Are we there yet??

• Etch-a-Setch, Doodle pads, or Magnet pads
• A cookie sheet with letter magnets from the fridge 
• Pipe cleanersor Bend-a-roos to make fun creations 
• Small chalk boards 
• Bubbles
• Water ring games
• Melissa & Doug’s Memory Gamehas several changeable versions
• Pieces of tinfoil to make crowns, necklaces, or animals
• Crayola Window Markers

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

Spring is here – Easter is around the corner!  I have been getting inspiration online looking for decorating tips.  Easter is such a fun holiday to decorate your table for.  Look at these cute bunny holders for the colored eggs!  I already have white plates – wouldn’t these cute baskets with chicks from Pfaltzgraff be such a cute way to decorate?

I am a pink girly girl so this holiday with the pink and pastels is right up my alley.  I don’t decorate my house with these colors or dress this way, but they are so sweet and spring like! 

If you are hosting a buffet for Easter or any other gathering check out this adorable flatwear caddy from Pfaltzgraff.  I have always been a huge fan of them – they make great quality  and reasonably priced tablewear and flatwear.

And of course now when I am shopping on line I am always sure to check with www.savings.comto make sure I get the best coupons and savings available.  I’d say that I pay full price for items only less than 10 % of the time – yes – 90 % of my shopping for clothes, food, restaurants, housewears I try to buy on sale or have a coupon.  Why pay full price when you don’t have too? 

What is your favorite Easter decorating idea?  My kids want to put Easter eggs in the tree out front…..I am not voting for that one – but if it makes them happy…..

Happy decorating everyone!

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

I am always so excited to share good savings tips!  I love to cook homemade dinners, but of course I also love to eat out!  When we do go out I am always looking for a deal and coupons if available.  With the economy in the state that is is there are so many restaurants with great deals and coupons.  Well with Valentines Day coming up I got to thinking about going out to eat, while I may not do that this actual Valentines’ weekend – as I hate a crowd – we will probably go out next weekend. 

Restaurant Coupons

So I started searching around for restaurant coupons and found this http://www.savings.com/c-Restaurant-coupons.html and they have links to great restaurant coupons!  Good restaurants too like Melting Pot, Cheesecake Factory and Ruby Tuesday.  Some of them require you to fill out a form or survey but then you get a great coupon!

Restaurant Reviews

Do you like honest restaurnat reviews – not just those ones that are written up in the paper by food critics?  Real honest to goodness people out in your community that have opinions on local restaurants?  Then check out Yelp! http://www.yelp.com - on my computer it magically knew what city I was in, but you can tell it to go to a particular city.  And when Charlotte popped up – then it even narrowed restaurants down by neighborhood areas!  So the next time you are dying to try out that new Thai place in town and want the real scoop on it – this is a great place to check it out before you spend your hard earned money there!

Free Online Coupons

If you are looking for tons of coupons on a variety of items - check out  http://www.savings.com - as they have access to terrific coupons.  I just started getting into the coupon thing this year, and it can be addicting once you start saving money!  There is many coupon categories to choose from housewares, clothing, kids – from stores like Target, Gap and Macy’s.  Again there is a link to the sites to fill out forms, but if you are in search of a coupon this site is a good way to narrow it down.

I am a saver by nature – not a spender.  But when I do spend – I want to spend wisely and use a coupon when ever possible!

  – Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

Organized #2

Kitchen Drawer Organizer from organize.com

And then I’ll tackle my dream pantry project!

- Helping you achieve your Domestic Success!

Here on my blog I like to share things that I wished pepole had told me sooner.  Well this one, someone had actually told me sooner – many, many times, many people told me.    You’ve all heard it, but just in case you are like me and didn’t think it’d really happen to you…..backup your computer!

I see you grimacing – you haven’t done it either right? 

We had a BRAND NEW computer – only 5 months old and it died – dead, dead, dead.  The hard drive needed to be replaced and while I was on the phone with the nice man in India – he diagnosed the problem –“it is dead” – really?  And he asked if I had backed-up.  I cringed.  “Uh – no” I quietly muttered into the phone.  I was ashamed, embarrassed and upset that I not actually done something so easy.  Thankfully we still had our old computer which still had all of the files on it – we would just need to transfer them all over again.  I guess I figured since it was brand new we didn’t need to worry.  Our old computer was 7 years old – we never backed up – not once!  And we had been fortunate to never have lost anything.  Who knew – well I guess everyone that had warned me did!

You have many choices in this whole backing up thing.  Either with an external hard drive or an online backup system.  The point is don’t wait – don’t put it off any longer.  Backup and often! 

- Helping you achive your Domestic Success!

Not long after I got married I soon realized my family just doubled – almost tripled because Derek’s family was bigger than mine.  Then I realized wow – that’s a lot of birthday cards to do!  Well I enjoy sending cards just as I love getting them. Then I started to feel bad because I was having trouble keeping up with the birthdays – I always felt I was sending “belated” ones out.  My mother-in-law, whom I love so much, one day said “cards, cards, cards – always cards” she was right – not only family birthdays, but new baby, get well, condolences, mother’s day, father’s day, etc….  Well I was determined to not be late anymore!

Fist I took a marker and wrote down all the immediate family members’ birthdays on my kitchen calendar.  Then I made a binder with folders, and each folder has a pocket for every month.  On the outside of each pocket it had the month and lists all the birthdays of that month.  Then I went to the Dollar Store and purchased the next six months worth of b-day cards, along with some thank you’s and get well ones. 

Then when I flip the calendar for a new month I scan for any birthdays and pull the cards out of the folder and off they go!  Am I late anymore with birthday cards?  Sure – but not nearly as often as I used to be! 

- Helping  you achive your Domestic Success!