. Not anything fancy, just the clear plastic kind you find at Target, Walmart, or Bed Bath and Beyond. I get them for my birthday, Christmas, and sometimes just because. I like my plastic cups almost as much as I like fresh flowers.
Today I am using my heart cup, it is one of my favorites. I love these cups because they are fun, last a long time, and the kids don’t break them when they are unloading the dishwasher. I think I have about 20 cups, so far…
So, what about you? Do you have a favorite thing, something you collect or love? I love to hear about your collection.
PS: Everyone in the family uses the cups not just me. I realized after I wrote that I had 20 cups it seemed like an obscene number for just one person.