Rainy Days and Mondays always make me...

Want to organize and clean my house!!!

No really they do!

I am lucky that I am a Stay at Home Mom and have these days to devote to cleaning and organizing but I know so so many of you are not. That is the one thing I hear the most "You have such productive days because you stay home all day while we all are at work". Trust me it hasn't always been this way! It took me many years (and both kids to be in school) before I could get myself together and organized (an I have not always been a stay at home mom either!) but I have finally got myself into a nice little routine!

Today I am going to share a modified version of my routine that will help all you busy Mommas live clutter free!! This is a process and not an overnight miracle so bear with it and most importantly don't get discouraged!!!

First thing first is to get the house in order!! I would start by doing this in zones (zones is something you will hear me talk a lot about).

The Fly Lady talks a lot about getting your house in order slowly but steadily and I like a lot of the tings she says. I would recommend the first night just clean the kitchen and nothing else! I mean REALLY clean! Don't just put the dishes away and sweep up. Clean out the fridge and make it shine!! Your kitchen will look and smell great!! Your Kitchen will be zone 1

The next night all you will have to do is wipe down counters and do the dishes (or have the kids do them!) in zone 1 and you can work on zone 2 (the bathrooms!!) by day 3 you have zone 1 and 2 basically clean and you can go onto zone 3 (living areas) etc etc.

By the End of the week you will have a clean house!! Then everyday M-F you will assign a zone to a day and just surface clean the rest! Once you have done this for a few weeks it will get easier and easier as you go and take less and less time! If you have kids assign them each a zone to surface clean! My kids have their jobs (dishes and trash) as well as picking up their own toys and junk so I have time to quickly clean my zones! Since my children are still younger I do not assign them their own zone yet but I encourage each of you with older kids to do so!! Give Suzie the kitchen, Sam the Bathrooms, and George the living areas! Make these their jobs and have them surface clean daily and really clean, mop, vacuum, dust once a week!

My kids know that if their jobs and homework are not done they can not go out and play or go to activities! They do homework when they first get home and then chores (unless dishes are on the list for them that day then they can wait til after dinner) This teaches responsibility and structure as well as helping me keep the house clean!! If you are having your kids help and assigning chores then a good thing is a weekly schedule and a check list! Write each person name down the piece of paper and what zone they have and then across the top write M-F everyday have them check their zone off! This shows you that it was done when you get home from work and also the checking makes the person feel accomplished :)

Once you get this routine down then cleaning should only take about 20 minutes daily!! As I said this takes time to get in the routine and does not happen over night! If you are getting your kids involved it is like retraining them and this could be hard (especially for teenagers!) but it can be done with patience and love :)


Another time saver is making a menu! Weekly or monthly menus work great! Think like the school lunch menu calenders you get from school... My kids love them! They go look at it daily and know what is going to be ,ade that day and what to look forward to (or know they want mom to make lunch that day!) If you make one of those for your house it saves time energy and money!!

Just think no more "What's for Dinner..." I do this and it help ion so many ways! I already know each day ahead of time and can prep the night before and it helps with the grocery bill so that I am not paying for food that will go bad because I buy it hoping I will make it! The kids love it too! Each day my daughter looks at the menu the night before and will say "when I wake up I will put my clothes on, have (X) for breakfast and then I
will get brush my teeth and go to school and then tomorrow night we are having (X) for dinner!!!" This is exciting for her because she feel she has some control and security in her 6 year old life!

Since doing this I have saved so much time and money on the infamous "whats for dinner" question and has been great for my family!!



So now you have a clean house and you know what's for dinner so now all you have to do is figure out when and where that away game is... You knew you had that paper somewhere....

That brings me to the second to last thing I am going to touch upon:

Family organizational binders!!

Every family should have one (and if you have small kids two but I will get into that in a bit!)

Start out with a three ring binder (preferably a big thick one) and lots of tab dividers!

I would start by making an out line first (yes this will be a lot like writing a term paper) Start out with the main categories and then go down to sub categories (for example since everyone's will be different depending on your own family and needs...)

1. Basic Family Info
2. Calenders, Schedules, and Activites
3. Finances
4. Shopping Lists

Then from there do sub categories:

Basic Family Info:

With this section I have a second binder with only this info for babysitters! This way they have all the info they need without them seeing our personal info as well!

I start out with a section of emergency contact numbers (911, management company, Drs, local hospitals, etc etc as well as our cell phones and family members to contact if someone can not get a hold of us) Plus our physical address and directions to our house if 911 needs to be called. Also any house rules or chores they need to do before they get privileges!

I then have a section for each family member listing all allergies and or medical conditions and anything people may need to know if there is an emergency.

Calenders, Schedules, and Activites

I put the monthly meal menu in here as well as school and activity calenders and one monthly calender I can write everything in all the other calenders in to be in one place! This is a great place to put your cleaning zone calender in too!! You can get as specific as you want here (monthly, weekly, daily, hourly) remember this is your binder make it your own!!


Finances

Here you can keep all your bills and due dates in one place!! I keep an extra copy of my checkbook balance sheet and a list of all bills and due dates!

Finally shopping lists!

Here I keep a list of birthday and holidays as well as grocery lists and a running list of things I am running low on!

Again i am being purposefully vague here because I want you all to make your own and do what works for you! These binders are great for busy people to keep everything in one place! Also this is great for the kids because if they need to know something and you are not around it is easily found all in one place!


Well I know I gave you a lot of info and you head must be spinning! To start this I recommend baby step but trying this out. Give it a good month of steadily following before making a judgement but if you spend more than 30 minutes a day you may be spending to much time and may want to think of how you can re tool it to better serve you!

The final thing I want to mention is once you have this down and are doing it M-F guess what that leaves FREE....

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY!!!!

Enjoy your free weekends with your family and relax!! (just pick up after yourself and meals and you are set!!) Do you have any tips for cleaning and organizing on a busy schedule... If so please share with us!!

What is all this talk about Wrappers Anonymous and why should I care...

Well I am here to fill you in :)

Kelli from Wrappers Anonymous has partnered with The Free Life to give you one great PARTY!!!!

Body Wrap? What is that? How does it work?

by Wrappers Anonymous!

Well the ingredients on the applicator actually started out as a massage lotion. The lotion was created by a pharmaceutical company in Mexico. They had been testing the lotion for about six months, when they noticed that people were losing and shrinking right before their eyes. But when they looked at production, they saw that the lotion would be too expensive to produce, so they looked at the applicator instead. The staff of Dr. Garza and Luis Mijares, two leading homeopathic & herb scientific researchers have combined their extensive knowledge to create a system that actually works.
The applicator is a targeted body wrap designed for the abs, back, thighs, and arms...or anywhere else you want to put it....
. It actually works, clinically researched for 25 years! High percentage of success rate!
• Enhances skin renewal, building new skin from underneath the deep layers
• Detoxes lymphatic system
• Tones, Tightens, Firms and Reduces the Appearance of Cellulite
• Decreases local inflammation
• Start seeing Results in as little as 45 Minutes
• Continued Results Over 72 Hour Period
• Complete Body Makeover in 30-90 Days
• Results Last 2-6 Months then you just Maintain
• Targeted Body Wrap- 11”x 22”
• Easy to Use at Home By Yourself
• Affordable-No Expensive Spa Visits
• Safe All Natural Herbal Formula
• Not a Diuretic-You Will Need Water to Flush Toxins Out
• Not Water Weight Loss
• The Tape Measure doesn’t lie, So give one a try!

The formula is very synergistic as demonstrated below.
* Stimulate Lipolysis: (the breakdown of fat stored in fat cells which enables free fatty acids to be released into the bloodstream and circulate out of the body)
* Increase Lymphatic Drainage: (movement of lymph flow through the system which allows toxins and waste stored in fat cells to properly exit
* Incite Sanguineous Microcirculation: (passage of blood in the smallest vessels, namely arterioles, capillaries, and venules, which aides in the removal of toxins, inch loss, and further lipolysis)
While the Body Wrap contains a host of botanical and vitamins, the action ingredients are below:
* Aesculus Hippocastanum: A gel formulation that included 3% of the extract was applied topically to the skin around the eye three times daily for nine weeks. The efficacy of the extract to diminish wrinkles was evaluated by visual scoring based on photo scales. After six weeks, significant decreases in the wrinkle scores at the corners of the eye or in the lower eyelid skin were observed compared with controls. After nine weeks, similar results were obtained. Taken together, our results suggest that an extract of Aesculus Hippocastanum can generate contraction forces in fibroblasts and is a potent anti-aging ingredient.
* Methylsilanol Mannuronate: In vitro studies have shown that Methylsilanol Mannuronate normalizes cellular metabolism, is a tissue regeneratorm, and aids in the reduction of cellulite. This is an organic derivative of seaweed that binds moisture in the epidermis, thus firming and strengthening the skin. It is also known to act as an anti-oxidant to actively prevent the acceleration of premature aging. It is used when a positive effect on the sustaining skin tissue is desired, for reduction and prevention of the effects of coetaneous aging, for destroying free radicals, and for moisturizing.
* Fucus Vesiculosus: Studies have shown that Fucus Vesiculosus speeds up the elimination of toxins from cells and is a natural cellular renewal ingredient. It is derived from the dried Thallus (bulbous root) of Fucus Vesiculosus, a type of seaweed. It is rich in the same vital nutrients, trace elements and amino acids present in human blood plasma, allowing it to penetrate the skin more thoroughly than most other ingredients. It has also been shown to nourish and remineralize the skin. High in silicon, which is believed to keep the skin from wrinkling and sagging, it is used for its anti-inflammatory and revitalizing properties.

How does The Applicator work?
       Select herbs provide nutrients that penetrate cell walls and cause the lipids (fatty materials) inside the cells to be released into the lymphatic system. The fat is then circulated naturally and carried out through the normal elimination process of the body, resulting in natural and permanent inch loss (not temporary compression or water loss).
The Applicators don’t work by making you sweat out water (dehydration or water compression). Again, The Applicators actually help to release fat, not lose water. (Water loss can be dangerous!) We encourage you to DRINK lots of water to ASSIST flushing your body of excess fatty material. All of us have fat cells. It’s the state of these fat cells that counts. They can expand and they can shrink. When you diet or work out, you don’t lose fat cells; you lose the “subcutaneous fat” inside the cell. 
          The Applicator’s natural ingredients help to saturate the wall of the cell and work to release accumulated subcutaneous fat inside the cell (osmosis action). The excess substance liquefied by the herbs goes through blood circulation to the lymph system to excrete from the body. This is a normal excretion action that cleanses the excessive fatty substance from the body, and the excess material is flushed out through the lymphatic system, your normal elimination processes.  Your skin is your largest living and BREATHING organ of your body. Harmful air pollution, smoking, harmful ingredients from lotions, soaps, perfumes, dangerous cleaning chemicals, UV rays, and even the wind assault your body. Harmful chemicals get trapped in our fat cells. It behooves us to clean our body INSIDE and OUT by using The Applicator Cosmetic System. By shrinking your fat cells and reducing inches, you benefit from a more toxic-free body.

Is The Applicator Cosmetic System just like all the other “wraps” on the market?
                     No. This is NOT a compression wrap or temporary water loss. Many existing wraps claim they’re for weight loss. But BE CAREFUL. Several wraps are designed to make you sweat off pounds of water only to return with each glass of water you drink afterward. Other wraps are based on compression. You’re wrapped extremely tight with elastic bandages and for long periods of time. These are both temporary and generally, not comfortable to do, nor are they very good for your body.

Does this involve dieting?
          No dieting is required for inch-loss. However, The Applicator Cosmetic System is the perfect partner for a diet. Losing weight causes the breakdown of fat, releasing more toxins in the soft tissues, frequently resulting in loose, “flabby” looking flesh. The detoxifying and sculpturing wrap will firm and tighten this flesh to show the full benefits of your weight loss.

How many inches will I lose?
         It depends upon your body type (the proportion of soft fatty tissue to muscle mass) and the amount of loose skin you have. Most people average a 1 to 3 inch loss the first and again the second applicator, and about half as much the following applicators. Many people use applicators for skin tightening and cellulite reduction while others seek the therapeutic benefits of detoxification.  However, inch loss is only a side effect of these wraps, the purpose is detoxification of the fat cells. Some people will not lose inches upon first wrap because of the toxicity of their body.
How often can I use The Applicator Cosmetic System?
           The Applicator is a safe and effective process and you may do it as often as you wish, however you continue losing inches for 72 hours after the applicator. We suggest for maximum inch loss results that a series of applicators, at least 72 hours apart be applied until you reach your desired shape. Some people are happy after just one applicator, others applicate once a month to maintain their results and because it makes the skin so soft and supple.

Is this just a temporary water loss?
           No. The Applicator is a firming and toning process, which produces results by detoxifying and contouring flesh. There is very little water loss. You will lose more inches than pounds. Be sure to drink plenty of water.

Will The Applicator help cellulite?
              As you probably know, cellulite is waterlogged fatty tissue. One of the first things women with this problem report is the loss of many of their fat dimples and ripples within the first few applicators. Results, however, can be seen from the very first application.

How many applicators will I need?
                   That depends on several things: how many inches you wish to lose, the number of inches lost per applicator, how much loose skin you have, your commitment to a weight loss program, etc. To maximize your losses you ideally need to applicate every 72 hours or twice a week until your skin is tight, you have no cellulite and you look great in and OUT of clothes. (i.e. weddings, reunions, photo shoots, etc.).

How much weight will I lose?
      The Applicator was designed to take out toxins resulting in loss of inches rather than pounds.

Who will The Applicator help?
                     The Applicator will help anyone who wants to tone and tighten his/her skin, people with overly dry/rough skin, those with loose skin from weight changes or pregnancy, and men and women who want to look terrific fast! Anyone who wants to look and feel younger!

WHERE DO I ORDER IT AT?

JUST SIMPLY VISIT THIS SITE..

AND PICK OUT THE ITEMS YOU WANT!!
YES.. ITS THAT SIMPLE!!

MYSTERY HOSTESS (SEPTEMBER) RULES & HOW TO'S!

by Wrappers Anonymous! on Monday, August 22, 2011 at 5:34pm

WE WILL TOGETHER BE GIVEING AWAY A PRIZE BASKET TO PLACES 1 & 2
SUCH ITEMS MAY INCLUDE BEAUTY & RELAXATION PRODUCTS, GIFT CARDS, it works! PRODUCTS, SAMPLES, COUPONS,HEALTH AND FITNESS ITEMS ETC...
1ST PLACE IS WORTH 150$, 2ND PLACE IS WORTH 50$


 TO QUALIFY
1."like" wrappers anonymous and "the free life"
 2. ORDER OR SIGN UP AND POST THIS ON MY WALL
( I liked both pages, i signed up as a ______ customer! and ___so and so___ sent me!) insert option are (retail, distributor, stock, loyal, one timer)
 (SIGN UP here : <other than="" stock...=""> WWW.hUMBLEREVELATIONS.ITWORKS.NET )</other>

 3. REFER FRIENDS TO EARN MORE POINTS!!YOU EARN POINTS FOR EVERY PERSON THAT DOES #2 AND PUTS YOUR NAME IN THE __sO AND SO__ SPOT!!


 DONT WORRY ABOUT ADDING UP YOUR POINTS I WILL DO SO FOR YOU..

. POINTS WILL BE AWARDED AS FOLLOWS:

PTS ONLY ONE TIME PER PERSON
~ 20PTS TO ANYONE WHO SIGNS AS A DISTRIBUTOR
~ 15PTS TO ANYONE WHO SIGNS UP/ORDERS AS A LOYAL CUSTOMER
~ 10PTS TO ANYONE WHO ORDERS AS A RETAIL CUSTOMER
~ 5 PTS TO ANYONE WHO ORDERS FROM MY STOCK (MY STOCK IS LIMITED TO WRAPS ONLY @ 27$ SHIP. INCL.)
~ 5 PTS TO ANYONE WHO ORDERS AS "One timer" retail CUSTOMER- (THE ONE TIME ONLY WRAP OFFER UNDER BODY SLIMMING PRODUCTS)

UNLIMITED EARNING POTENTIAL:
~ 2 PTS TO ANYONE WHO REFERS A QUALIFIED PERSON



CONTEST DATES ARE SEPTEMBER 1-29TH, ENDS AT 11:59 PM CST
POINTS WILL BE TALLIED SEPT 30TH.
wINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AND NOTIFIED ON sEPT 30TH BY 9PM CST
PRIZES WILL BE SENT OUT oCTOBER 5TH. (TO BE WINNER YOU MUST STILL BE A FAN OF BOTH PAGES ON OCTOBER 5TH!!)


DISCLAIMER:

DISTRIBUTOR SIGN UP:
 WELCOME TO THE TEAM, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NOW TO HOST YOUR OWN PARTIES, SELL YOUR OWN PRODUCTS, AND MAKE YOUR OWN PAYCHECK EVERY MONTH. I, KELLI, FROM WRAPPERS ANONYMOUS WILL BE YOUR "UPLINE" WHOM IS ABOVE YOU AND YOUR HELPER, ANY QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MYSELF AS tHE FREE LIFE IS ONLY A PROMOTER, NOT CURRENTLY A DISTRIBUTOR. YOUR DISTRIBUTOR KIT WILL COME WITH ALL THE SALES AIDS YOULL NEED AND 8 WRAPS THAT YOU CAN SELL FOR PROFIT. DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD IS REQUIRED.

LOYAL CUSTOMERS:
THIS IS A COMMITMENT TO HAVE AN AUTOSHIP ACTIVE FOR 3 MONTHS. AFTER THE 3RD SHIPMENT YOU MAY CANCEL WITH NO PENALTIES. IN EACH AUTOSHIPMENT YOU MAY CHOSE WHAT PRODUCT TO INCLUDE, MINIMUM IS 1 PRODUCT, NO MAXIMUM, AND THERE IS NOT A $ MINIMUM. YOU MAY CHANGE THE ITEM FOR ALL THREE SHIPMENTS IF YOU LIKE. YOUR SIGN UP ORDER IS YOUR 1ST OF THE 3 MONTHS COMMITMENT. THERE IS A 50$ FEE TO CANCEL BEFORE THE 3RD SHIPMENT IS COMPLETED. HOWEVER, DURING AND AFTER YOUR 3RD SHIPMENT, YOU WILL FOREVER GET THE DISCOUNTED 20-50% OFF PRICING, FOR LIFE. (FINISH THE 3 SHIPMENTS, ITS SOOO WORTH IT) DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD IS REQUIRED.

RETAIL CUSTOMERS:
 YOU HAVE NO COMMITMENT TO EVER ORDER AGAIN, AS YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO REFUSE THE 20-50% DISCOUNT AND ARE PAYING FULL PRICE FOR EACH ITEM YOUR ORDER. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOME TO UPGRADE TO LOYAL CUSTOMER/DISTRIBUTOR STATUS AND CAN DO SO BY CONTACTING MYSELF, KELLI VIA WRAPPERS ANONYMOUS OR CALLING CUSTOMER SERVICE. DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD IS REQUIRED.

STOCK :
 THIS IS A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS FOR AVAILABILITY. i WILL DO MY BEST TO UPDATE YOU ON HOW MANY WRAPS I HAVE AVAILABLE EACH DAY. IF I AM OUT OF STOCK I WILL REPLENISH, SO GO AHEAD AND PLACE AN ORDER WITH ME, AND AS SOON AS I GET MY INVENTORY ORDER IN I WILL SEND IT OUT TO YOU. YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED UNTIL I SEND THE ORDER OUT. THESE WRAPS ARE 27$ INCLUDING SHIPPING, PAYABLE THRU PAYPAL OR MONEY ORDER ONLY.

"one timer"RETAIL:
ONE TIME OFFER: SAME AS RETAIL ABOVE.

Now that you know the 411 go on over and like her page and see all the resources she has! This is a great product and a great at home business opportunity as well!! Go show her some Free Life Love and go get your SEXY BACK!!!!









****Note Most of  the info on this post came from Kelli Brett (Wrappers Anonymous) Facebook page and is her research and words! Just want to give research credit where it is due :)****

WAHM Wednesday!! 09/07/2011

Today for WAHM Wednesday I chose one of m,y favorite Work at home Mommas... Pooky Packs!

I am sure you have seen her on my page and have seen me mention her but I bet you have wondered what she does and how it may effect your life...

Well:

Melodi is a wahm with 2 boys, 2 years old & almost 7.  Packing her son’s lunch for school last year was so hard! She had been cloth diapering the little one and was becoming very aware of waste.  And so using the plastic baggies was killing her slowly LOL!  And the big plastic containers did not fit in a standard lunch box.  Sooo she started looking into foodsafe materials that were easy to clean and suitable for things like cut up fruit and veggies (as well as dry snacks).  She started with the sandwich wraps and snack bags, then recently the sandwich bags that can also be large snack bags.  At first it was her friends buying them, then a cafe wanted to stock them.  So she set up a page on fb & she have another retailer in Sorrento.  She live in the beautiful Okanagan (Canada) but she do a lot of shipping to the states. She loves what she does, and that she gets to stay home with her boys, reduce waste, and has met some wonderful people while doing it!!


Some of the great thing she makes are:

Not only are these cute and green but they are also so economical! Imagine never buying sandwich or snack bags ever again!! These are reusable and safe which means it saves the economy, saves your wallet, and saves your lunch for years to come! She has them in so many varieties so you, your spouse, and your kids will have a choice of colors and prints to express themselves!!

I have seen these selling at major retailers (including the LL Bean flagship store and big box stores) for well over $10 but this wonderful Momma sells her handmade with love goods at a great price that includes no middle man!!

Sandwich wraps $8
Snack packs $6
Pooky Picnic Pack $20 ~ includes 2 wraps & 1 snack pack
Shipping within Canada ~ approx $2.00, depending on order
Shipping to the US ~ approx $3.00, depending on order


She also makes other things and makes to order! I would recommend you all checking out her Facebook Page for more info!!


***Remember if you know a great WAHM please let us know! You never know they may just be our next WAHM Wednesday feature!!***

Skillet Bacan Jam... SAY WHAT!

To say I was nervous is an understatement! I was very wary and it took me awhile before trying but this morning was the day!! I took two pieces of bread spread the jam on and put some black forest turkey on and... I was pleasently surprised! Really! It has a nice kick and reminds me a bit of Grandma's cooking!

Not sure if I will eat it every time I have a sandwich but this time it was A O K! Even the hubby liked it!! I give this one a 7 out of 10!!!












If you want to order some yourself go to their website! And if you have any questions you can contact them ateat@skilletstreetfood.com!!!






I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Peaceful Housewife Natural Household Cleaners Review and Giveaway!

What a great ebook!!

Talk about saving money!! This is great!! LOVE IT!! There is a plethora of resources here to help you save you money and help save the environment! This will help you answer all your questions about how to make your own household cleaners and do it in a very easy and clear way!

Imagine never having to buy cleaners again!! Well this teach you how! To buy the ebook just go over to their website for more info on ordering or you could win it here!

    


Two lucky readers will get a copy of this ebook!! Please tell us in a blog comment what the one cleaner you hate to spend money on! Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win! I will be choosing winners via Random.org on 9/16/2011 at NOON EST!!! GOOD LUCK!!!



Sponsored by Tomoson.com



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Magazine magazines magazines!!! AHHHHHH

So we get over a dozen magazine subscriptions (99% for free) a month (and that is an understatement!!) and every month we have the same issue (pun intended!) WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THESE MAGAZINES!!!!

I hate clutter and in order to be as productive as possible I try to find good resources and ways to reuse things and I had to get creative with magazines!! These are my top favorite ways to clear the magazine clutter:

1) Send them to the troops over seas!
         One of my best friends is over seas and I go through magazines to send to her. I also go through my husbands magazines as well so that she can share with the men in her unit too!!

2) Donate them to the hospital!
          I remember being a candy stripper in high school and most of the magazines I had on the magazine cart I would push around to patients had magazines on it older then me!! Hospitals usually have a volunteer office that would love you if you donated all your old magazines!! (This could also include vetrans homes, nursing homes, free clinics etc etc)

3) Donate them to a local school!
         Your children's art teacher would love you if you brought in a big box of magazines! Or even an art school! Collages are made a lot more than we think in schools and teachers always need the medium to use! Even as a Girl Scout leader I save all my children magazines for craft projects!

4) The sky is the limit!!
          Did I forget any of your favorites... Please let me know!!!

I know some of these (if not all) are no brainers!! But in the moment we forget! So this is my top 3 list of what to do with them! Now please share yours...

:)

A little bit of rambling on a Sunday morning...

Good morning all!!

I feel I need to share this with all of you! As most of you know I like to be stress free and drama free. Normally my way of dealing with confrontation is to ignore it and put on a happy (Or brave) face (which ever the case may be). I give people chance after chance but at some point you need to draw the line between forgiveness and just plain letting your self be abused...

On that note I would like to share some things with you about me, this blog, and why I started The Free Life...


I started this blog and page to share the great finds I find with family and friends! Since the first day about a month or so ago it went to being just a few people from my personal FB list to almost 900!! To say I am thrilled is an understatement! I am beyond happy you all have decided to follow me and listen to my ramblings! Which brings me to my first point/statement

1) This blog and site are me and everything comes from my own beautiful mind! Every review is my own opinion, every deal is one I found and researched (If I find I found a dud and posted it I WILL tell you). I will never let a person, vendor, or business tell me how to write, brand, or even portray my thoughts and ideas! I am who I am and that is all I can be!

I will only post something if I believe in it and find it has value in MY EYES. Every person has the ability to pass by it or read it or even "unlike" me for something I wrote. I will not be offended!! HONESTLY!! I am a wife and a mom of two kids and can only know and post on what I know!! If I do not post something it is because I personally do not find value in it. I love when you all post deals!! (I will normally repost them too because I find my loyal readers have some great tips!)

When I post a guest post it is from someone I trust and Know and I read their content first. I hold myself accountable for everything I put on my blog and FB!!!

2)When I endorse, shout out, recommend, etc etc a product, company it is because it is one I have done/do business with or know the person/people behind the business and find them of quality and feel I could put my name behind!! Again I am just me, I am not a company, a business, or a "brand" nor do I really plan to be!

Now that is not to say if Martha Stewart came knocking asking me to join her team or offered me a show I wouldn't turn her down... I am just saying I am a blogger who loves to share her opinions and deals!

3) I am in no way an extreme couponist who is only out to get things for free!! I prefer to save money so I can do the fun things: Travel, spoil my kids rotten, pamper myself, and surprise my husband with things he loves!! I do love giveaways and contests and love winning! Normally when I do win I will give what I won to charity, give it as a gift or share with family and friends! When I do win something, if I like the quality and the people behind the company, I almost ALWAYS order from them in the future!!! I am big on being a repeat customer and ALWAYS ALWAYS spread the word of companies I do like!

I am not one to bad mouth so if there is a company I do not like I will remain silent on here!!

When I do giveaways/fundraisers I in no way get compensated (almost always money comes out of my pocket for it) I do it for you the readers as well as the charity the money goes to and also to help spread the word of some great businesses (who sent their products with out of pocket expense to them!!)



I feel I needed to share this with all of you so you know where I am coming from! I am and always have been just me!! That is who I plan to stay throughout this journey!! I am a mom who does everything she can to stay home with her kiddos and bake cookies for the kids and their friends when they get off the bus. I am a mom who will attend every PTA meeting and be in the classroom to volunteer. I am a mom who will be the scout leader so no kid has to wait on a waiting list. I am the mom who will help out whenever needed and will always have a warm meal for who every needs it and this is how I do it in a bad economy...

That is who I am and that is who you will find on this blog!!

Thank you all for reading! And just so you can get a peak of who you are listening too...

This is one of my favorite pictures of my husband and I (I have since gone back to my natural black hair...) I love it because this sums our personalities :)

Thanks for letting me vent, share, and explain! I promise things won't normally be this heavy but these things have been laying heavily on my mind the last few days and just wanted to get them out there!! And by the way I am here to stay! I will be here even if I have 1,000,000 followers or just 1 and I will be spreading my tips and deals the whole time :) Have a great Labor Day weekend all!!