Spartan Race Gives Back

Huge announcement from the Reebok Spartan Race team!
They have partnered up with GovX to form one of the largest race discount

programs for US Military members and government first responders.

To show their support, they are offering a $30 discount on race registration
for our heroes! To read more about this special offer, click HERE.

Not familiar with the Spartan Race? Take a look at this...


Sooo awesome!

Anyone can sign up for these races!
Register individually, or create a team!


Have you seen these pictures of USMC Cpl Todd Love?

He lost both of his legs and his left arm after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan. He raced a special Spartan Heroes Heat, along with his Team X-T.R.E.M.E, in August 2012.  

  So what do you think? Do you want to get in on this action? Can you push yourself to the limits and conquer things you never thought you could?   The people at Reebok Spartan Race are offering one of my readers a code for free race registration good for any 2013-2014 US Spartan Race!!!   This is your chance! Follow the instructions below to enter. And be sure to spread the word about this heroes discount!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Grieving Has Taught Me

Well, I've made it almost 5 months without my Sam Bam.

Its been far from an easy ride but I'm happy to say that I'm starting to feel better.

 Not 100%, but better.

I've learned a lot of about life and death, and life after death, in these past

few months. I thought I would share the 5 most important things that grieving

has taught me. This is a situation we are all bound to come across at some point.

Maybe this will help somebody.

1. Things will never be the same.

It sounds obvious, but life really does turn upside down when you lose somebody

close to you. I spent most of the last few months mourning the fact that I will never

see her again and that no matter what I do, my life will never go back to the way it 

was when she was here. Not only that, but my connection with her kids has changed

a lot. I don't see them as often and that has been tough to accept but the fact is, its just

not going to be the same. I still love her family greatly and we do see each other when

we can. But without Sam, its different. I'm learning to be ok with this and not think of

it as such a bad thing. Its just the way it is.

2. People grieve differently.

I've heard this my entire life but never truly understood it until now. To see the way

Sam's friends and family have reacted to this tragedy has taught me a lot about the

grieving process. Some "recovered" sooner than others. Some acted out in anger.

Some (me) closed themselves off to the world in confusion and hopelessness. We are

all dealing with the same death, but processing it in different ways. This is important to know
so you don't confuse people's grief with carelessness or exaggeration. 

3. Ups and Downs are part of the process.

Just when I start feeling like I'm going to be ok, my mood takes a nosedive and I'm
crying/depressed/hopeless all over again. Then a few days later I'm feeling better.
I was getting so exhausted going through this cycle of emotions but my therapist continued
to assure me that it's normal. You have your good days, and your not so good days. Just hang
on and go with the flow. Its your body's way of adjusting to the changes and handling the
emotional stress of what you've just experienced. And it also gives you a slight glimmer
of hope that one day your good days will outweigh the bad ones and that things will get easier.

4. Have patience for the grieving.

I owe so much to my friends for helping me get through the toughest time in my life. There are
a few people who stayed by my side through my bad days, when I felt like no one cared about me.
Some of them invited themselves over and literally had to drag me out of the house to pull me out
of my negative mood. They didn't give me any other option and I'm so glad they did because it really
helped. When I was feeling down and sorry for myself, they didn't get annoyed, they understood.
They were here for me to talk to. They were genuinely concerned when I was upset. It was exactly
what I needed and I am so glad I had them here for me. The emotional rollercoaster has slowed
down now and I know its easier to be my friend when I'm not crazy moody, crying and sleeping
all the time. But the fact that they were my friend regardless means so much to me! If someone
you know is grieving and going through the ups and downs, just be there for them. Even if they act
like they don't need or want you there, they do and they will appreciate it later.

5. That "new normal" is a real thing.
For a while I was really feeling guilty about moving out of the shocked/depressed phase. I didn't
want to ever be "ok" with the fact that my best friend died. That her kids have to grow up without
her. That she got robbed of life. People kept saying "You'll find a new normal" and all I could think
was "Ok but I dont want a new normal. I want my normal normal. I want her back." Its only been
in the past week or so that I've realized I now have a "new normal". I don't wake up in the morning
expecting to hear from her. I don't feel out of place when she's not showing up at my house at 9:30am
with the kids ready to hang out. I have a new routine. I've come to accept that it will never go back
to being that way and I've gotten used to life the way it is now. I think the most important part is that
I don't feel guilty about it. I did my fair share of mourning. She knew I loved her and I know I
always will. All she wanted for me was to be happy and she would hate knowing that she was
the cause of so much pain. Just because it is getting easier doesn't mean I don't miss her or think
about her all the freaking time. I would give anything to have her back. But remembering her
is a lot less heart-wrenching and I know now that I am going to be ok.

In spirit of my beautiful Sam and our Cali lovin' thug life together...

HUGE Military Family Giveaway & Getaway!!

Let me start off by saying that, as a Marine Wife, it touches

my heart whenever offers like this present themselves to our community.

It takes a very special person to hack a life in the military and its even more

honorable when there are children involved. You can't truly understand unless
you've been there.

My husband was deployed to Iraq while I was pregnant with our first baby. He
missed the entire pregnancy but luckily got home just a few short weeks before
she was born. He was in a nondeployable position when I had our second baby but
was training when I went into labor and I couldn't get a hold of him! He made
it to the hospital just in time. In 2011 I gave birth to our third baby while he was half
a world away. He met her when she was 6 weeks old. This past May we concluded
yet another deployment where my three babies were without their dad for 6 months.

Our story is so "normal" in this lifestyle. There are many other families facing

even greater hardships and trying to survive deployments while raising kids.

If you know a military mom or dad whose spouse is overseas, and you feel that

they are deserving of this amazing opporunity, please follow the directions below

to nominate them!

Thank you, Plush Little Baby, for showing your support to us military families!

http://www.plushlittlebaby.com/plbs-ultimate-military-family-giveaway-getaway/

The Television Post

I've noticed lots of bloggers posting about their favorite shows.

I figured I'd throw mine into the mix because I know you care!

I'm a TV Junkie and I fully admit that!

The only problem I have is keeping up with the current episodes.

I don't have a lot of time and can only watch one or two shows after

the kids go to bed. I also start some shows really late,

after I hear everyone else's reviews.

My poor DVR can hardly keep up with my habits.

So here a few shows in my current rotation...

First and foremost is Big Brother Season 15! My favorite show ever.

I've been a BB fan since the beginning and I never miss an episode.

This is probably the only show that I stay current with and actually watch

when its on. If you've never seen it, I recommend it! Some people think its

trashy, there are some cat fights along the way, but what do you expect with

that many people living a secluded life in the same house. It is a game though

and there is strategy involved. This season is coming to an end but be sure to

catch it next summer!

My favorites have switched throughout this season. At first I was a big fan of

McCrae but I despise Amanda. She is a control freak and just intimidates people

into doing what she wants. She can't win a competition to save her life. She is

still getting far in this game, which I give her kudos for, but I don't like her. So

since McCrae has fallen in love with Amanda, I can't root for him anymore. Last

night's episode has got me on Team Elissa and Judd. I was so annoyed that Elissa

was Rachel's sister, and I couldn't stand her for the longest time, but I've slowly

learned that she is way cooler than her sister and although I don't want her to win,

I'm hoping she can create a nice little alliance and take some other people to the end.

I was a big fan of Helen and I was sad to see her go. I felt like she really knew how

to play the game and did it with class. She was so smart! I was rooting for her to

be the retuning juror but I was glad to see Judd come back too. I hope he makes

some big moves this time and doesn't just sit idle the way he was before!

I hope Amanda gets backdoored this week.

That sounds dirty, you have to be a fan of BB to know what that really means.

 Oh I am a hugggge RHOC fan!!!! Its the only housewives show that I follow with a

passion but I LOVE them! I missed the first couple of seasons but I think I started

regularly following it in 2009. It was around the time Gretchen's fiance Jeff passed away.

I'm not totally caught up on this season yet though, I'm a few episodes behind.

My favorite housewife is Heather. I feel like she is everything I want to be! Rich,

successful, down to earth, a good mom, and the peacekeeper in the group. She doesn't

like drama but is very straightforward when somebody else is causing problems. She's

modest and professional and so very classy. Her husband is a plastic surgeon with a great

sense of humor and she's got 4 little kids running around her insanely gorgeous mansion.

Tamra and Gretchen have been long time favorites of mine too. I think they are so funny

but their personalities are completely opposite of mine, which is probably why I like them.

They seem like they would be really fun to hang out with and laugh at as I sit back and

watch. Vicki isn't my favorite housewife, but she is entertaining! And I feel a connection

with her story because of her daughter. I love her daughter, Briana, who recently married

a Marine and had a baby boy. I obviously feel like I can relate to her. In the episode I'm

currently watching, her husband is training here at 29 Palms and she visits him 3-4 times

a week. Yes, I am secretly hoping I will run into her some day. I will keep my eyes peeled!

I really like the new housewife, Lydia. She's so sweet and cute and kind of hippie-ish. She's

all about peace and love and also stays out of the drama of the group. She just wants everyone

to be friends and have fun! The only housewife I don't care for is Alexis. I hope its just the way

the show portrays her, but I can't stand her!

Hubby and I have jumped on The Walking Dead bandwagon! Better late than never!

We are almost done with season 2 on Netflix. I had ALL of season 3 recorded on my DVR

but it apparently got deleted because of 16 hours of X-Games that decided to take control.

We are big fans of this show and if you haven't seen it, you need to! There was tons of talk about

it so we decided to give it a try. The first episode didn't have me totally convinced. But 3 to 4

episodes in and we were hooked. It just keeps getting better and better.

The episode we are on, the group is still living on Hershel's ranch. Shane is still around

(I heard he dies??? Don't tell me!!) and he drives me crazy. That guy is a loose canon, it wouldn't

surprise me if they throw him to the Walkers for bait. The little boy, Carl, is starting to get a little

too confident with his little boy self and he's starting to make me nervous. We have one episode left

of this season and I'm sure its gonna be a good one.

Premiering tonight is Teen Mom 3! This is another show I have followed since the very

beginning. I've watched all of the 16 and Pregnant seasons and have followed Teen Mom

religiously. I'm super excited about this new group of girls.

Speaking of Teen Mom, wtf has happened to Farrah. Does anyone keep up with her? She is

losing her marbles. I'm totally not a fan. I'm also not a fan of Jenelle, she needs to figure

herself out. I do, however, want to be Macy's best friend. I love her and I think she's doing

things right. Catelynn and Tyler also have a special place in my heart. I wish them nothing

but the best! I'm excited to get to know this new group of girls and stalk their lives :)

Friday Reflection

Every Friday we take a moment to reflect on our week.
Focusing on the positives can change your mood and outlook today.
Put your answers in the comments or link up your post at the bottom!

What is one thing you learned this week?

That we can get Aveeno oatmeal bath prescribed for my poor

eczema baby!

What is one thing that made you smile this week?

  Reconnecting with a friend I haven't seen in a while.

What is one thing you did for someone else this week?

We had Sam's husband and kids over for dinner one night.

It was nice to visit and relieve him of cooking duty for a night.

What is one thing you did for yourself this week?

  I bought myself some new makeup and shoes :)

Most of my makeup has literally gone down the toilet.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Hanging out in San Diego with the family. Going to my husband's 10 year

high school reunion and a double date with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law!

Bonus Question: Is there something in your way of achieving a goal? Can it be moved?

 I think people's judgements/opinions hinder me more than anything

else. I don't know if it can be moved but I definitely need to learn how

to work around it and not care so much what other people think. I need

to get better about being my own biggest fan and doing what's best for myself.

Funny Thursday

Funny Thursday isn't a real thing, I just made that up.

I found some funny things though and its Thursday.

Enjoy!

 

 

Dirty little secret: This homeschooling soccer mom is a huge Eminem fan...

Laundry Room Reveal!

Wow this is so late lol

I started working on my laundry room back in January.

You can read more about it here.

It was a complete unorganized wreck and was one of those

rooms where we just stored all our miscellaneous stuff and

kept the door shut so no one had to deal with it.

I had a plan and a vision to get it cleaned up and I did!

There were a few things I didn't get to. I wanted to add curtains but
I had a really hard time finding some in the color I

want and the size I needed. The corner with the cat box is still
annoying but we need to buy a covered cat box and figure out where
to store all of the accessories for our vacuum.
I also want to eventually buy a container to keep the dog food in.

Without further adieu, here is my new laundry room...

The decals above the dryer and on the door are 

courtesy of O'Seven Eleven Creations.

 

Ahh so much better!

Chapstick Bandit

My toddler always steals my Chapstick. Always! I can't hold on to one for more than a day or so before she has used her magical seeking powers to find it and eat the entire thing. 

This has been a long, exhausting, frustrating battle between me and the baby of the family. After months and months and months of failed hiding spots and secret locations, hubby says "Why don't you just put it in an empty pill bottle?"

Child proof top.

My hubby is a lifesaver!

Take that Super Baby!!! 

Now who wants to bet on how long it takes her to figure out how to open a childproof top? 

Cheesy Potato Salad {recipe}

I have no idea where I got this recipe but it has been

in my recipe box since the beginning of my marriage.

Hand-written on a note card, so you know it was before

Pinterest ever came along. Old school.

Anyway, I remember making this recipe for a pot luck

play date in the town we used to live in. Nobody gave me

the time of day during the play date until someone asked

"Who brought this potato salad?"

And that is how I make friends.

Just kidding, I never went back to that play group but at

least I got an honest opinion about my cooking in the process.

Cheesy Potato Salad

2 1/2 lbs red potatoes, cubed

1 c sour cream

1/2 c mayonnaise

1/4 c white sugar

1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 c shredded cheddar

handful of bacon bits

1) Place potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover.

Boil for about 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.

Drain, set aside to cool.

2) In a large bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar,

half of the green onions and half of the cheese. Gently stir

in potatoes.

3) Top with remaining green onions, cheese and the bacon bits.

Serve!

Its the sugar that makes this recipe a winner.

And the bacon.

I'm a Failure

I'm not gonna sugar coat it.

I'm a failure.

And I'm ok with that.
Well, kinda.

I'm one of those people that starts a project but can never finish it.
I don't beat myself up for it, it's just the way I am.
I always have great intentions in the beginning and then the
excitement of the situation wears off and the project
nosedives off of my priority list.

Here are some examples of some recent projects I have failed at:

• Gardening, sounded great in the beginning and now it's dead. The flowers in the front are barely hanging on for dear life.
• Two hundred sit ups challenge, I've attempted this probably 6 times and can't ever stick with it past Week 3.
• Scrapbooking, I love it, I enjoy it, but once I had kids I realized its a lot more difficult to do with little grabby hands hanging around me constantly. So my oldest daughters scrapbook has about 8 pages completed and the other 2 kids don't even have an album.
• C25K, I'm in the process of failing since I have only successfully completed week 1 and I've only managed to go to the gym two times in the past two weeks.
• The Twilight Series, I finished New Moon and the rest of the books are sitting on my shelf.

I'm sure there's more that I just can't think of because, well,

that's how I failed at them in the first place.

So what am I going to do about this? I have so many things I want

to do, so many plans around the house that I haven't followed through

with. I really need to pick one and focus on it until the job is done instead

of attempting 100 different things at once and half-assing all of them.

So the first project I will be working on until completed (NO EXCUSES)

is printing and organizing all of our family photos. I purchased some awesome

albums from Kolo.com, one color for each kid, and I have yet to put a single photo

in any of them. Maybe I will have time to scrapbook some of the pictures later,

but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew right now. If I can get these pictures placed

in their specified albums in chronological order before my kids move out of the house,

I will deem this a success!

Friday Reflection

Take a moment to reflect on this past week.

Thinking about the positives can change your mood and outlook today.

Link up at the bottom!

What is one thing you learned this week?

 That my phone gets amber alerts lol surprise! But I'm glad it does!

What is one thing that made you smile this week? 

 Being chosen as one of the Top 50 Military Mom Blogs of 2013!!

What is one thing you did for someone else this week?

 Before we left Andrew's grandma's house last weekend we deep cleaned 

her room, got all the dust out, cleaned her bathroom and emptied her vacuum

for her :) We try to do a couple things each time to make her life a little easier.

What is one thing you did for yourself this week?

  Wow I'm having a hard time answering this one. I bought myself chocolate

at the store...does that count?

What are your plans for the weekend?
We have a birthday party tomorrow and then I really need to work on our

homeschool lesson plans.

Bonus Question: What is one thing you admire about yourself?

I like that I can continue to be supportive for my friends even when I'm having

a hard time. I think I do a good job at being there when they need someone

and it almost helps me to help them.

The Importance of Education {guest post}

 

 

 My husband is an active duty Marine and recently decided

to start school online for nutrition science. It got me thinking about

life after the Marine Corps. I got married and started a family so young 

that I didn't have the opportunity to go to college. Life and kids got ahead

of me and here I am, 25 years old, with no education after high school.

I'm not saying its a bad thing, I am definitely successful in other areas in

my life and my kids are well taken care of. I have the opportunity to stay at

home to raise them and homeschool. But that's just it, I put so much focus on

my kids that I have kind of lost myself over the years.

Since Andrew took the initiative to start school for himself, it has really

inspired me to think of what direction I want to go career wise. My kids won't

be little forever and eventually we will be getting out of the Marine Corps and

our lives will change. I would really like some education to back me up when

that happens. It's never too late.

Please enjoy this article from Danielle of the Ascet Institute of Technology.

Sometimes life gets the better of us; it goes so fast that we don’t have time to stop and think for a moment about how it could be different or better. You probably have enough to think about already without adding new projects to your schedule. But that’s how we get ahead, by thinking of the future. Kids grow up and become independent. Even if you’re preoccupied with being a twenty-four hour care giver to your children, it’s still ok to think of yourself, and to think of the future. One of the best ways to do this is through education. Education, statistically, is what brings us advancement in life. With the changing landscape of education today, it’s more accessible than ever. Education providers like Ascet institute of technology provide practical, skills-based training that is designed to help you find employment. Better than that, training can be done completely online, meaning that people with commitments like paid work and children can still have access to education, without having to do the traditional on-campus student experience.

Knowing that has the potential to expand your life and change your future. Having career options is really important because really, you never know what the future holds.

voiceBoks Top 50 Military Mom Blogs of 2013!

I started this blog at the beginning of the year mostly

as a hobby. Something to keep me busy while I'm living

in the middle of nowhere with 3 kids and my husband is half 

way around the world. I wasn't expecting much.

Eight months later and blogger opportunities keep landing

in my lap. First I was offered a guest post entry from someone,

then Happify.com contacted me about joining their team, then

another guest post out of Australia (coming soon) and this morning

I woke up to an e-mail notifying me that I was chosen as one of

the Top 50 Military Mom Blogs of 2013!

I'm not sure how this happened. I could have been nominted or

just randomly selected. I didn't apply for it though and it came as

a complete surprise!

I feel so honored!

Now I need your help to make it to the Top 10!
Go here and vote for my blog! Spread the news to your friends
and get ready for me to bombard you with reminders :)

Friday Reflection

Take a moment to reflect on this past week.

Thinking about the positives can change your mood and outlook today.

I'm going to start adding a bonus question or task that will change
every week. This is inspired by happify.com which is a website geared
at enriching your life in a positive way! (check it out!)

Link up your Friday Reflection post at the bottom,

or add your answers to the comments below.

Have a beautiful weekend!

What is one thing you learned this week?

 www.freebooksifter.com lists free books for your Kindle and its updated daily.

What is one thing that made you smile this week? 

 Seeing my son and Sam's son learning how to play football!

 

What is one thing you did for someone else this week?

A friend came to me when she needed someone to talk to. I tried my best

to be supportive and offer advice the best I knew how. (I hope it helped)

What is one thing you did for yourself this week?

  I went to the gym on Monday lol I failed the rest of the week but will get

back to the routine next Monday!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Visiting family in San Diego and celebrating my niece's 1st birthday!!


Bonus Task: Learn the art of meditation at some point within the next week.
Escape to a quiet place for 5 minutes, set a timer if you want to.
Lay down and focus on your breathing. Focus on your inhaling and exhaling.
Relax your entire body, paying special attention to your shoulders which tend
to be tensed up without your knowledge. Locate the most tense of your muscles
and with every exhale imagine those muscles relaxing and releasing the stress.
Explore every muscle until you are completely relaxed. Lay there for a few extra
minutes and enjoy the peace.
I like to do this laying on the living room floor after the kids go to bed
and the house is quiet :)

Money Makers & Savers

If you're a stay at home mom like me I'm sure you've struggled with ideas
on how to bring in some extra cash into the household. It's hard living on one
income and if we could figure out a way to bring in a couple more dollars
while staying at home with our kids, that would be awesome right?

I'm a huge fan of these sites that save or earn you money.
It's usually a couple dollars here and there, but it adds up.
And you don't really have to get off your couch. And most of them give
 referral bonuses for getting your friends on board. (Do you see where this is going?)

If you're interested in any of these following sites, please sign up through my links
so I can get the credit. I'm not ashamed to ask! Lol

I do recommend these though, this post isn't purely for my benefit only.
These are sites that I have legitimately earned or saved some cash from and I
figured you'd probably like to get in on this action!

What it is: Swagbucks is an online reward system where you earn points from doing various tasks. From searching the web to signing up for sites to watching 30-second advertisements, the amount of points earned can be cashed in for rewards.

How its working for me: I have earned a lot from Swagbucks but I've been a member for a while. Last year I earned $75 worth of Amazon gift cards that I used towards my Christmas shopping, and that was all without any referrals under me. If I were to have people sign up under me, I would be collecting points even faster.

How to get the most out of it: To get the most out of Swagbucks, make sure you download the toolbar and use the built in search engine to do your internet searches. You will randomly score SBs in various amounts from searching the web. Commit some time each day to do some Swagbucking (not an official term). There are soo many different ways to earn SBs. My personal favorite is the surveys (be patient, they fill up fast and most will deny you after a couple questions but the ones that let you through are usually high valued!) Also, add this page on Facebook. They offer tips daily for easy SB earnings!

How to sign up: swagbucks.com/refer/kme760

What it is: Ibotta is a free mobile app for grocery shoppers that offers a fun way to get cash back from your every day shopping. Just answer a couple consumer survey type questions to claim your offers on the products you choose. After purchasing those specific products from the grocery store, you can redeem your earnings by scanning your store receipt and scanning the bar code on the product. Once Ibotta verifies the purchase, the money is yours! Link to your PayPal account to cash in. 

How its working for me: I'm still very new to Ibotta. I literally used it for the first time last week but man have I been missing out! I wish I would've known about this earlier! My first grocery trip I was able to cash in $14.50. Well...$10 of that was a bonus for being a new customer but still! That's almost $15 I didn't have before and it took me almost no effort to earn!

How to get the most out of it: You gotta give up the brand loyalty if you're gonna use this app. Only certain products are offered (it changes all the time) and I would take advantage of as much of them as you can. There are also multiple bonuses you can complete for extra earnings! You must sign up through my link to get the $10 Share The Love Bonus! But don't sign up unless you know you're going shopping soon. You get the $10 for redeeming 5 offers within your first 2 weeks.

How to sign up: http://ibotta.com/r/bK6TrA

What it is: Capital One 360 is an FDIC insured online bank. They offer checking, savings, teen and even kid's savings accounts that you can access anytime.

How its working for me: You've heard about all my accounts for different reasons. Well I am excited most about the Capital One 360 account I recently signed up for to save our "fun money". I signed up during a special promotion and if I make 2 more transactions to or from my acct within 45 days of signing up, they'll give me a $100 bonus! Again, $100 towards our Disneyland fund that I didn't have to work for.

How to get the most out of it: Sign up through my link to have a chance at the Refer-a-Friend bonus. Right now they are offering $50 if you open a checking account and $25 for savings, kids or teen account. You must meet the qualifications to get the bonus. So be prepared before you open it. Like I mentioned before, my bonus will come when I've made a total of 5 transactions within my first 45 days. I think for a savings account you'll get your bonus if you open your account with at least $250.

How to sign up: https://r.capitalone360.com/H7NHbbiQwm

What it is: Zulily is a members-only daily deals type website. New deals are announced every day and are only open for a couple days before they expire. Zulily works directly with different brands to offer us the best deals available. They offer a lot of kids/baby/mom products but also have a section for Home and Women products. Clothes, jewelry, kitchen stuff, home decor, the products they offer always vary so there is something for everyone.

How its working for me: I am an official Zulily addict. It is very very easy to get sucked in to its greatness and even harder to resist taking advantage of their amazing deals. But in the long run, I am saving money. I recently bought part of the Preschool Prep curriculum for my 3 year old son. The package I got goes for $225 retail, I got it for $99.99 on Zulily! This is pretty well-known curriculum too and I have been lusting after it for a while.

How to get the most out of it: Zulily will give you $15 credit for every friend you refer. But since this is mostly a money saver I recommend double checking their "sales" on other sites before you purchase. Sometimes you can get an amazing deal, sometimes not so much. I don't think buying clothes from here is worth it because they're still more pricey than catching sales at Carters or Gymboree. They make it ridiculously easy to buy things off their app so practice self-control! :) But check their sales every day to find the good stuff and get it early before it sells out. I'll be keeping an eye out for Christmas gifts.

How to sign up: http://www.zulily.com/invite/keichelberger981

What it is: Ebates is a way to get cash back from your online purchases. Stores offer Ebates commission for sending consumers their way. Ebates uses that commission to reward us.

How its working for me: I do TONS of online shopping since I'm out here in the middle of nowhere! I've earned almost $18 back from Ebates just from making my usual online purchases.

How to get the most out of it: Not all sites are linked with Ebates so to make sure you get your earnings, download the Ebates Add-on for the toolbar of your browser. If you are at an Ebates-friendly website, it will notify you so you can make sure you get the credit. Its hard to remember Ebates when you're focused on shopping so I've found this to be very helpful! Sign up through my link to get a $5 bonus after your first Ebates-friendly purchase. Ps. Remember that Shakeology I wrote about a few days ago? Get 5% back on your Beachbody purchases!

How to sign up: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=mNhNf%2Bbd41hVph2Qmt8h%2BA%3D%3D

I'm going to keep track of my earnings from these sites for the month of August.

I'll let you guys know how I do!

If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask.

Help me help you! :)

Twitter Cash Giveaway for $60!

 

To celebrate reaching over 2000 twitter followers Serenity You is having a cash giveaway!!

One lucky person will win $60!

This giveaway is brought to you by :

Natasha from Serenity You
Tianna from A Little Bit Me
Kim from {Enjoy the View}
Teri from The Freshman Cook

and Sponsored by :

Atop Serenity Hill

To be in with a chance of winning just enter the rafflecopter below.
The giveaway ends on 22nd August

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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