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Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports: June 2009

Jun 30, 2009

Guess what my daughter wants to be when she grows up?

I know they say kids go through crazy career decisions and when they're small they can want to be anything from a doctor one day to a firefighter the next.

Till just a few days ago, Bunny girl (B.G.) had a wonderful, honorable choice in mind (I know I hear you saying "She's only 3" That doesn't matter! I think it was sweet to see that she had something special in mind and how wonderful it would be if she actually grows up to work towards that goal. Hmmm...it's nice to hope!) Bunny girl wanted, without a doubt, to be a teacher. Isn't that great? I thought so too but then the fateful day had to happen......Career move!!!....Sigh!

On our weekend drive out, I sat in the back with her and we chatted. Here's our conversation, verbatim...

B.G.: "Mama, when Dada was small he wanted to be a therapist?" ( Now in the heat, after the fun filled but super tiring trip, I wasn't going to explain to her that her Daddy wanted to be an Airforce pilot before becoming a Therapist.)

Me: "Yes"

B.G. " I know what I want to be when I grow up"

I smiled and my insides gave a big grin because I knew the answer that would follow. A teacher! And I just love hearing her say that. Nevertheless I asked...

Me: "What?"

My precious 'teacher-to-be' answered proudly....

B.G.: " A frog!"

Don't look at me!! I have no idea where that came from. I'm just trying to figure out why she wants to be a slimy, sticky, bouncy little amphibian! Sigh! I just hope she changes her mind soon, else I'll need to make changes to the blog and you'll be reading off Energizer Froggy's Mommy Reports.....Double Sigh!

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1 free Veggie Tales DVD-pay 2.99$ for shipping



You can choose one free dvd, from the dvds shown above, when you sign up for a Big Idea account(free) and e-newsletter(free).

Click this link to sign up and choose your free Veggie Tales DVD. The minimum shipping charge you will need to pay is 2.99$.

I personally think this is a sweet deal for a Veggie Tales DVD (Amazon sells this for 11.49$) and Bunny girl will be thrilled when the Postman delivers "Where's God when I'm S-S-Scared"!

Thanks Hip2Save for the details.

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'Kid's Room Tips' from The Joyful Organizer


Bonnie Joy Dewkett is the founder of The Joyful Organizer, a company that focuses on bringing organization into any area thinkable. To read an introduction to The Joyful Organizer, visit this post.


Bonnie has kindly agreed to guest blog four great posts on the Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports to help readers all around the blogosphere. This is the first of four posts...Let's get joyfully organized!


KID'S ROOM TIPS


Keeping kids organized can be a challenge for the best of us. Studies have shown that children are ca
pable of doing chores from an early age. Starting them out with simple tasks and gradually increasing responsibility with age will allow them to be a helpful member of your household. Here are some tips, that with your child’s participation, will make for a less stressful daily routine.

Use a daily planner and have your children pick out their clothes for the week. This way you make sure everything they want to wear is clean and ready to wear so they can get themselves ready with less fuss in the morning.

Get your child involved. Create sections of their room to use for specific purposes. An area for homework, leisure activities, and for clothing and storage will ensure that your children have the proper environment for studies. Their involvement with creating the space will ensure they keep it in order.

Create a homework caddy with all of the homework essentials (ruler, glue, calculator, etc). This will allow your child pick this up and do homework wherever you are in your home. They will be able to get to homework quickly rather than wasting time gathering materials.

Put a bin or basket for toys in every room. Use an aesthetically pleasing basket that matches your décor and collect the toys in each room. Create a routine with your child that toys must be put away to this area at the end of each play session. This will mean you won’t have to run around before company comes.

Use chore charts to delegate responsibility, and give your kids incentive to complete their chores and keeping their room clean. Have a family meeting to decide the best reward. Set responsibilities and the time in which they need to completed.

Use color-coded bins to separate the belongings of multiple children. Or use the bins to separate different genres of your child’s belongings. (Red for toys, Blue for Art Supplies, etc.) Have your children help pick the colors, and have them draw a label on the bins describing its contents.

Visit a home organization store such as Ikea or The Container Store. Or, browse their websites. Familiarizing yourself with their organization products will help you realize what products are available to solve clutter issues in your kids room and home.

Closets are a great place to store toys. Chances are their clothes do not take up the whole closet, especially when they are young. Use the bottom shelves and the floor for toys or large items. This will ensure that your child can access them, and they are not climbing the shelves to reach toys that are out of reach. Never put anything above your child’s head that they could pull down on themselves. Use storage bins and separate toys into like categories. Make it a rule that the toys go back in the bins, and back in the closet when they are finished playing.

Use a soft-sided hamper and teach your child to put their dirty clothes in it every night. The Container Store sells great decorative soft-sided hampers. They are easy to carry, easy to access for kids, and using fabric paint they can even be personalized.

Teach your child the importance of giving to others. As you organize their room over time, there will be toys and clothes that they no longer use or outgrow. Teach them that their extra toys will be helping those who are less fortunate. If they are old enough, take them to a soup kitchen or a toy drive to help them understand the importance of giving to others.

Remember, kids love organization! The key to sticking with it is getting them excited and involved. You will find that living in an organized space will help them concentrate on their studies, and develop good study skills.


Bonnie Joy Dewkett
The Joyful Organizer, LLC
203-731-4651
Bonnie@thejoyfulorganizer.com
www.thejoyfulorganizer.com
© Copyright The Joyful Organizer, LLC 2007

(Bonnie can be contacted for a personal consultation on the above number/email address.)


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Jun 29, 2009

CLOSED: CoverBee review and a 'new home for your laptop/netbook' giveaway


Random.org has chosen our winner: Congratulations Tj and Amy.



You know how you want a home that's comfortable and great looking? Well, have you ever thought that perhaps your electronic best friend-your laptop/netbook- might need the same?

CoverBee has this really neat line of high quality Laptop and Netbook sleeves that really make carrying your 'electronic pal' look tres chic!

These beautiful sleeves are made in Holland and when I got the sleeve to review, Bunny girl was thrilled because we got this cute red and white polka dot design (yes we call it the Minnie Mouse print) and the sleeve material was so so soft, yet strong enough to hold in a solid laptop. She even asked if we could use it for her pillow....it feels that good, honestly!

CoverBee has a great collection to choose from and you can:
  1. Choose a sleeve in 1 of 2 sizes- 15.4" or 8.9" (Prices are in Euros and come to approx 35 US$ for a 15.4" sleeve and 28 US$ for an 8.9" sleeve)
  2. Order online, hassle free using Visa, Mastercard or even Paypal
  3. Have your sleeve shipped to you for FREE and wait, guess what? They even ship ANYWHERE in the world FREE!
CoverBee has been kind to offer one reader a sleeve of their choice, shipped free to the address provided by them.



How to enter this giveaway:

- To enter this giveaway, please visit the CoverBee website and let me know which sleeve you would like to win: please specify the design and dimension. Please ensure you choose what you would really like your laptop/netbook to 'reside in' as your choice will be the one that will get shipped out :> (mandatory entry.)


In addition to your primary entry, you can enter 6 more times...YES! You CAN enter a total of 7 times! (Please leave separate comments for each entry):

- 1. Follow CoverBee on twitter- twitter.com/coverbee

- 2. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 3. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 4. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-5. Snag my blog button (the cute little bunny on the right!) and leave a comment with the link

- 6. Email 5 people about this giveaway and cc or bcc me on the mail with this email address: mjblog09 (at) gmail (dot) com


This giveaway is open to anyone, 18 years and above.

1 winner will be chosen with the random.org generator on JULY 12 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winner's name will be posted thereafter. Please note if any winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner

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Featuring the Joyful Organizer- a 4 post series (starting June 30 '09)

Each day it seems like there's a new area in our home that needs organization and if you have little kids (or big!) it seems like this is a twice daily feature!

The Joyful Organizer was the brainchild of Bonnie Joy Dewkett whose passion for organizing evolved into the creation of this great company. The Joyful Organizer provides professional organization services for your moving woes, kids spaces, new home, scrapbooks (yes even this!), giftbaskets, shopping, time and gosh anything you have on hand really!

The nice thing about The Joyful Organizer is you can get your consultation on the telephone or via email. (How cool is that?). Want to see some pictures of the projects undertaken? Check out this link. I was impressed and noticed that Bonnie has been able to make even the pokiest of cluttered spaces look so good. Hmmm.... I really think Bunny girl's room needs a Bonnie touch!

I'm excited to have Bonnie Joy Dewkett from the Joyful Organizer guest blog 4 great posts on organizing starting tomorrow (Tuesday, June 30 '09). This will be 4 post series that will feature every Tuesday, for 4 weeks.

Isn't this great? And at the end of the 4 weeks, we will be hosting a giveaway, so stay tuned.

So lets get organized.....and lets do it joyfully!

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Back from a "Splashing" weekend!

It was a spur of the moment decision. In 60 minutes we ran around looking for stuff, packed, booked a hotel online and left for a fun weekend trip.

On our trip, Bunny girl..

Met the Star of the Show(in costume)

Met his buddy (in costume again)

Fed dolphins

Watched fish of every shape, size and color......so relaxing!
Monkeyed around

Cooled off

Refueled
Did this ride 3 times over...much to Hubby's dismay!
And saw the 'Star' in action.....breathtaking!
If I had to put the entire weekend in one word word, I would say it was 'Spash-tastic' and Bunny girl had a blast

Even though it was scorching outdoors, to see this look on Bunny girl's face, made every bit of the trip worth it

...in the end that's what matters the most!

P.S. The picture of Shamu is a clue to help you guess exactly where we went! (wink-wink )

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Jun 26, 2009

Reflect...

Last night while I was sitting at the computer, Bunny girl clambered onto my lap. I had the you-tube open and she asked for her favorite song to be played. There are some songs that give me the goosebumps and bring me back to a place of quiet to sit back and reflect on God's Awesomeness. The song she loves is one of them.

While we both listened to this song, I moved into that place of reflection, gratitude and awe. I thought of God's Faithfulness in my life and for all that He has done for me and those I love dearly. I was reminded of His Providence , His Protection and His Love. As I reflected I knew my heart could shout out, without a doubt, that My God truly IS an Awesome God!

Click on the picture to listen to Michael W. Smith sing this beautiful song- 'My God is An Awesome God' and as you do, just reflect on God's Greatness... His Awesomeness.

If you are going through a difficult period right now, be assured that He is able to fix things right again. Remember your situation will never be too hard for God to handle.

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" (Jeremiah 32: 27)

Reflect...trust.... and be strengthened.

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Jun 25, 2009

Get out the cattle!

Conversation Bunny girl (BG) and I had just a few minutes ago....

BG: " Mama can you sing 'Away in a manger'"

Me: " Sure. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed"

At this point she joins in with the singing
We reach the second verse. She doesn't know this verse, so listens intently..

Me: "The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes. The little.. "

BG: "Mama?"

Me: "What, baby?"

BG: "Did Jesus cry when He was a baby?"

Me: "All babies cry. Even Jesus cried when He was a baby."

BG: " No Mama. Jesus won't cry when they take the cattle out of the bag. When they're in the bag, then He'll cry. "

I try hard not to laugh...

Me: " What do you think cattle is, baby? "

In a very matter of fact, confident tone she answers... "A present !"

P.S. This was the closest picture to 'cattle' I could find!

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Lysol steal at Walgreens (till June 20 '09)

This deal will last till the end of this week: June 20, so hurry down to WAGS and see if your store sells the Lysol disinfectant (12.5 oz) along with the 4 in 1 Lysol 35 wipes canister in a pack.

Mine did and I was thrilled with the buy. Each pack is originally priced at 5.29$ each but this week Walgreens has this on sale ( yes even the disinfectant and wipes pack) for 3.50$ when you buy two. Plus after checkout, the rewards machine spits out a 2$ register reward.

Now this is how I got 2 of the packs pictured on the right for a total of 1.00$, plus tax. (Thereby making each product a mere 25 cents each!)


Bought 2 packs(3.50$ each) for 7$
Minus 2 2$ coupons from the May 3rd edition of the Smart Source

Total: 3.25$ (including tax)
Received back a Register Reward for 2$

In effect I got 4 great Lysol products for 1.25$ (incl. tax) only.

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Jun 24, 2009

Free 2 year subscription to Parents magazine

This is a great magazine that I have had a subscription to for more than a year and I love it.

Value mags is offering a free 2 year subscription to Parents magazine, no strings attached, no follow up bills..nothing! Sign up through this link and your first issue should arrive 6-8 weeks from the date of subscription.

(Thanks Collin for the heads up!)

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CLOSED: 5 Autographed Dr Hippo books to be won!


Random.org has chosen our winners. Click on this link to see if it's you.



Guess what? With this post we mark being 100 posts old....Hurrah!Hurrah! It cannot get any more special than getting marked with a great giveaway.

A few days ago Postman Pat rang the doorbell. In his hands was a nice big parcel. I need not tell you how 'gracelessly' I 'grabbed' the parcel out of his hands, quickly thanked him and rushed to the sofa to open our treat. Bunny girl was excited and egged me on with the "What's inside Mama?" chants. Opening the box, we took out 5 beautifully packaged books from the Hippocratic Press ...a treat to review!

The brainchild of Dr Charlotte Cowan, the Dr Hippo book series was created to soothe the worries out of little children when they go through those terrible sick bouts that we parents dread. Dr Cowan is a certified pediatrician with kids of her own and reading through the books you can see how she addresses each issue tenderly yet effectively, keeping the child's concerns foremost in mind.

The Dr Hippo Series include 5 great books that have been created for children between the ages of 2 and 7. The books are beautiful hardbound books with laminated sleeves and each book has a little laminate booklet in the back with details on how to conquer the illness addressed. Dr Cowan has taken the pains to soothe not just the minds of little ones but also parents with these little guides. (And we know how worried we can get!)

1. Katie caught a cold is a delightful story about Katie the little Polar bear who is all set to take part in the Ice show when she starts with the sneezes and the stuffiness that comes with the onset of a cold. Katie's not thrilled about the aspect of staying in but the cold has to go! Bunny girl related to Katie and kept remarking through the story, "Like me Mama!" "Like me!" And when we reached a page that had a picture of poor little Katie sneezing her nose off into a tissue, she quietly asked "Did the skin peal off her nose too?"

2. Peeper has a fever is about a little frog called Peeper who is getting all set to participate in a Diving contest and go to a fun picnic. Everything's all set till Peeper sets foot into the house flushed and burning a nice little temperature. Disappointed Peeper is left at home with Dad while Mom and his sibling carry on to the picnic. Everyone knows what it's like to have a disappointed fever-hit child in the house especially when there's something planned that needs to be missed. Peeper's story is laced with humor and again the "I can relate to that" factor that all Dr Cowan's books hold.

3. Sadie's sore throat is about Sadie giraffe losing her appetite and feeling all funny in her throat only to discover after the visit to Dr Hippo that she has strep. Poor Sadie worries she may not be able to exhibit at the local fair and only time and several popsicles later, will the outcome be known. The visit to Dr Hippo brought a nice feeling of familiarity to Bunny girl as she got to see that Sadie too had to go through the same drill at the Pediatrician's. She totally empathized with Sadie when she read the bit about Dr Hippo needing to test for strep with the cotton swab (Bunny girl hates getting this done.) and loved
that Dr Hippo gave Sadie and her toy monkey a sticker each.

4. The Moose with Loose Poops features 4 year old Miles who has a throw up incident while on a picnic and the bad case of the loosies the next day. Miles' Papa explains why he is sick in such a simple but understandable manner and after a quick call to Dr Hippo, they know they need to wait till it all tides over. But will he and Papa make it for their camping trip after all?...Well, let's just say sometimes being patient and waiting out things turn out to be more rewarding than expected!

5. The Little Elephant with the Big Earache opens with Eddie's cousins visiting in preparation for Eddie's big birthday party 3 days later. The cousins have a fun day outdoors but later that night Eddie gets up with a painful earache. The next morning Eddie's Mom decides he needs to visit Dr Hippo as Eddie needs to be his usual self by Saturday, before the party.
My favorite part in this book is when Mom sits on the porch with Eddie rocking him to comfort him and Eddie simply says " I'm okay now Mom." Isn't that so like our little ones? Everything's ok in their little worlds once Mom or Dad cuddles them, irrespective of how high that temperature may be or how painful that earache is.

Dr Hippo appears in all 5 books and is definitely the kind of Doctor any child would love to have. Dr Cowan beautifully draws Dr Hippo into every storyline and with the way she portrays him, she subtly convinces a child that he/she doesn't need to be afraid of the Doctor.

Each Dr Hippo book was originally valued at 17.95$ each but can be bought on Amazon.com at a discounted price of 14$ each

But hurrah for my readers, Dr Cowan has very kindly offered to sponsor a 5 book giveaway on Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports. Yes that does mean we will have 5 winners! Each winner will have the opportunity to receive a Dr Hippo book of their choice, autographed by the author Dr. Cowan herself.


How to enter this giveaway:


- To enter this giveaway, please visit the Hippocratic Press website and let me know which book you would love to own. (mandatory entry.)


In addition to your primary entry, you can enter 6 more times...YES! You CAN enter a total of 7 times! (Please leave separate comments for each entry):

- 1. Sign up to receive the "Top Ten Tips to keep kids healthy all year long"

- 2. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 3. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 4. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-5. Snag my blog button (the cute little bunny on the right!) and leave a comment with the link

- 6. Email 5 people about this giveaway and cc or bcc me on the mail with this email address: mjblog09 (at) gmail (dot) com


This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and above.

5 winners will be chosen with the random.org generator on JULY 12 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winners names will be posted thereafter. Please note if any winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner

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Jun 23, 2009

With 5$ in hand, what could you get this week in Target?

It's always fun to see how far you can stretch your dollar and this week, my scenario below will let you get all this stuff within a budget of 5$, while shopping at Target alone.
2 boxes of Kellogg's Eggo Frozen Waffles at 1.50$ each
Minus 1$ off coupon from Coupons.com or Bricks (Firefox users / Internet Explorer users)
Final cost 1$ for 2 boxes
(Remember all coupons can be printed twice)

2 boxes Kashi waffles at 1.85$ ( this price may vary store to store, nevertheless you will go home with a box of waffles for less than 50 cents a box.)
Minus 1.50 $ off coupon from Vocalpoint
Final cost 70 cents for 2 boxes

1 packet Kraft Cheese shredded or blocks ( 8oz or more) 2$
Minus 1$ off coupon from the Kraft site
Final cost 1$ for a packet of cheese

2 Crystal Light packs of three, near the cash registers at 99 cents each
Minus the 1$ off each packet coupon from Bricks(Firefox or Internet Explorer)
Final cost 0$ for 2 three pack sets of Crystal Light.

Joint Juice 1$
Minus the 1$ off coupon from the April 26 issue of Smart Source
Final cost for 1 Joint Juice 0$

A1 Steak sauce 2.09$
Minus the 2$ off coupon in the June 14 issue of Smart Source
Final cost for 1 bottle 9 cents.

Jack Daniels EZ Marinader (12 oz) 1.99$
Minus the 1$ off coupon from Bricks (Firefox or Internet Explorer)
Final cost for a packet 99 cents

2 Softsoap ensemble refill packs of two, 6$ each
Minus 2$ off 1 coupons from the Colgate site (print twice)
Minus 2$ off 1 Target coupons (use 2)
Receive a 5$ giftcard back from Target (part of the ongoing 5$ GC promotion for Softsoap and Irish Spring)
Final cost for 2 Softsoap Ensemble Refill packs 0$ + you get an overage of 1$ (profit!)

2 Vaseline Aloe travel size lotion tube, 99 cents each
Minus 1$ off 1 coupon from Bricks (Firefox or Internet Explorer)
Final cost for 2 travel size tubes 0$

Dove deodorant (travel size) $1
Minus the $1 coupon from the June 7 edition of the Red Plum
Final cost for 1 deo 0$

2 Purell Hand sanitizers,travel size 97 cents each
Minus 60 cents off 1 coupon from Bricks (Firefox or Internet Explorer)
Final cost for 2 sanitizers 74 cents

2 Dry Idea deodorant 2.49$ each
Minus the 2$ off coupon from Coupons.com
Final cost for 2 deos, 98 cents

5 count pack of Dove Face Wipes, 99cents
Minus the $1 Dove Face Care coupon from the May 17 or June 7 edition of the Red Plum
Final cost for 1 pack of wipes 0$

Johnson & Johnson Red Cross First Aid kit (travel size) 99 cents
Minus the $1 coupon from the May 17 edition of the Red Plum
Final cost for 1 kit 0$

3 Nexcare Bandages, 8 count, travel size 97 cents each
Minus the $1 coupon from the newsletter ( no print limit)
Final cost for 3 boxes, 0$

2 Renu Contact solution bottles(trial size) 99 cents
Minus the $1 coupon from Coupons.com
Final cost for 2 bottles, 0$

Almay Eye MakeUp Remover Pads (travel size) $1
Minus the $1 coupon from the June 17 edition of Smart Source
Final cost for a pack of remover pads 0$

Cottonelle Travel Size Wipes .97
Minus the $1 coupon from the June 7 Smart Source
Final cost for a pack of wipes, 0$

3 Glade Scented Oil candles 1.67$ each
Minus the 1.50 $ coupons in the boxes (you will need to open the boxes to confirm the coupons are in there)
Final cost for 3 tins, 51 cents


Can you believe you can actually get

  • 2 boxes of Kelloggs Eggo waffles
  • 2 boxes of Kashi waffles
  • 1 packet of Kraft cheese
  • 2 Crystal Light packs of three
  • 1 Joint Juice
  • 1 A1 Steak Sauce bottle
  • 1 Jack Daniels EZ Marinader
  • 2 Softsoap ensemble packs of 2 (in effect 4 bottles)
  • 2 Vaseline Aloe travel tubes
  • 1 Dove deo
  • 2 Dry Idea deos
  • 2 Purell travel size sanitizers
  • 1 pack of Dove wipes (5 count)
  • 1 Johnson and Johnson 1st aid travel kit
  • 3 boxes of Nexcare bandaids (8 count)
  • 2 bottles of Renu Contact solution
  • 1 pack of Almay makeup remover pads
  • 1 travel size pack of Cottonelle wipes
  • 3 Glade oil scented candle tins
for a total price of less than 5$? If you didn't use any coupons, you would be spending about 51.51 $ on all this !

Unbelievable right? But then that's the beauty of couponing.
Have a great shopping trip at Target!

Remember you may not use all this stuff but if you can get something for free, buy it anyway and keep it in a box you set aside to donate to your local Food Bank or the Salvation Army. Somebody less fortunate can always benefit with your frugality!

For more great Target deal scenarios visit a great site that's dedicated to Target deals alone: Attention Target Shoppers. You can click on other bloggers deal scenarios on the right hand corner of her site, under the heading 'weekly deal scenarios.'

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Jun 22, 2009

Bunny girl doesn't want to go to Heaven

When Hubby was a little boy, he had a pet dog called Leo. Leo was one of those "jump, jump, pet me, pet me" kind of dogs and if he didn't get the attention he craved for, he would give the person concerned a nice little nip. At times though the nip would be more than just a friendly nibble! Leo lived with the family for several years before he was the victim of a road accident.

Why do I tell you this? Well, Leo's reputation needs to be known before I share a conversation Bunny girl had with her Daddy 2 days ago at a friend's home.


Bunny girl: "Dada, I don't want to go to Heaven."

(You can just about imagine the facial expressions Hubby and I must've worn especially as this was said out loud, emphatically, in the presence of all present)

Hubby : " Why baby?"

Bunny girl was silent for a while and then quietly said "Because Leo is in Heaven"


My poor Bunny girl absolutely adores dogs but has never encountered any that have bitten her. The fact that 'biting Leo' is in Heaven must've disturbed her little mind. (I guess Leo going to Heaven wormed its way into the story Hubby told her, to make sure the 'dying' bit was a little softer on her)

Like our friend remarked, we now need to find a way to get Leo out of Heaven!

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Jun 21, 2009

When God created Fathers

When the good Lord was creating Fathers He started with a tall frame. And an angel nearby said, "What kind of Father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping."

And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?"

And when God made a Father's hands, they were large and sinewy. And the angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do you know what you're doing? Large hands are clumsy. They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats."

And God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day...yet small enough to cup a child's face in his hands."

And then God moulded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. And the angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do you realize you just made a Father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?"

And God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle, and hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."

God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had every seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?"

And God smiled and said, "They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Branbury Cross, or scare off mice at the summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."

God worked throughout the night, giving the Father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that saw everything, but remained calm and tolerant. Finally, several moments passed, and He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a Mother?" .....

The angel was silenced and agreed, without a doubt.

(Anonymous)

I thank God Bunny Girl has a wonderful 'God created father' who takes her bike riding, swimming, running and monkey jumping. A father who spends sleepless nights when she has the sniffles, who sacrifices an additional shut-eye when he hears her tiny voice ask "Dada can you play with me?"

She has been blessed with a father who labors through the week to provide the best for her and who knows material providence can never substitute quality one one time with his darling child. She definitely has an awesome Dad but you know what's the most awesome thing of all? She has praying Dad and no matter where she goes or what she does in the years to come, she will always know he will be there for her in love, support and prayer.

Happy Father's Day Dada from your little Bunny girl and me. We love and appreciate you so much!

And to all the Dads out there, we honor you and pray you have a great Father's Day. God bless!

Read more about Bunny girl and her Daddy in the post Daddy's little girl

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Jun 20, 2009

CLOSED: 'By The Book' e-book giveaway

Random.org has chosen our winner: # 3. Congratulations Jaclyn !!

Who knows your child better than you do? Nobody!..And that's the foundation for this comprehensive little journal about your child (irrespective of how old your child is.)

By the Book by Melissa Bishop
Publish Post
and Karen Berg (Karmel Publishing) has a segment for practically everything under the sun concerning your child. All you need to do is sit down, fill in each detail and without a second thought hand over this personalized manual to your child's caregiver.

By The Book I guess can be called your child's little instruction manual. I love that it has a segment for anything you can think of but might forget to mention while leaving your child with a caregiver. With instruction logs that include how a child likes his/her food (diced/mashed..), a daily routine planner, location of medicines to be given to a child in case of an allergic outbreak, food limits (yes, even that!), things that are off limits, discipline tools (The authors have really put so much thought into this book as there's a highlighted RED alert section in this segment that firmly states that your child should NEVER be physically disciplined by the caregiver.) and instructions for your pets as well.

I would say By The Book is an extension of you, when you leave your child in someone else's care. A definite recommendation for all parents who leave their children with somebody else, even if on an odd occassion or two. Remember, it's always better to be safe than sorry!

By The Book
can be purchased online, for 24.90$ (inclusive of shipping and handling, within the US) regularly BUT for our readers, Karmel Publishing has offered a 25% discount on the hardbound book using the coupon code BTBK7757.

Karmel Publishing is also offering one reader the chance to win an e-book copy of By The Book.

To enter this giveaway just leave me a comment below .

In addition to your primary entry, you can enter 5 more times...YES! You CAN enter a total of 6 times! :

- 1. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 2. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 3. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-4. Snag my blog button (the cute little bunny on the right!) and leave a comment with the link

- 5. Email 5 people about this giveaway and cc or bcc me on the mail with this email address: mjblog09 (at) gmail (dot) com


This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and above.

1 winner will be chosen with the random.org generator on JUNE 30 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winner's name will be posted thereafter. Please note if the winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner

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Jun 19, 2009

The Belle Factor.

We share our residence with a Princess, not any Princess but Crown Princess Belle (According to Bunny girl, Disney's Belle wears a crown on her head thus has to be called 'Crown Princess Belle')

We always know when the Crown Princess is in the 'Palace' when Bunny girl puts on her special soft, high pitched, sing-song Princess voice. As soon as Hubby hears the voice he tries to scoot for cover because he knows that means a change of roles for him too because he becomes the Prince then. The Prince has to help Belle pick up her chair, get her toys from the other room, switch on the light in the toilet, help her clean up, do her puzzles.....sigh, yes!..... all the royal duties possible!!

A few days ago I realized I had no role to play in this daily routine. Crown Princess Belle deemed it fitting for me to be Snow White, who has practically nothing to do except watch the little drama. (But who's complaining? I wouldn't mind being Snow White every day of the week 24 x 7 if that means I get to sit on the couch and be a spectator.)

Oh and I forgot to mention Crown Princess Belle is terribly particular about one little aspect-everything she chooses must be yellow. Be it the paper she gets to color on in Sunday School, or the clips she wears in her hair (even if she's wearing a blue outfit or red.) or even if helping her Dad choose a nice color for a car, last month, at the car dealership. ( I know cringe, cringe!) In an event that the color yellow is not available as an option, we're all asked to pretend whatever color she chooses is yellow!

It's terribly cute to watch my Bunny girl transform into this Princess and cuter still to see her jabber 'Princess talk' to her loyal subjects (the dolls and her Dad...oops pardon me...the Prince.)

Since we're minus a camera (clumsy me dropped ours on the floor last week and the only pictures we get out of it now are blacked out ones...sob! We're still debating on repairing this one or getting a new one.) I had to find an apt picture and found one of Bunny girl that was taken when she had just turned a year old and yes she was wearing yellow in the picture. I guess she just had the 'Belle' in her even then!

Check out the Lovin' Belle post for more on the Belle factor.

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Is Couponing just too hard?

Sometimes it does seem like you just can't get to save hundreds like those other ladies in the store but guess what you can become a pro too!

Sign up for a free 10 week online couponing course that will help you nail couponing down to a tee. I've signed up and I'm very excited as I love to be frugal with my family's finances. Let me correct that a bit...I love to be frugal but what I love the most is to score profitable deals and coin the two together to be frugally profitable. (Check out my favorite frugally profitable post so far.)

My friend Nicole mentioned they will have us do homework assignments at stores like Walgreens and Target...what fun!!

Here's the link, sign up to learn how to be Frugally Profitable wherever you go.

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It's only in Macy's!

Are you an only Macy's kinda gal? Well this coupon's for you then.

10$ off 25$ coupon valid on June 19th (today) and 20th (tomorrow) only. The coupon can be used on items on sale and clearance too.

There's a bunch of exclusions so check to see what you want isn't on there and then go hit the store and paint it red!

(Thanks Hip2Save )

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Jun 18, 2009

Do you know where my Bunny comes from?

I absolutely love the little bunny on my template and she found her way there on our 7th wedding anniversary. She has wriggled her way onto my blog button too. I've had several people mail and ask where my unique and cute blog design comes from and I have directed these ladies onto the site but for everyone else wants to know the who the creative brain behind all this is, you really need to stop over at Template Mama's site.

Designing your blog can get to be quite pricey and when you are just starting off, getting a design that is unique and not so blogger-esque or wordpress-ish can get to be hard. When you blog hop it's even harder to see a bunch of other bloggers who have your site design too. I know we all want to be unique and I really think that's where my creative new friend at Template Mama comes in. The templates you see on her site are absolutely free and can be used without any further permission. It would be nice though to have her blog button on your site to link back to her and if you can, throw in a donation to help her work.

If you want something solely you (like I did) Template Mama will take on the challenge and patiently goes through each step till you are happy ( not satisfied but happy!)with your overall design.

Template Mama is a site worth visiting and when you are working with a tight budget for design, well, this is the site you need to see!

Thanks again T.M. for my anniversary prezzie...I love it!!

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Jun 17, 2009

Summertime reading

Here's my new version of Gershwin's Summertime. All together now, sing along.....

Summertime,its time to get our kids reading
There are reading programs, all around the town
Just read a few books and they'll see it's rewarding
And once summer is done, they'll still be reading all the time .

Ok, ok, I see the quick curtain call!

Jokes aside, I really love the summer reading programs as they encourage kids who don't regularly read to actually pick up a few books and read even if it's just to win a reward or two. Books grow on you. Over time, kids realize that reading can actually be fun and as the saying goes, a book can get to be their best friend.

So here are some of the summer reader programs out there. Click on the links for more information on how to enroll your kids.
  • Barnes and Noble - read 8 books and get a coupon for a free book from B & N. (May 26- September 7 2009)
  • Half Price books - kids (12 years and under) can earn a 3$ gift card every week for reading atleast 15 minutes every day of that week. If you stay close to a Half Price book store you can get upto 24$ in gift cards by the end of the promotion, if you started at the beginning of this month! (June 1- July 31 2009)The only hitch is you can only use one 3$ card per purchase.
  • Chuck E Cheese - click on the Reading rewards link to download the form. Your child will get 10 free tokens on submission of the form. (December 31 2009)
  • HEB - Read 10 books and send in your form to get a kids t-shirt, stickers, a certificate and some other cool stuff. (August 9 2009)
  • TD Bank - read 10 books, fill in the form and get 10$. (May 4- September 30 2009). Valid only in SE Florida, NY, NJ, DE and Washington DC.
  • Scholastic - a chance to win different sweepstakes.
  • Sylvan Learning- a reading motivation program for kids from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Kids read books from the list and earn points that can be redeemed for various prizes.
  • Pottery Barn Club- your child will need to attend 5 story sessions at a Pottery Barn book club and get a special gift at the end of the 5th session. (This isn't really a Summer reading program but something that is year round, every Tuesday from 11am-11.30am)
  • Reading is Fundamental (RIF) - log in reading minutes to collectively reach a goal of 5 million minutes read with kids. All participants are eligible to win a Disney World package, US Airways giftcards and books. (ends June 30 2009)
  • Check with your local library for more information on their summer program. (This varies from library to library)
Now with incentives like that, why wouldn't our kids want to read?

Check out an earlier post titled Read,read,read.

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Can buying fresh produce impact anyone's lives?

To answer the question...Sure! Buying fresh produce does impact the lives of every single member in your family. Eating fresh always equals staying healthy. In a day and age when instant meals, canned produce, frozen veggies are the norm, nothing works better for our systems than fresh produce.

I know you knew that! But did you know that your purchase of fresh produce can also impact the lives of children who are not as healthy? Produce for Kids helps you do just that.

What is Produce for Kids, you ask? It's an organization that works with local grocery stores and the produce industry to encourage families to eat healthy and at the same time donate a portion of your produce sales to local children's hospitals.

Stores like Publix, Meijer, Giant, Price chopper, Kroger and Acme have started working with Produce for Kids . So the next time you step into one of these stores, try and pick up some fresh produce that has a Produce for Kids sign. Remember not only does your family benefit but a portion of the money you spent on that produce will go towards helping a little child not as fortunate as yours. Lets make that difference in their lives.

Visit Produce for Kids for more information and while there you can get your kids to explore the Kids Only segment filled with fun activites to encourage them to 'Eat Smart for a Great Start!'

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Jun 16, 2009

7 years ago.....

7 years ago, on this date, it was pouring as if it would be a monsoon drenched day. A day filled with muddy puddles, gloom and you guessed it, more rain! The days preceding this day were chaotic, busy ones but ones that were yet exciting in their own way and at all times saturated with prayer.

I've always symbolized rain with Showers of Blessings from God and I guess it was God's special way of saying "Here I Am. I'm going to be with you every step of the way." But still rain on this day was errrr...just not in the plan! (If you are from India you will know that when the monsoons set in they are there to stay, no matter what your plan is!!)

But true to God's Promise of being a Prayer Answering God, He orchestrated sun beams to radiate through the cotton clouds. He cleared the dismal dark sky and brought brightness and warmth to that Sunday morning sky. He ordered every cloud to hold in each raindrop from the moment my car drove into the church courtyard till the last guest left the reception hall. He made sure we had a day that was graced by His Presence and filled with His joy.

Yes, 7 years ago, on this date I was walked down the aisle by my Grandfather's oldest brother. (My father went home to be with God a year before) This was an honor for me as I respect and adore my grand uncle tremendously.

7 years ago, on this date, we looked into each others eyes and committed to be a new family in the presence of God and our loved ones.

7 years ago, on this date we celebrated with friends and family and cut our lovely wedding cake to commemorate the start of a new life. Few seconds later, the top layer toppled down to the ground. Thankfully nobody noticed when my cousin hurried over and discretely placed it back onto the stand! ( Don't say eeeeeyeeewww, nobody ate that layer anyways.)

And here we are 7 years later, thankful to God for everything He has done in our lives. We haven't had a 7 year path of roses but thank God for those thorns. They've pricked us yes but they've also taught us and moulded us to be who we are today. Today we stand grateful to God when we count the many blessings He has given us- big and small, especially the best gift of all- our energetic lil Bunny girl.

Today we both can vouch 100%, that truly God has been mindful of us. ( Psalm 115:12 a)

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Jun 15, 2009

Frugal Profit Finds this week

There are a few deals out there that caught my eye and here they are...

1. 10$ off 25$ coupon for JC Penney

(Expires tomorrow June 16th though, so hurry onto JCP)....Father's Day gifts anyone?
(Thanks Hip2Save for this link)


2. The Huggies Target giftcard deal

Check the post here for more details.

If you sign up at the Caregiver's marketplace you can send in your receipt for the Caregiver's money back rebate. You can get back 0.75$ per pack of diapers. The rebate states you need to send in the form only after you pruchase a minimum of 5 eligible products from their list. (Products include Huggies diapers, Poise, Nature Plus, Cottonelle and more).

I just realized I've bought quite a few things off the list this year that can be sent in for a rebate and I never knew this could be done! The best thing about this rebate is the product can be eligible for rebate if it has been purchased in the year 2009.


3. Staples 1$ deals

Got this in my Staples preview ad via e-mail last week. Sign up for their newsletters and their Rewards program. You can earn Staples points when you purchase paper, recycle ink and more.
  • Staples 60 pack photo plus paper (4 x 6")-SKU 648177- priced at 9$ before rebate. After the Staples easy rebate, this will cost 1$ only. This offer is limited to 2 rebates per customer.
  • Crayola 24 pack crayons - 1$ (These are cheap but nothing compares to the prices during the Back to School sales!)
  • 6 pack Sharpie highlighters- 1$
  • 5 pack Pentall RSVP ballpoint pens- 1$
  • Swingline 8" scissors-priced at 6.99$ prior to this sale. Now priced at 1$.
  • Staples Accel 5.5 x 4.5" 200 paged book

4. Walgreens Hot deals this week
  • Buy 2 Oreo Cakesters/Chips Ahoy packs at 2.5$ each and receive a 3$ Register reward on checkout. (Making this 1$ a pack. Now if you can get your hands on 2 1$ off Oreo Cakester coupons from the this week's Smart Source you can get 2 free packs!)
  • Dry Idea deo at 99 cents a piece, after using the Walgreens ad coupon(available in-store). Turn this into an overage using the Dry Idea coupon from Coupons.com. Remember this not all Walgreens pass on overages to your customers, you will just need to test the deal and see. Thankfully both the Walgreens I use pass on the overages.
  • Free St Ives Body Wash- priced at 2.99$ each, this deal generates a 2.99$ Register reward at the counter. All these freebies make great giftbasket contents for Christmas, Baby showers and Get-togethers. (This deal gets sweeter if you have the 1.50$ off 1 coupon from the May 10th Smart Source)
  • Breyers icecream for 3.99$ plus get a free 2 litre bottle of A&W or Sunkist. (Use the Breyers 1$ off coupon that came in this week's Red Plum to get Icecream and soda for 2.99$)
There are more deals for this week. Check out this link at Hotcouponworld.


5. Dining deals
  • 5$ off the purchase of 2 adult entrees at Chilis. (This includes the 10 for under 7$ entrees)Click here to print this coupon. This expires on June 30 2009. Join the Chilis club to also get a coupon for Free Queso and Chips, when you dine there next.
  • 10$ off certificate for Dad (to be used on your next meal) when you go eat with him at Outback Steakhouse this Father's Day weekend.
  • Join Club Cantina at On the Border Mexican Grill and get a coupon for free bowl of Queso or a plate of Empanadas with your purchase of one entree.
  • Check on these sites for kids eat free meal deals. Link 1, 2 or 3. I prefer the first link (Kidsmealdeals.com) as its a little more comprehensive plus you can search based on where you are traveling during the holidays.

6. 2 for 1 Fandango Tickets for Visa Signature card holders

Click on this link to see if your Visa Signature card qualifies. This is a neat offer as this entitles the cardholder to avail of this Buy One Get One free ticket offer (of upto 13.50$ in ticket and convenience fees) once every month, till September 2010.


Hope this week is a frugally profitable one for you!

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Jun 14, 2009

Martha, Martha!

It's just one of those days...tons on the plate. I'm presently trying to seperate my Bunny Banter segment into a dedicated online journal through a new blog and keep this one for my Frugal Profiting Tips, Mommy Tips, Giveaways and my Strength booster-Reflections.

I'm being very ambitious starting the day early in an attempt to whip up a cooking storm, go to church, grocery shop, work on the blogs while Bunny girl naps, clean the house before our friends come over for dinner and...and.....and......

I can hear Hubby say this all over again, "Why do you want to do too much? Relax!"
And the standard response he gets is "But that's not me! I find it sooo hard to sit still in one place! I need to be doing something !!"

Sigh!...Thus frazzled and pooped!

As I type this out, I'm reminded of Isaiah 40:31


But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Those who wait.... I need to wait.

To all the Marthas out there, I know this is a hard lesson to learn but it's one you and I need to learn. We need to stop being busy little Marthas (Luke 10:38-40 **) and just apply those brakes to rest a while in His Presence. And when we arise, we will arise refreshed, rejuvenated and renewed in strength, joy and countenance.

I'm happy to trade in my Martha apron any day for Mary's....what about you?


** Scripture snippet - Luke 10:38-40
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."



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