New Etsy Shop! Handmade Goods from my Niece and Brother!

My niece and my brother have started a new Etsy shop called Finley Bee!  Below are some of the items they have for sale right now! She has some really pretty handmade items!  I am so proud of her. They showed me some of the things they have been working on when they came to visit me at the end of the school year!  I can't say anything specific, but I can tell you that these are just the first samples of what they can do, and there will be lots more to come!

 

Cute Tote! 

These are so pretty!

These are dishcloths, but can be used as nice hot pads too!

Love the tie-dyed one!

Another pair of earrings!

I may be doing a giveaway soon to help get the word out, so keep an eye on my blog!

Head to her shop HERE and show some love!

Pretty Casserole Dish Giveaway

Another great giveaway to enter!

John Zukowski over at Java John Z's blog is doing a giveaway for this cute oven to table casserole dish from Denby USA!  It is oven safe up to 482 degrees and has a capacity of 77.8 oz.  This casserole has an ARV of $120.    This is a rafflecopter giveaway and you have until 8/29 to enter.  This contest is open only to the continental US. 

Head over to Java John Z's to enter.  

Enter to win 1 of 60 OshKosh Gift Cards

OshKosh is giving away 60 $50 gift cards!  Head over to their Facebook page and enter to win.

Just for fun, comment below with your favorite item from their webbie! 

$25 McDonald's Gift Card Giveaway at Yes I have a Coupon!

Win a $25 McDonald's Gift Card

From the fine folks at Yes I have a Coupon! 

Go to their blog Here to enter and make sure you comment to tell them the The Frugal Mommy Sent you!  There is also a link to many other participating blogs, who are doing similar giveaways of their own.

Get 1 of 150,000 Smashbox Primer Samples! FREE!

Smashbox is giving out 150,000 samples (2 week supply- ARV $9) of their Smashbox Photo Finish Primer! 

 Head on over to their Facebook page HERE to enter!! The odds are DEFINITELY in your favor to get one with 150,000 samples to be given away!  Just 'like' them and complete the entry form before July 31st for your chance to win one of these deluxe samples!

~Christine~

Packing for the Kids

Vacation Time

Packing for the Kids

It's birthday time for my kids (b-days are 5 days apart), and that means it's time to go to Tennessee to visit the family.  I'm excited to visit everyone and see their reactions when they see how much the kids have grown.  What I am not looking forward to, is living out of a suitcase for a week and trying to keep everything for 4 people organized while still taking care of the kids, and preparing for last minute outings in a flash.

It seems like every time I go on a trip, I spend tons of time packing, organizing and trying to make sure everything is nice and neat.  When we arrive to our destination, the hubby takes a shower and changes clothes, I get both kids into nice fresh outfits, and then I get myself dressed.  When that is all done, the bags are scrambled!  Completely scrambled!  Everyone (myself included)  'digs' to find what they need and everyone's clothes end up all jumbled.  I think this has become MUCH worse since the addition of tiny clothes for 2 kids.  It's just impossible to keep it all neat!  

This time I have decided to try something new.  As my readers all know, I am on a journey to becoming more organized.  While I was doing laundry yesterday, pondering a solution for my super big problem, my very soon to be 3 year old brought me a box of ziplock bags and informed me that her little brother had gotten them out of the pantry again.  *Light Bulb!*  Why couldn't I put an outfit in a ziplock bag?  There wasn't any reason I could think of .  Instead of digging through my suitcase for shorts, shirt, and matching socks, I will only have to find a bag.  

I put one and only one outfit in each bag.  Panties/diaper (depending on which child it's for), shorts, shirt, and a pair of socks!  In the morning I can just grab a bag for each child and the wipes.  Everything I need for getting the kids ready for the day in one quick grab. I also did one bag with all of their shoes and another swim bag (sunscreen, bathing suits, and hats).  I am hoping this will help keep me from getting so stressed out (and being the one 'holding up the train').

I will let everyone know how it worked out!

Talk to me!  Tell me your tips and trips for packing or traveling with kids in the comments below!

Kindle Fire Giveaway!

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7".

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

  Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

  Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

 

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
2. Feed Your Reader
3. New Adult Addiction
4. Jessabella Reads
5. The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Somthing Year Old Girl
6. Books Unhinged by StacyHgg
7. S.A. Larsen - Writer's Ally
8. Author Inger Iverson
9. The Geeky Gamers
10. annakyss
11. Everyday Word Magic
12. Candance's Book Blog
13. Page Flipperz
14. SMI Book Club
15. Laurie Here
16. Feed Your Fiction Addiction
17. Phantasmic Reads
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19. Please Don't Remove MarGreat's Glasses
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22. Holly Hood
23. Young Adult Novel Reader
24. Author Heather Bixler
25. Literary Meanderings
26. Suspense Author Kim Cresswell
27. Mother Daughter & Son Book Review
28. Meredith's Musings
29. Auggie Talk
30. Author Camelia Miron Skiba
31. Author Lena Sledge
32. LoriTheAuthor
33. Author Dianne Venetta
34. Curling Up with A Good Book
35. MyLadyWeb
36. Fae Books
37. Bea's Book Nook
38. Girls with Books
39. Ketch's Book Nook
40. Turning Pages
41. Bookhounds
42. Karey White
43. My Devotional Thoughts
44. Author Talia Jager
45. Author Helen Smith
46. Sher A Hart: Written Art
47. Author MK McClintock
48. Word to Dreams
49. Buku-Buku Didi
50. Tasty Book Tours
51. Readerlicious
52. Romance Bookworm's Reviews

  Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire. Sponsor a future Kindle Fire Giveaway by signing up HERE. Ends 8/15/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway