Things that Made the Holidays Bright

It's a new year.  Unbelievable how quickly the time goes.  There's a lot going on and a lot coming up, but I want to take a few minutes to talk about how 2010 ended for us.

As a family, we spent the middle of December celebrating the holidays with extended family, attending the kids' winter program at school and generally just getting ready for Christmas.  As soon as the kids started their winter break, we packed the car and went to visit Grammy.

Aside from that, we had a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff for SAHM Reviews.  Primarily, the RAZ - Random Acts of Zhu program.  Cepia, LLC gave us 104 Zhu Zhu pets and Kung Zhu pets to distribute to charities of our choice here in the Quad Cities.  They didn't put restriction on who or where.  They didn't ask for photographs of the families or kids.  The only requirement was the commitment to deliver before Christmas and document it.  

So I did a little soul searching to determine who I wanted to deliver these to.  Kids at the hospital, shelters, who?  I contacted the Director of Religious Education at St. John Vianney Church here in Bettendorf, as well as a columnist at the Quad City Times to see if either of them could point me in the best direction.  The church responded with enough information to help me get these distributed to kids in need.

When I was discussing it with Jan Stevenson, who heads up the project for St. John Vianney, she explained that they have an Angel program where parishioners 'adopt' a person or family then work to fulfill their wish list.  Who do they serve?  That's the great part.  It's non-denominational.  350 individuals whose names where provided from various agencies.  Elementary students from high poverty areas that were referred by the Bettendorf Police Department.  Mental health individuals from Vera French.  Kids in various "Free lunch" programs. Humility of Mary homeless and transitional housing.  Moms and babies from TAPP (a school for pregnant teenagers).  As well as other random individuals who are referred. 

By donating to St. John Vianney, I would cover a wide range of families in need.  Perfect.  

As a bonus, St. John Vianney provided me with contact information for one other place I wanted to donate.  Didn't care where or how but I wanted to provide some of the Zhu Zhu and Kung Zhu toys to children who have parents deployed.  I was ultimately connected with Pat Kobelenske from the National Guard in Davenport.  He is a Family Assistance Specialist covering most of Eastern Iowa.  

So those were my choices and I set off to make my deliveries in time for the two programs to distribute them to their final destination.  Our entire family, as well as a neighbor, helped out with this.  DH and I discussed with the kids why it was so important to distribute these.  Why we weren't keeping ANY when they're so used to getting stuff to test out themselves.  We talked about how some kids don't have the necessities, let alone toys.  It was very inspirational to see my girls helping.  They helped send me on my way to make the deliveries.

First stop was St. John Vianney.  I already told you who they distribute to.  But I didn't tell you what.  Requested items range from toys to clothes to cleaning supplies.  Jan explained that one woman asked for feminine hygiene products and nothing else.  Can you imagine your Christmas wish list including only that? Well, they don't just put that in a box and mark it completed.  They include additional items like personal care products, cleaning products and other necessities.  

They were taking the Zhu Zhu pets and using them to ensure that each child received a toy... starting with the ones that specifically requested Zhu Zhu or Kung Zhu toys.  I was overwhelmed by the site of all those baskets, bags and boxes that had been compiled.  Made me truly thankful for all that I have.  A few days later, I met with the National Guard and learned more about their program and needs.

I put together a video telling the whole story.  Amazing.  Seriously.

Please take the time to watch the video and see how intense this project was.  And if you're inspired enough to want to assist with a giving-tree program in your area, contact a local church, shelter or the police department.  Chances are that someone will point you in the right direction.  In the meantime, be sure to stop by Facebook and Twitter to pat Cepia on the back for a promotion well done.

I'm proud to have been selected to be part of the 2010 Random Acts of Zhu promotion.  Amazing, I tell you.

Disclosure:  Cepia, LLC provided 104 Zhu Zhu and Kung Zhu pets to distribute. No compensation was received for this project other than the joy that came with each of the deliveries... and the realization that I was part of a very special promotion to help make the holidays merrier for so many kids.  All comments, photos, videos are my own.

No Wrapping Required

I'm certain that everyone can relate to the dilemma of the trivial gift exchange, the ornament exchange or the Secret Santa.  You know... extended family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, groups you belong to and more.  So many people try to keep it trivial as in "You can't spend more than $5" while others keep it simple by making it a white elephant exchange.  It's all stuff.

And while I appreciate that it is all about the thought, I'm trying to get out of the habit of acquiring stuff that I don't need.  I'm trying to change my mindset and get rid of things when I'm emotionally ready to do so.

So when a member of Collective Bias inquired if anyone wanted to do a Secret Santa or an Ornament Exchange, I politely declined.  Instead, I offered up an alternative.  How about a virtual exchange where we take a little time to get to know a fellow member and share a little about that person.  After all, it doesn't cost anything, doesn't need to be wrapped, doesn't require shipping, doesn't leave a carbon footprint and it doesn't add clutter to a closet.

One member coordinated it and assigned each of us a colleague.  I was lucky enough to draw Eliza of Home Mom 3 who I didn't realize was so diverse!  In addition to The Life of a Home Mom, she writes for Tom Cruise Watch and Sales Weekly both of which she started in 2008 and Babies in the News which is a little younger.

But how did she get her start and when?  Well, Eliza has been freelancing for years and put roots into her blog in 2005 when she logged on to tell about the gifts her daughter received for her birthday.  Her blog has evolved in the years since that to include everything from Wordless Wednesday photo posts to giveaways to more personal stories. 

Why did she start blogging?  Well, Eliza was the wife of a deployed soldier - making her fill the role of both mom and dad.  Her blog was a way to share their life from afar.  (BTW - Mr. HomeMom3, Thank you for all the years of service you gave to our country.)

I've known Eliza for quite a while.  If I recall correctly, she was among my first blog friends.  She's one of those bloggers who leaves comments because she feels moved to... because she cares... and not because she's trying to improve the stats on her own blog.  She's someone who is a friend of mine on Facebook that I actually enjoy chatting with!  And she's among the people I look forward to meeting in person someday.

In order to participate in this roast, we were asked for some tidbits about ourselves and Eliza shared that she's inspired by frogs.  Actually, she specifically said "I believe my "muse" is a 6ft tall frog, at the age of 26 I went out and got a tattoo of a frog on my right shoulder blade. He looks very much like the WB frog but in a jester's outfit."  Frogs have been her thing since she was a kid.  Good thing, because with all the leaping and jumping that she's had to do as the mom of 4 and military wife, she's needed the role model!

Merry Christmas, Eliza.  You're a great blogger and a wonderful person.  I'm proud to call you my colleague but even happier to call you my friend.

Are You Done Yet?

When I was in high school, my parents gave me the benefit of participating in Project Close Up.  Aside from the government related things that I expected to learn, I attained one valuable piece of etiquette.  As we prepared to eat one of the meals, I vaguely remember being told the proper way to indicate (for the servers) when we were done with our meal.

With this being a holiday weekend and a lot of people eating out or away from home, I thought it would be nice to share this. (Let's just hope I am remembering correctly.)

When you are done eating, place your knife on your plate, then cross the tip of the fork over the top of the knife, with the tines facing down.

More or less like I displayed in this picture... sometimes I end up with the handles a bit closer or off to the side.  It all depends on whether there is food in the way, of course.

After searching Google, I haven't been able to find any pictures online. I read some posts that indicated to cross the utensils when done and one post that said you place both utensils side by side on the plate to indicate you're done.  But no pictures. 

Crossing them is how I remember it and this is what I always do.  More often than not the server will either just take my plate away without interrupting my conversation or will say "Let me get that out of your way."  It's much nicer than hearing "Are you done with that?" or "Are you still working on that?"

First, I'm curious if servers are taught to watch for utensil placement. I would also love to hear if I have remembered it correctly all these years later!  And if I have... do they teach this any more?

Happy Easter!

Do you have a minute to spare?

Every once in a while, something comes along that has the potential to really make your day. Since I tend to spend a bit of time entering contests on various blogs, sometimes I win fun things like movie passes, gadgets or board games.

Well, tonight I found out that I'm a finalist to win a new HP TouchSmart computer from HighTechDad and HP. Just in time for Christmas, too. It's very exciting to be name one of 10 finalists. Yes, I have a 1 in 10 chance of winning. Sort of.

It's a popularity contest. The person with the most votes this Thursday at noon Pacific time will win. I hate popularity contests. But I feel like I have a great network of friends in the blogging community that can help me win. It only takes like a minute to click over and vote. There are no strings attached, you don't even have to leave your name. It's so easy that even a cave... (I hate those commercials but it just seems to fit here.)

So all that I'm asking is for you to Click here and vote. I'm #7 (SahmReviews)

...and hopefully, you'll spread the word to friends and have them vote too.

Thanks!

How to Repair a Trick-or-Treat Pumpkin

It's trick-or-treat time!  We own two orange pumpkins and one purple pumpkin.  After careful discussion, the girls mutually agreed that Miss M would use the purple pumpkin for last night's festivities and Miss K could use it tonight. 

...Except that Miss M managed to break the handle last night.  Both girls were disappointed.

So superdad, DH, promised to fix it so Miss K could use it tonight.

To the untrained eye, this is just a Halloween trick-or-treat pumpkin. No big deal, right?  Well... all you geeks out there will appreciate how DH fixed it!

(Yes, he created a handle out of Cat5 cable then crimped network ends to it to hold it in place.  If we need to hook up a computer while we're trick-or-treating, we're totally set.  Gotta love having a geek husband.)

Free for Des Moines Moms of Young Children

If you're a Des Moines area mom to a child who doesn't attend school in the afternoons, please keep reading. If you're not but know someone in the Des Moines area who is, please forward this link to them.

I've made a lot of great contacts as a result of my review blog, SahmReviews.com and I'm fortunate enough to find out about a lot of great events. Since SAHM Ramblings has local readers, I wanted to make sure to share this wonderful event sponsored by "got milk?" representatives for the Milk Mustache Campaign.

It's a sad fact that 2 out of 3 kids don't get enough calcium. But get this, kids who drink chocolate milk or other flavored milks have higher intakes of calcium than kids who don't. Duh. Chocolate milk tastes really good... I can't believe that all kids don't consume it! hehe Chocolate milk is offered as an option at my daughters' elementary school and they both often (or always) select chocolate milk to accompany their lunch.

Anyway, in an effort to raise awareness, the "got milk?" crews are on a 25 city Halloween tour around the nation. Des Moines is one of the select 25 cities celebrating this Halloween-themed event!  Here's what they sent me:

Event Activities:

• Receive quick tips on how to make this Halloween a safe and healthy one

• Snap celebrity-inspired chocolate Milk Mustache photos to take home as a souvenir

• Participate in Halloween activities and answer the latest “Twivia” question posted by @MilkMustache on Twitter for a chance to win fun prizes

• Taste and learn how to make fun Halloween-themed recipes

• Sample delicious and nutritious lowfat and fat free chocolate milk from local milk processors

• Interact with fun educational museum exhibits

Sound interesting?  Here are the specific details:

Date: Wednesday, October 7

Time: 12 - 2 p.m.

Location: Science Center of Iowa

401 West Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway

Des Moines, IA 50309

And it's free... Did I say that already?

If you think you'll be able to make it, please leave a comment or email me with your name and the number of people who will be attending with you.  My representative said if  I'm interested (or my readers) in attending, that she could bring along some goody bags especially for us!  She has also offered some prizes for me to give away on my blog, SahmReviews.com and I'll be sure to post a link when I get the contest details and prize photo posted.

This should be a fun event! Be sure to follow the Milk Mustache team on Twitter for information and a chance to win prizes or keep up on their tour by becoming their Fan on Facebook. You can also check out the Why milk? website

Don't forget to leave a comment or email me if you'll be attending the event! Not in Des Moines or can't make the event? Join the Halloween Twitter party on 10/13/09!

Knock, Knock. Nicole are you there? (Christmas 2008)

Me:  Hello?  Nicole?  Are you there?  I haven't seen you around.

Answering myself:  Ummm.  Yeah.  I think so.  What day is it?

Me:  It's Sunday.  That means the kids go back to school tomorrow.

Answering myself:  WooHoo! 

I was looking at my blog and didn't realize it has been forever since I posted.  The past few weeks have been crazy.  We decided to spend Christmas in Alabama this year so things were a little off kilter.  The last week of school was filled with volunteer stuff for both kids' schools, work at the church, school programs and parties and OMG a freakin' snow day.  Should have been called an ice day because we were covered in ice - not snow.  Trying to pack for the trip, take care of last minute stuff then have a snow day.  Wasn't what I had planned.

There was just enough of a reprieve in the weather for us to hit the road on Saturday the 20th.  We drove to Alabama - DH, myself, two kids and two dogs.  Was a long trip but well worth it.  While MIL was getting her grandgirl fix, I had planned on spending some time relaxing, shopping with DH, maybe hitting a movie, finishing my annual Christmas calendar presents and catching up on reviews for SAHM Reviews.  I had not gotten many posts done when DH insisted I step up the pace since after Christmas things would be too hectic to meet any deadlines that I had.

But we shopped and went out to eat and spent time with family... and I got in a review post here and there.  I have a few posts lined up for here but just haven't gotten to them (yet). 

Then Christmas morning, I opened up a package of nothing.  Literally, there was nothing but wrapping paper.  I turned the wrapping paper inside out to see my gift.  You can look up top to the URL and you can see it too... Written on the back side of the wrapping paper was a note.  DH registered my domains:  http://www.sahmramblings.com/ and http://www.sahmreviews.com/.  I am totally stoked.  That's the best package of air I have ever received.  It was literally the only thing I asked for as a gift. (Oh wait, I asked for a new Crock Pot too since my old slow cooker went kaput the week before we left.  My mom and dad got me a new one.)

From DH and the Alabama family, I received some clothes, a bath set, a bird feeder, a new set of cordless phones among other things.  I was happy with all of it and was once again totally satisfied with what Santa had delivered.  But THEN... After all the opening was done, DH handed me an envelope and said that everyone in the room knew about it except me.  I opened it to find a postcard that said "Merry Christmas. Pack up your stuff! We're leaving tomorrow morning for 4 days and 3 nights at this all-inclusive B and B in Destin, Florida!"  My MIL and BIL were going to take care of the kids and dogs while DH and I had some time alone.  (Then I understood why he was pushing me to get all my computer time in before Christmas!)

We left Friday morning for Henderson Park Inn and returned to Alabama on Monday.  In the middle, we enjoyed a few days of nothing but us.  We hadn't packed any shorts because DH knew that would lead to nothing but questions from me.  Freezing cold in Iowa, not freezing but certainly not warm in Alabama.  "Honey, why on earth do we need to pack shorts?"  Yeah, good call not to pack them.  Since we didn't have the kids, stopping by 15 stores to find shorts we liked wasn't a problem.  It was actually enjoyable and we found more than just shorts... and I typically hate shopping for clothes.  Once we had the shorts in hand, we headed back to change and walked on the beach for at least an hour and a half.  Ahhh, it was so relaxing, so nice, so not-freezing-cold-Iowa.  And it was just us.  (Can you see me smiling from ear to ear?)  Four days and three nights of going out to dinner, a movie, shopping, walking on the beach and relaxing.  All sans kids.  We even played checkers on a giant checker board during the B and B's happy hour.  It was absolutely wonderful.

Spending time with DH alone was awesome.  Despite the fact that we're together at home all the time, we really don't have that kind of quality time.  I can't remember the last time he had me laughing as much as he did this past month.  The B and B was a total surprise - I don't know how he managed to pull it off without me knowing.  Yeah, he's good at stuff like that.  No, I'm not planning on sharing him but I will be happy to set up seminars for him to teach other DH's all his Christmas surprise tricks.

2008 was a rough year with DH and I each losing a grandmother and an uncle.  With the stock market making life miserable for us and many others.  With us feeling like "if it could go wrong, it did".  But thanks to DH, we rolled out 2008 on a great note and I'm enjoying starting 2009 fresh and happy. 

Thanks to MIL and BIL for their parts in coordinating this special Christmas gift.  But most of all, thanks, DH, for being you.  For being wonderful.  For being my best friend and true love.  I couldn't ask for more.

Best Christmas Presents - The Other Side

Yesterday, as part of a contest at The Present Professor, I posted about one of my best Christmas presents - a lesson learned. But I have to admit that the material side of me is aching to tell one of the best stories ever. And since it will haunt my brain until I type it up, I just need to do it. As I said in my contest post, I've been blessed with a wonderful husband that tends to buy me the things he thinks I would want.

When we first moved to California from Iowa, DH moved in September and I followed at Thanksgiving. I wanted to get used to being there so we agreed that I wouldn't look for work until after the first of the year. I spent my days basking in the non-snow weather, watching Los Angeles TV shows, surfing the internet, swimming in the apartment pool and using the apartment gym, walking the mile to the downtown shops, having coffee at the downtown coffee shop, going to the small grocery store and even played bingo at the center once. We only had one car so I was limited on where I could go, but I was okay with that. It was a new place, new things to do, an entirely new life.

The plan was for me to start looking for a job after the first of the year. In December, we stopped by some car dealerships to test drive a few cars to get some idea of what I might want to own. I didn't really have a preference as long is it was trustworthy and had lots of gadgets, compartments and pockets.

On Christmas morning, I received an awesome Christmas gift - a video camera. It was one of the first presents DH had me unwrap because he wanted me to be able to record our first California Christmas. One of the last presents I opened was a set of keys. Video camera in-hand, DH walked me out to the parking lot. There, in our carport was a Pontiac Bonneville... with a giant red bow on the top. It was an absolute dream; a car as a Christmas present. And the bow? I had always commented that those giant bows were the coolest and DH remembered that. So he told the salesman when he bought the car that it needed to have a giant red bow.

What made this extra special is that DH had managed to pick out the car, make the arrangements for the loan, get the car delivered and the keys under the tree - all without me having the slightest clue. He's quite a guy, let me tell you. In reality, I should have posted this story for the contest, but I didn't want to seem shallow. It wasn't the fact that he got me a car for Christmas that was great... it was the fact that he cared enough to make the holiday perfect.

One Photographer. One Gold Digger.

We went a different route this year for the 4th and headed to a small festival near where the fireworks would be on display. Typically, we go to a large open area a few blocks further outside the worst of the chaos-zone but this year I suggested we try something new.

By 7:30 when we arrived, they were already shutting down all the bouncers and other kids activities. Since there wasn't anything for the girls to do, we pulled out our blanket and chairs and set up camp with two hours to go before the fireworks would begin. I had not brought anything for the kids to do since I figured we would be killing time at the festival. They entertained themselves for the most part, but when Miss M asked if she could take a picture with my camera, I said "okay." After a few botched shots, she actually pulled off a good one.On the flip side... The other night at dinner, DH decided to have a conversation with the girls about what they could be when they grow up. Astronaut, doctor, judge, banker. He would say something in-between bites and the girls would ask what "that" was. He would explain it and they would respond whether it sounded good or not. I apparently appeared to be spacing off and in true jokester fashion, in an attempt to see if I was paying attention inserted "Gold Digger" into the list. Yes, I was listening and no, milk did not come out of my nose. Miss K asked "What's that?" to which he replied "Someone who digs in the ground and finds gold and jewels." "Oooh! I want to be THAT. What was it called?" So he repeated it and so did she. At bedtime that night, she reiterated that she wanted to be a gold digger when she grew up and dig jewelry and gold out of the ground. The following day, she proudly told me AGAIN. Followed by the desire to tell her Grandmas about her new found interest. Since she is going to be seeing one Grandma tomorrow and the other in a few weeks, I figured I better be proactive about the story!

Think I'll go charge the battery in the metal detector so she can start practicing.

Buy A Pillow, Get a Storage Bag

A few weeks ago while at TJ Maxx, I finally broke down and bought a new set of pillows for our master bed. I love them, I was just too cheap to get new ones when the prior pillows lost all their umph.

I put them on the bed after buying them, but kept the zipper bags that they came in - just in case I decided something was wrong with them and I wanted to return them. Since I'm such a good housekeeper, they continued to sit on the floor until today. When I picked them up to figure out what to do with them, I realized they were about "yay" long - pretty close to the same size as a roll of gift wrap. Completely curious if this pillow holder was destined for the holiday stack, I headed to the basement and pulled the gift wrap off the top shelf. Sure enough, I was able to fit all the rolls we had on the shelf in the bag and still have room for several more.

Then I realized that whenever I get some kind of household item that comes in one of those heavy duty zipper bags, I always manage to find a use for the bag!

Back on Track at the Gym

When we signed up at the gym a year and a half ago, I never expected it to last. I signed up because I was tired of being overweight and out of shape. As I mentioned in a previous post, the weight gained as a result of having undiagnosed hypothyroidism, umpteen years of varying levels of infertility treatments, pregnancy (thankfully) and related chaos, had just become too much for me. I was unhappy and I figured the gym was a good starting point. Even if I only stuck with it a short time, I had decided that every minute I was at the gym was better than an equivalent minute sitting on my tail side watching TV or vegging at the computer. It was also a better alternative than snacking on something in hopes of feeling better. What I discovered is that exercising actually makes me feel better and my time at the gym has become exactly that, my time.

But with the holidays, things got hectic (preaching to the choir, I'm sure). I helped in the classroom or shuttled kids for a field trip. I needed to get Christmas stuff done or stayed up too late watching a movie. Oh yeah, there was also a spell of really crappy Iowa weather that made me want to stay in bed all day. What resulted was a two week hiatus that, surprisingly, frustrated me. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but who would have ever expected that to hold true for something like working out at the gym?

Today was my first day back since a week before Christmas and I couldn't be happier. It was a difficult workout, as usual, but that's the way I like it. Leah, the instructor, encourages us to work at our own pace… whatever that may be. I worked as hard as I could without overdoing it.

Even after a year and a half, I'm still out of shape but at least I have some muscle-tone now. I feel better about myself and have realized that the scale doesn't tell the whole story. I also am stronger and more confident than before and must be emitting that vibe. For the first time in I don't know how long, (maybe ever) my brother didn't make any attempt to steal my garlic bread at this year's Christmas dinner.

Comparing Christmas Parties

My dad has several siblings so I grew up around a lot of my uncles, aunts and cousins. The annual Christmas get together has been a family thing for my entire life, encompassing any relative who dared to be there. It's one of those events that I missed while we were away, but would attend whenever I would spend the holiday back in Iowa. It's typically the Saturday before Christmas which translates to… during winter. We lived in California for a long time. So for us, the drama surrounding the party is all about the weather.

Here are sample clips of conversations DH and I had regarding my family's Christmas party (which happened to be last night):

A few days before:
DH: Have you checked the weather? Supposed to be a storm front coming through Saturday evening. Just in time for the party.
Me: Lovely. Think we'll be able to make it?
DH: Yeah, but we might want to pack a change of clothes in case the roads are really bad and we need to stay at your folks' house.
Me: I guess. The dogs will be inside though so I would rather we get back home.

The morning of the party:
DH: The weather reports say we're going to have freezing rain. The roads will be getting icy around 8:30.
Me: Ok, we'll let everyone know we need to be on the roads to head home by 8:30.

At the party:
Me: They said it's getting slick outside, we need to get moving.
We head outside only to find the van covered in ice. We don't have a remote start, so the girls and I sat in the van while the defroster did it's magic and DH scraped the windows.

On the drive home (at 45 mph maximum):
DH: Can you find a road report on the radio?
Radio: Driving is not recommended. Roads are getting slick. Tow services are restricted on the following major roadways (then he listed about 50).
Me: No tow service on the roads? That doesn't make sense.
DH: Nice salt caked van we have now.
Me: Yeah, I see the salt truck right up there. I need to get it in for a wash.

When we got home:
Me (calling my folks): Just calling to let you know we made it home safely. Figured mom was worried.
Dad: She was. Roads were okay, but are getting bad now. Thanks for calling to let us know.

In contrast – Here was the typical conversation for our Los Angeles Christmas parties.
Me: You ready to go?
DH: Yeah. I already let the dogs out into the yard.

Justifiable Bah Humbugism

Historically, Christmas hasn't exactly been my favorite time of year – after spending several years in California hoping that some relative would decide to spend Christmas with us, I finally came to the realization that it was a hopeless request. Making matters worse was the fact that on more than one occasion, gifts from distant relatives didn't even make it to us in time for Christmas. There were some years that no decorations other than the tree ever went up and a few years that the Christmas tree didn't even go up until late Christmas Eve. Fertility treatments had continuously been unsuccessful so holidays were just about the two of us. Thankfully, each Christmas morning, hubby always found a way to make me happy – coming up with the perfect gift, year after year and creating traditions of our own.

Six years ago today, I actually found a reason to wake up with a great deal of excitement. After many years of trying, we had made some changes to my fertility treatments and I finally had a glimmer of hope – just in time for the holidays. It was a chaotic morning because I needed to be at the lab by a certain time to ensure that the lab results would be back to my doctor before she headed off for the holiday weekend. It was imperative that I hear the news that afternoon… we were scheduled to leave on a cruise the following morning and I wanted to know whether I was going to be gleefully enjoying virgin daiquiris by the pool or drowning my sorrows in whatever alcohol I could get my hands on. So when my father-in-law called for our Friday ritual-sharing of yard sale successes, I only talked to him for a short while before explaining that I needed to go. I didn't want to divulge where I was heading because I wanted it to be a surprise if the results came back positive. Promising to talk to him later, I somewhat abruptly excused myself so I wouldn't miss the morning deadline at the lab.

That afternoon, the phone call I received was not what I expected. My mother-in-law called to inform me that my FIL had suffered a heart attack. In the haze of our grief, I don't recall whether the doctor even called – it just didn't matter at that point. It was destined to be a difficult holiday on all fronts.

With regard to the fertility treatments, we took off a few months in order to deal with our loss. We found out we were pregnant with our first child, Miss M, the day in-between my FIL's birthday and his anniversary, just six months after his passing.

To this day, the holidays have an aura of sorrow about them. At least with children now, I look forward to seeing their faces when they wake up to see what Santa has left behind and my wonderful DH still manages to make Christmas a special day for me, as well. I've been able to justify being a grump around the holidays in the past, but I really can't do that much longer...

Saving at Christmas – Part V

November 6, 2007 Tip: Cash Back or Rebate Websites
November 8, 2007 Tip: Price Guarantees and Price Protection
November 11, 2007 Tip: Retailer Loyalty Programs
December 8, 2007 Tip: Home Spun Gifts (Intro)

Today's Tip: Home Spun Gifts (continued)

I don't know about everyone else, but it seems that I am never finished with gift giving. At the last minute, I always realize that I forgot someone – a teacher, neighbor, coworker or secret Santa. Black Friday is behind us so it's time to complete the gift to-do list while managing to stay within the Christmas budget. It's completely possible with a little creativity. The following are some examples of ways to stretch your budget while simultaneously giving a unique gift.

Personalized Calendars: When I got married, MIL used to create calendars for every family. She used store-bought calendars, but took the time to add all the family birthdays and anniversaries to each calendar. When I would turn to my birthday month, I would be greeted with "Happy Birthday, Nicole!" instead of an empty white square. She passed down that tradition to me when I said I was ready for it. (Yes, she asked first.) It sounds like a simple idea, but I loved the personal sentiment (and the reminders of other people's birthdays!) When I started doing it, I purchased inexpensive calendars at dollar or discount stores, then put a lot of thought into each one. Think of it as mini-scrapbooking.

Greeting Card Baskets: Another MIL-inspired gift. Fill a box or basket with a variety of greeting cards (can be found very inexpensively at dollar and discount stores). Get a few of each kind of card – birthday, holiday, get well, thinking of you, congratulations, etc. In addition, pick up several different blank cards along with one sympathy card. Top off the packet with a book of stamps (non-holiday). This is a great gift for an elderly relative or someone who doesn't have the time/opportunity to get to a store when they need a last-minute card of some sort.

Cooking:
Stock the Freezer: My brother is single and not one to cook. So each year, my mom gives him a gift of food. Usually a membership in her very own "Burrito of the month club". She hand makes burritos for freezing then each month restocks his supply.
Feed the crew: For my other brother and SIL, she gives a "Dinner Party" for them and a few of their friends. My mom and dad create a full dinner at my parents' home and take care of all the arrangements. My parents eat before the guests arrive, then the dinner is just for the guests with my parents acting as restaurant servers. No cooking or cleaning required for the recipient.
Recipe cards: One year, I requested from family members a recipe of the month. Not the typical Betty Crocker recipe either. I wanted a family recipe hand written on a recipe card… a new one each month. It was a nice way to stock my recipe box with recipes that were family favorites as DH and I grew up.
Baked/Canned Goods: It may be cliché, but it's still a great gift. If you have a garden and can your extras, consider giving that as a gift. My mom cans homemade salsa and freezes zucchini bread. For the holidays, she wraps them nicely for a wonderful, thoughtful and inexpensive gift. A friend of mine does jams/jellies and other preserves from her garden. A friend of my mom's made a loaf of pumpkin bread for her neighbor. The recipe she used was from her neighbor's aunt – so it had special significance.
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix: This is a popular one and very easy! During the holidays, you can find a variety of powdered coffee creamer flavors that aren't around during the rest of the year.

Gift some of your knowledge: If you're a great cook, crafter, scrapbooker, whatever – give lessons to people who really appreciate your talent. Teach someone by example. Help them prepare an anniversary meal, crochet a baby blanket, assemble a special page in a scrapbook, etc. You could even make up kits containing the basic items for learning a particular craft/trade, including a hand-written message of your intent to teach them.

Gift some of your time: Create "chore" coupons to be redeemed at a future time. Examples might be household chores, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, babysitting or dog sitting service, household or automobile repairs. Dog sit for a neighbor so they can save kennel expenses during a short getaway. Assist a friend who is planning to remodel/repaint so the job can be completed quicker.

Heirlooms: If there is a particular item that has been in the family for quite a while and a family member always comments on how much they like it – consider gifting it to them. I told my mom that I would be happy to receive hand-me-downs from my grandmother. She recently gave me two doilies that belonged to my great-grandmother. In the past, I have received candy dishes or trinkets. My MIL gave me some items that belonged to my late FIL and they mean the world to me. I value these things far more than anything that could be acquired from a retailer.

In hindsight, my mom was a good influence of this type of gifting as I grew up. When I was in grade school, she used to bake a lot for Christmas. Not just cookies or brownies either. She did peanut brittle, divinity, maples and all sorts of other fancy goodies. She would purchase deep-dish decorative plates and load them up for each of our teachers. I was child number three and I distinctly recall a few teachers commenting on the fact that they looked forward to my mom's usual gift. My mother-in-law has always been very creative in this way also. A special thanks to Nyssa and Lori for their contributions.

I hope that something strikes a chord or inspires your creativity.

If you have other great ideas, please post them in the comments!

Saving at Christmas – Part IV

November 6, 2007 Tip: Cash Back or Rebate Websites
November 8, 2007 Tip: Price Guarantees and Price Protection
November 11, 2007 Tip: Retailer Loyalty Programs

Today's Tip: Home Spun Gifts

I'm one of those people who tries to put a lot of thought into the gifts I give. Several years ago, Todd Wilbur started showing up on talk shows demonstrating how to make Twinkies. He made it look so easy that I decided to purchase a copy of his Top Secret Recipe Book. Inside that book is a recipe for Kahlua, one of my all-time favorites. It's also a favorite of several members of my family. I purchased a bunch of Grolsch Beer Bottles (look those up on eBay, they're pretty cool) at a yard sale and brewed up some homemade Kahlua. As another example, when my first nephew was just a baby, DH and I created a giant stocking – big enough for him to sleep in for more than a few years. Back in the day when I had time to be creative, I put a lot of effort into Christmas.

Being a stay-at-home-mom doesn't mean automatic membership in the craftastic club. I am about as adept at crafting as… let's just say I don't do glue-gun related crafts when the kids are around because I swear every time I burn my fingers. When I was young, my mom taught me to sew, crochet, cross stitch, and embroider, among other things. Unfortunately, I don't do any of that these days so I lost my confidence about it. It may be like riding a bike where you get the hang once you start. It's just a matter of pulling the bike down from the rafters to even consider trying. A very encouraging friend sent me an early Christmas gift, a cross stitch pack to reintroduce me to it. I hate to admit that I haven't tried to tackle it yet because I'm completely intimidated.

So that brings me to my next post about saving at Christmas. Home spun gifts. I'm not talking about Martha Stewart inspired stuff – simply giving a gift from the heart instead of the pocketbook. It's what could be termed the Little House on the Prairie Christmas. Long gone are the days of referring to it as a Walton Christmas because these days, when people hear "Walton" they think Sam and not John Boy. It is my hope that by providing some samples and ideas of what some people do, you'll be able to be inspired to be creative, in lieu of giving the month's paychecks to retailers.

A few friends have contributed quite a few ideas and if I post it all at once, you might get bored! Stay tuned...!

Saving at Christmas – Part III

I'm still bouncing around a few ideas about which subject to cover next… ah, so much to say…
November 6, 2007 Tip: Cash Back or Rebate Websites
November 8, 2007 Tip: Price Guarantees and Price Protection

Today's Tip: Retailer Loyalty Programs

I hate it when I'm trying to check out at a store and they ask me if I'm interested in opening a store credit card account. If I wanted to open a credit card account with the store, I would have grabbed one of the flyers sitting by the register. Pfft. But every so often, a retailer catches me off guard with the "Apply today and take an extra 10% off your order." Depending on how much I'm spending, that can be tempting. If you plan to spend a hefty amount at any store, be sure to look into their credit card and loyalty programs ahead of time. While I'm not a fan of opening credit card accounts on a whim, I do find great value in loyalty programs.

You already have a lot of exposure to loyalty programs… Airline frequent flyer miles are an example of a type of reward program. As are supermarket/drugstore cards, casino club cards and hotel priority club cards. This is a tool that many retailers utilize to reward their frequent shoppers.

How it works: Typically, a customer earns points for each dollar spent at the store. Points are accumulated and later cashed in for gift certificates to the store. In some cases (like grocery or drugstore), it requires membership to take advantage of a special price. Member-only coupons are often sent out as well. One of my favorite loyalty programs is the Best Buy Reward Zone. I receive coupons in the mail from Best Buy so if I'm in the market for something, I factor that in when determining the best place to purchase the item. For each purchase made, points are accumulated which ultimately translate into gift certificates. Sometimes there are promotions offering double points on specific products; making the trip to your gift certificate goal much shorter. There are tons of free programs out there covering a wide variety of retail sectors - like Staples, Borders, Dick's Sporting Goods and American Eagle. If you shop somewhere often, even if it's just a local merchant, ask if they have a loyalty program.

Some of the programs are stand alone but others are tied to a credit card. I have no problem applying for a free card as long as is unassociated with applying for credit. Never apply for a credit card just because you think you'll reap the benefits of the reward program – make sure you really want their credit card! If it's somewhere you shop often and would have opened a credit card anyway, then the loyalty program that comes along with it is a bonus.

Everyone hates spam, but if a store regularly emails coupons, it's worth wading through some junk. Check out the email signups with your favorite retailer - sometimes just providing your email will land you some coupons that you wouldn't otherwise have. I have an email account set up specifically for these types of registrations so I have some control over the spam landing in my in box.

While these reward programs won't necessarily help you in your quest to save money before Christmas, the points will add up and provide some opportunities for later savings. Just think – you'll be able to use those gift certificates for birthday gifts in the new year or even a little something for yourself.

The Mint Chocolate Milk Mustache

I totally expect to see Eggnog showing up in the grocery store around the holidays each year. It's just a sign that Christmas is coming. But the other day I found chocolate mint milk and chocolate cherry milk. Seeing as I have a total weakness for mint/chocolate anything, I just didn't have the willpower to resist spending $2 on a quart of Swiss Valley Mint Chocolate Milk. For anyone who has tried a grasshopper (you know, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, ice cream) – that's what this tasted like. It was delicious. The grocer said the Swiss Valley Cherry Chocolate one tastes like a melted chocolate covered cherry… that's pretty tempting too since one of my favorite milk shakes is Cherry Bon Bon.

DH let Miss K give it a try and her response was "It tastes like mommy's Pop Tart!" Yes, I often stash mint chocolate chip Pop Tarts in the freezer. It's a weakness, I tell you. Anyway… Until the quart was gone, each time we asked Miss K what she wanted to drink, she said "Mommy's favorite milk." Between the two of us, the quart had a shelf life of exactly two days.

In this morning's coupon section of the paper, I noticed Prairie Farms offering the same two varieties, along with Pumpkin Spice. How many years have these been around that I've totally missed out?!!! I need to get rid of that rock that I've been under!

Saving at Christmas – Part II

Ever since I started typing up Part I of the Saving Money at Christmas series of posts, my head has been spinning with ideas. What should I write about next? Wow, so many ideas…
November 6, 2007 Tip: Cash Back or Rebate Websites

Today's Tip: Price Guarantees and Price Matches

Have you ever gone out shopping, found the perfect item and made the purchase only to find it on sale elsewhere or at the same store...a week later? If you're like me, you get frustrated for not being better prepared. What do you do - kick yourself for buying it early? Return it and repurchase it at the discounted price? Or do you just stop looking at the advertisements once you make the purchase because once it's done you just don't care?

If you are stretching your dollars, you have as much work to do after the purchase as you did (or should have done) before. A price guarantee (aka price protection) means that the retailer will refund you the difference if the item goes on sale within their designated period. Most retailers have price guarantees to ensure that you get the best price available. Essentially, they save you the trouble of returning the item and buying it back at the sale price. You know... less paperwork for them with happier money-saving customers to boot. Better yet, a price match is when the retailer will honor competitor advertisements on identical items. While some retailers price match competitor sales, others only honor their own. If you can work the two policies together, you could end up with some unexpected savings. Do your homework and keep an eye on the advertisements for all stores. Most places price match competitor ads if you ask!

If you're planning a big ticket purchase, it would behoove you to find out what the retailers' policies are. Consider making your purchase at the retailer that has the best price match and price guarantee policies so you can take advantage of additional promotions and sales prices as long as possible after your purchase. As an example, some retailers have price guarantees as long as 90 days with others are as short as one week. Some offer just the money back for a price match while others give an additional 10% of the difference.

I recall years ago my mom purchasing bread machines for each of us for Christmas. She bought them extremely early and watched as the price continued to drop as Christmas approached. With each drop, she ventured back to the store for a refund. I'm not positive, but I believe she went back a total of three times! So don't think that once you get a matched price, you're done. You're not. Until the time limit is up (varies by store but is usually 30 days), you can continue to work the discounts.

Afraid you'll miss out on catching the price guarantee? Subscribe to a free service like Price Protectr. I can't really say "like priceprotectr" because that's the only one I'm aware of that offers such a service for multiple retailers. RefundPlease currently offers this type of service only for Amazon purchases and AmazingRefund provides this service for Amazon purchases you make through their website. I only recently found out about priceprotectr and have not had an opportunity to utilize it yet. Yet. With priceprotectr, you log on and provide details on the item you purchased. They notify you when the price of that item drops and provide details on how you can get the refund. They used to only do online purchases, but they have extended it to store purchases also for some of their retailers. The only downside is that it currently only watches for the item to go on sale at the same place you purchased it – you'll still need to check competitor ads to take advantage of price match programs.

Basically, to get the most bang for your buck, you need to do your homework before the purchase. Then you need to continue to monitor it afterwards to take advantage of any price guarantees or price matches that the retailer offers! Incorporating the price guarantees and price matches into your shopping plans also allows you to get your shopping done a little earlier before the items are gone from the shelves! Good luck and happy shopping!

Saving Money on Christmas Shopping

With Christmas just around the corner and Christmas shopping getting underway, I thought I might share some of my favorite money saving tips. I don't claim to be an expert on the subject, but since trolling freebie forums and deal websites is a daily hobby of mine, I feel that I have something to offer. Even if only one person manages to make use of information from my blog, I'll consider it a success. All I ask is that you post a comment letting me know if you were able to utilize any of it!

Today's Tip: Cash Back or Rebate websites.

There are a lot of different ways to be savvy when you're shopping. In this post, I'll be focusing on rebates from online purchases. I'm certain I lost some people with the word 'rebate' because the first thought that comes to mind is clipping UPCs and mailing them in. There will be no clipping involved in these rebate programs.

As many people are aware, several credit card companies, such as Discover, offer cash back programs. What a lot of people don't realize is that if you click thru the credit card's website, you can get additional cash back bonuses. As an example, online purchases with Barnes & Noble get a 10% Cash back Bonus when the purchase is initiated through Discover's website. Depending on what level of cash back your card offers, clicking through the website could mean substantial savings above what you would typically receive for the purchase alone.

As an alternative, if you're planning on doing a lot of online shopping, it might be worth it to check out Ebates. There are several online retailers listed (upwards of 800 at the moment) – each with a designated Ebate Cash Back percentage along with coupon codes for additional discounts. Starting at Ebates, click through their link to a designated retailer. Once on the retailer's website, purchases are made in the exact same manner as if you went directly to the retailer's website. The only difference is that there is a trackback on your purchase. Ebates credits your account for the qualifying purchase and you can request your rebate payment via check or Paypal. Back to the Barnes & Noble example, you can click through Ebates to earn 4% Cash Back plus find coupons for things like free shipping. As a bonus, each day the folks at Ebates double the Cash Back percentage on one of their top sites (like Target.com as it happens to be as I write this post). Keep in mind that these rebates are in addition to cash back bonuses offered by your credit card. There are a variety of websites offering these types of rebate programs, Ebates and FatWallet are the two I am most familiar with. As a heads-up, Ebates is running a referral promotion where if you sign up through the link I provided, you'll receive $5 in Cash Back.

When I'm ready to make a purchase, what I typically do is go directly to a site to determine what kind of promotion I can get and what my final purchase price would be. Then I go thru one a few different online rebate sites or my credit card site to figure out the final price and calculate what the rebate would be. I also check out other coupon websites to see if there are possibly better coupons available, but that's a subject for another post. Whichever site offers the most benefit gets my click-thru for the purchase. I'm loyal to a few different programs, but am not afraid to jump between sites to find the best offer on a case by case basis. It might not be a huge savings, but as I have said before - Every penny counts in my book and the savings add up.

Busted by My 4 Year Old

After continuously trying to get the kids upstairs to get their pajamas on, I finally race them up the stairs then send them on their way. After getting her PJ's on, my 4 year old proclaims she is hungry and comes back downstairs. I sent her away with one of our typical bedtime snacks, a piece of cheese.

After she walked away, I raided the pumpkin and landed a mini Snickers bar. Just what I needed after a very hectic day. Perfect for a quick break before our bedtime ritual of brushing teeth, reading, singing then ultimately, tucking them in. I tore open the Snickers when a voice from around the corner asks:

"Are you eating candy?"

"Um, No."

"I heeaaarr it."

Hard to enjoy a Snickers when you're laughing so hard you're spitting it out. I was so busted.