Happy Mother’s Day! DIY Handprint Flowers

For Mother’s Day this year, I decided to try some of the adorable crafts that I’ve been seeing on Pinterest.  I put both kids in aprons, covered the table in newspaper, and painted their hands with acrylic paint.  I made three prints of each child’s hand, and some were definitely better looking than others!  I used white acrylic paint to touch up the messier spots once the paint was dry.

Why three handprints you ask?  Well, there are two grandma’s, and of course I needed to make one to keep for myself!

Oliver’s handprint papers (cardstock, actually) were smaller and messier than Naomi’s, so I decided to make his into bookmarks.  I cut out the handprint, cut out a stem, glued them together, and then wrote a quotation on the stem.  I also wrote his name, age, and the date on the back.  Finally, I had all three bookmarks laminated at Staples for less than $2.50.

Naomi’s handprints were both larger and neater than Oliver’s, so I decided to make hers into a frameable artwork.  I used acrylic paints to add a stem and leaves, and then added a quotation, her name, and the date around the flower.

In case you’re wondering, I always sketch a basic plan in pencil before I paint, and I use a pencil and ruler before I write any text.  Then I tidy up with an eraser when I’m finished.

We mailed our handprint flowers and our (FREE from Cardstore and Treat!) photo greeting cards to both grandma’s on Tuesday.  I know the grandma’s will be delighted to open their special gift.

What special plans do you have for Mother’s Day, for yourself or someone you love?

Freebie Friday: Target, Miracle Whip, & Garnier

It’s that time again!  After taking some time off from freebie-finding, I’m back to my old tricks again.  This week we received lots of fun stuff in the mail!

  • Target Sampler Bag with Coupons
  • Neutrogena Daily Facial Cleanser
  • Pantene Shampoo
  • Nivea Extended Moisture Lotion
  • Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
  • Magic Lumi Primer
  • Emergen-C Kidz Dietary Supplements (3)
  • Gevalia Kaffe House Blend
  • Miracle Whip (2)
  • Bb Straight (3) and Gift Card for a Salon Visit
  • Garnier 2-in-1 Wrinkle Reducer

What fun freebies have you received recently?

Free Fun: Turtle Sandbox/Pool and Water Table

A few days ago, Brad and I noticed that our neighbors had placed a number of outdoor toys along their front sidewalk, with a large sign that said, “FREE.”  A few hours later we walked over and picked up some of the toys and brought them over to our house.  Among the toys we got for free were a turtle sandbox/pool and a water table.  The kids had a great time yesterday playing in the water with their buckets and shovels.  Yeah for free fun!

What free fun have you found for your kids recently?

Freebie Friday: Coffeemate, Coca-Cola, & Kohl’s

Our local Target just completed renovations on a new grocery section, so on top of our usual freebies, we’ve received a number of coupons for free Target groceries.

  • Target $11 Grocery Coupon Pack
  • Free Target Coca-Cola 2-Liter Product
  • Free Target 24 oz. Bread
  • Free Target 1 Dozen Large Eggs
  • Free Coffee-mate Creamer
  • Free Gud Sample
  • Free $10 at Kohl’s
  • Free Zone Perfect Bar

What freebies have you received recently?

Toddler Tuesday: Honoring Daddy

It’s never too early to begin teaching your children to honor their father and mother.  As their Mommy, I am trying to teach my children to honor their Daddy in lots of little ways.  Here are five ideas for honoring Daddy:

1.  Do something special “for Daddy” when he is out.  Draw him a picture, build him a castle, rake the leaves, or help your child to write him a love note.

2.  Boast about Daddy when he is out.  Tell them how hard Daddy works, who he is meeting, or how he is helping to provide and care for your family.  You can also boast about Daddy to your other Mommy friends!

3.  Boast to Daddy when he returns.  Encourage your children to tell Daddy what they did during the day, where they went, and who they met.  They can show him a project completed, or feed him a special treat that you made together.

4.  Allow Daddy to do some special things with the kids.  It’s easy to keep all the fun jobs for ourselves and leave all dirty, boring, or disciplinary jobs to Daddy.  My kids like riding in the stroller while Daddy jogs, watching sporting events with Daddy, and especially night-time prayers with Daddy.  Sometimes Daddy even takes them on a “date” for a special treat or excursion.

5.  Finally, honor Daddy yourself.  What your kids need more than anything are a Mommy and Daddy who love, honor, and respect one another.  They will notice if you criticize him, complain about him, and gossip about him when he is absent.  They will also notice if you thank him, speak well of him, and look forward to seeing him.

How are you teaching your children to honor their Daddy? 

Guest Post: Making Grocery Shopping More Affordable

You can cut out a lot of different items when you’re trying to reign in your spending habits. One thing that can never get thrown out though? Grocery shopping. You and your family will always need to eat and while grocery shopping is expensive it sure beats eating out at restaurants every night. However that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to high grocery bills each week – there are ways that you can still save on your grocery bill while feeding your family delicious, healthy meals.

1.      Scour the internet for coupons

There are tons of websites dedicated to finding coupons for every grocery store under the sun, so use them! Coupons are an easy way to lower your grocery bill, and while a $0.25 off coupon may not seem like a lot when you tally up several $0.25, $0.50, and even $1.50 off coupons you end up saving a nice chunk of change at the checkout line.

 2.      Look for quick sale items

Almost every grocery store will have a section (or sections) that feature items that need to be sold quickly because they’re reaching their expiration date. These items usually range anywhere from 30-75% off, meaning you save a ton of money on good food. If it’s not something you think you’ll use right away then freeze it to keep it good for when you do decide to use it.

3.      Shop the ads

Most grocery stores will send out flyers each week, both in the mail and online, that tell you which items they’re featuring as sale items for the week. Coordinating your shopping list with these items allows you to buy a variety of things for a fraction of their normal cost.

4.      Stack coupons

A lot of people don’t realize that, unless otherwise specified on the coupon, you can stack multiple coupons for the same item. You can end up purchasing items for pennies on the dollar this way; all you have to do is check ahead of time.

 5.      Meal plan

Instead of going to the grocery store with a list of random items to restock your pantry and fridge take some time one day a week to plan out a few specific meals that correspond with the grocery stores current sales and the coupons that you have. This way everything you’re buying has a purpose and is something you can save money on. Plus you won’t have to worry about trying to figure out what to make for dinner each night!

Your bank account doesn’t have to take a big hit every time you visit the grocery store. In fact, you can end up saving a bundle of money by using some (or all!) of these simple tricks each time you go. How do you save money while grocery shopping?

 

Laura Backes enjoys writing about all kinds of subjects and is a freelance writer for DSL Service Providers.  You can reach her at: laurabackes8@gmail.com.

 

Freebie Friday: Gevalia Coffee, Purex, & Metamucil

I had a few fun freebies this week worth sharing:

  • Gevalia Coffee
  • Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins
  • Metamucil Multi-Health Fiber Singles (and coupon)
  • Mountain Breeze Purex Ultra Pack (and coupon)

What fun freebies did you receive in your mailbox this week?

Rolled Chocolate Sugar Cookies

As a rule, I generally will not purchase junk food for our home, because Brad and I would eat it immediately!  However, that does not mean that I do not have the urge to eat sweets.  When that urge becomes too strong, I go to Supercook and look up recipes using what’s already in my kitchen.  A few weeks ago I had an irresistible desire to make sugar cookies.  I found this recipe for Rolled Chocolate Sugar Cookies, which would be great with sprinkles or frosting, and is great for dunking in milk, tea, or coffee.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
  3. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
  4. Cream butter with sugar on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
  6. Gradually add flour mixture and blend well.
  7. Gather dough into a ball and cover with foil or wrap.
  8. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, until firm.
  9. Using half of dough at a time, roll out a 1/4 inch thick on sugar sprinkled counter or pastry cloth.
  10. Cut out cookies and then lift with spatula onto sheets, leaving about 1 1/2″ between cookies.
  11. Sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles, if desired.
  12. Bake 8-9 minutes or until cookies are firm and edges are just starting to brown.
  13. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Toddler Tuesday: DIY Finger Paints

A couple months ago, my friend BeccaG blogged about finger painting with her toddler, and mentioned that you could make your own finger paint.  The thought had never occurred to me!

Well, since we only have one car, when Brad is out I have to entertain the kids close to home.  So I do my creative experiments on those days when he is out.  Today I decided to try making our own finger paints.  I found this great recipe that was not only non-toxic, but was easily made with ingredients I already had in my kitchen.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • Food Coloring

Directions:

  • Mix the flour and water together in a small mixing bowl.
  • Separate your flour & water paste into smaller cups and add food coloring.
  • Paint!

I covered the table with newspapers, knowing most of Oliver’s painting would not end up on his art paper.

Naomi (2.5 years) was very serious about her painting.

I was glad the paint was non-toxic since Oliver (15 months) put most of his paint in his mouth.

Naomi decided that she preferred pouring and smearing her paint, and set aside her paintbrush.

Naomi’s finished artwork (above).

Oliver’s finished artwork (above).

What creative experiments have you tried recently?

Freebie Friday! Tide Pods & Teeth Care

Naomi had a dentist appointment this week, so some of these items weren’t exactly “free” but they were nice perks for visiting the dentist!

  • Coloring Book
  • Stickers and Chart
  • Dental Floss (Container & Dinosaur)
  • 2 Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • 2 Tide Pods Samples

What freebies did you receive in the mail this week?

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